Academia.eduAcademia.edu

Outline

Title
Abstract
Introduction
Project Methodology
Conclusions
References
All Topics
Sociology
Social Theory

Generating Social Capital?

Profile image of Mel EvansMel Evans

2007, European Urban and Regional Studies

https://doi.org/10.1177/0969776407072664
visibility

…

description

21 pages

link

1 file

Abstract

In seeking to understand and promote long-term and inclusive models of local economic development the notion of social capital appears potentially important. In the development of the social economy, an aspect of the local economy which has attracted an increased theoretical and policy focus in recent years, the relationship with social capital appears particularly significant.Yet despite the apparent salience of notions of social capital, there remains a lack of understanding of the nature and extent of existing social capital resources and the precise manner in which these are drawn upon in the development of the social economy to generate further social capital within the local development process. In part this is a result of the conceptual confusion surrounding the notion of social capital, but it also reflects a lack of empirical research. This article explores the notion of social capital and the manner in which it is produced, reproduced and used locally within the social eco...

Related papers

Social Capital as an Elusive Factor of Socio-Economic Development
Urszula Markowska-Przybyła

Journal of Leadership, Accountability and Ethics, 2012

The modern economy is characterized by an intense interest in non-economic factors (e. g. cultural, institutional) in explaining economic phenomena. This is reflected in an increasing interest of economists in the concept of social capital. The article presents the role of social capital in economic development and in regional development. It shows the difficulties of measuring social capital, among others, with the problem of data aggregation or with the necessity to take into account the context. The difficulties these cause suggest that social capital still remains an elusive capital.

View PDFchevron_right
Social Capital and Community Development: Case Study
Catalin Fedor

Social Research Reports, 2019

This paper presents the results of a research on the role played by social capital in the development of a community. The aim is to reveal the virtues of the social capital concept and to analyse its practical value on the ground. The focus is on how a community reacts to the development proposals received from diff erent social agents. The results show the diff erent ways in which community members respond to the proposed initiatives according to their age and training. The conclusions highlight the fact that in the collective consciousness, there are multiple representations of the common future of a community.

View PDFchevron_right
Social Capital: Promise and Pitfalls of its Role in Development
patricia landolt

Journal of Latin American Studies, 2000

The purpose of this commentary is threefold. First, to review the origins and definitions of the concept of social capital as it has developed in the recent literature. Second, to examine the limitations of this concept when interpreted as a causal force able to transform communities and nations. Third, to present several relevant examples from the recent empirical literature on Latin American urbanisation and migration. These examples point to the significance of social networks and community monitoring in the viability of grass-roots economic initiatives and the simultaneous difficulty of institutionalising such forces.Current interest in the concept of social capital in the field of national development stems from the limitations of an exclusively economic approach toward the achievement of the basic developmental goals: sustained growth, equity, and democracy. The record of application of neoliberal adjustment policies in less developed nations is decidedly mixed, even when eval...

View PDFchevron_right
Social capital and social economics
Irene van Staveren, Peter Knorringa

Forum for Social Economics, 2002

This paper evaluates key developments in the social capital literature over the past decade. It then examines empirical work on the purported the link between social capital and economic performance. Although these results indicate that good governance and social cohesion make a measurable contribution to economic development, the offer little guidance for policy formulation. Early contributors to the social capital field were pessimistic about the ability of the state to stimulate social capital formation. More recently, there has been a groundswell of interest in the application of community development principles to foster social capital at the micro level. This paper incorporates a critical evaluation of the mainstream social capital literature from a social economics perspective. The various strands within the social economics tradition share a common concern with the "disembedding" of social context from mainstream economics.

View PDFchevron_right
Social Capital and Community Development : Conceptual Framework
Shigeki YOKOYAMA

2004

The main objective of this article is to broadly describe how social capital matters in community development and what sort of issues have been raised in previous studies with re- spect to data collection, measuring social capital and data analysis. In conclusion, although so- cial capital seems to affect the level of community development to some extent, we should keep in mind several issues when measuring social capital.

View PDFchevron_right
Social Capital -a Local Government Perspective
Dr Mike Reid

Social Capital and Policy Development, 1997

Following the acceptance in the early 1990s of "social capital" as a measurable factor in the overall success or otherwise of a community, policy communities began to apply the concept in a variety of contexts. One such context has been the practice of local government and the degree to which participation in local democracy contributes to social capital formation, and, in turn, increases as social capital grows.

View PDFchevron_right
Unpacking social capital in Economic Development: How social relations matter
Irene van Staveren, Peter Knorringa

2007

Abstract Social capital is a contested concept, embraced by the mainstream as “the missing link” in economic analysis. This article suggests a way to turn it into a more meaningful understanding of how social relations matter in the economy. It will do so by unpacking the concept into various elements, distinguishing what social relations are from what they do, and by recognizing power in social relationships.

