This tension between official and unofficial networks has always been there and will continue. The overlap between the systems becomes smaller when employees feel that the official network enforces status-quo and is designed to limit activity (i.e. spend money). In some organizations the business as usual mantra becomes a barrier to anything new or interesting. The path to career opportunity becomes limited to a small group that looks, talks and acts like the boss's image of himself. I had several irritating conversations with upper level managers - people I've known for twenty years responding to my questions with a lecture on "bringing value to the corporation". It was clear I had ceased to be a person to them and was now just a resource (like electricity or floor space). How do you network with that?