View PDFchevron_right
Community-Based Social Economy – Social Capital and Civic Participation in Social Entrepreneurship and Community Development
Witold Mandrysz

Management Dynamics in the Knowledge Economy, 2020

The purpose of this article is to draw attention to the importance of a strong relationship between social economy entities and their socio-institutional ecosystem. The article focuses on pointing out the importance of adequate diagnosis and the use of social capital existing in the community for the development and success of social economy initiatives. Draws attention to the importance of cooperation of these initiatives with local institutions, social organizations and representatives of local businesses as well as the level of their rooting in the minds of members of the community. The first part of the text referrers to the concept of co-production and Community-based social economy. The second part of the article presents the relation between the concept of social capital and community development and discusses the relation between the level of existing social capital in the given community and the possible development of the social economy entities operating there. The last p...

View PDFchevron_right
Social capital: a necessary and sufficient condition for sustainable community development?
Ann Dale

Community Development Journal, 2008

Research in Canada and Australia has shown that social capital is a necessary condition for sustainable community development as it enhances linking ties that increase access to resources outside the community. Social capital in and of itself, however, is not always sufficient to sustain and develop local community initiatives, as infusions of economic and human capital are often necessary; the larger 'social safety net' can play a critical role in local community development initiatives. More importantly, government policy alignment may be critical to establish a stable environment within which organizations can sustain and increase the scale of their operations. Governments have a critical leadership role to play by realigning policies and incentives to complement the existing social capital network formation by strategically targeting their interventions at pivotal points in the evolution of local organizations to optimize their access to outside economic and human resources. The role of government is explored in a case study outlining the actions of a local community initiative in a marginalized neighbourhood of Vancouver, Canada.

View PDFchevron_right
The Development of the Concept of Social Capital
Budi Zulfachri

Social capital is assumed as an alternative form of other modalities. Theoretically, there is a debate about social capital leading to social relations. The debate relates to the conceptualization of social capital as concrete capital where individuals or groups are able to utilize social relations including values, social networks and trust to obtain economic benefits and social benefits. Using a qualitative approach with a literature study method, this article aims to explain social capital as a theoretical concept. The presentation of the study shows that there is a relationship between social capital and inclusiveness and community empowerment, especially in the context of sustainable inclusive development. This article concludes that the concept of social capital serves as a useful framework for successful development and policy formulation.

View PDFchevron_right

References (78)

  1. Aldridge, S. and Halpern, D. (1998) Social Capital: a Discussion Paper, Cabinet Office Performance and Innovation Unit. London: Cabinet Office.
  2. Amin, A. and Thrift, N. (1994) `Living in the Global', in A. Amin and N. Thrift (eds) Globalization, Institutions and Regional Development in Europe, pp. 1-22. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
  3. Amin, A. and Thrift, N. (1995) 'Institutional Issues for the European Regions: from Markets and Plans to Socioeconomics and Powers of Association', Economy and Society 24 (1): 41-66.
  4. Amin, A., Cameron, A. and Hudson, R. (2002) Placing the Social Economy. Routledge: London.
  5. Bagnasco, A. (1999) 'Trust and Social Capital', in K. Nash and A. Scott (eds) Blackwell Companion to Political Sociology. Oxford: Blackwell.
  6. Banks, E. (1997) 'The Social Capital of Self-help Mutual Aid Groups', Social Policy 28 (1): 30-9.
  7. Baron, S., Field, J. and Schuller, T. (eds) (2000) Social Capital -Critical Perspectives. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
  8. Becker, G. (1964) Human Capital: a Theoretical and Empirical Analysis with Special Reference to Education. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
  9. Borzaga, C. and Defourney, J. (eds) (2001) The Emergence of Social Enterprise. London: Routledge.
  10. Borzaga, C. and Santuari, A. (2003) 'New Trends in the Non-profit Sector in Europe: the Emergence of Social Entrepreneurship', in OECD (ed.) The Non-profit Sector in a Changing Economy, pp. 31-59. Paris: OECD.
  11. Bourdieu, P. (1986) 'The Forms of Capital', in J. Richardson (ed.) Handbook of Theory and Research for the Sociology of Education. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press.
  12. Bourdieu, P. and Wacquant, L. (1992) Invitation to Reflexive Sociology. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press. Cabinet Office (2002) Private Action, Public Benefit: Organisational Forms for Social Enterprise. London: Cabinet Office.
  13. Campbell, M. (1999) The Third System. Employment and Local Development. Leeds: Leeds Metropolitan University.
  14. Coleman, J. (1988) 'Social Capital in the Creation of Human Capital', American Journal of Sociology 94. (Suppl.): S95-S120.
  15. Coleman, J. (1990) Foundations of Social Theory. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
  16. Collier, P. (1998) 'Social Capital and Poverty', mimeo. Washington, DC: The World Bank.
  17. CONSCISE (2001a) 'The Contribution of Social Capital in the Social Economy to Local Economic Development in Western Europe, Report 2: Baseline Socio-economic Profiles: Methodology', accessed at: [www.conscise.info].
  18. CONSCISE (2001b) 'The Contribution of Social Capital in the Social Economy to Local Economic Development in Western Europe, Report 3: Social Audits of Social Enterprises' , accessed at: [www.conscise.info].
  19. CONSCISE (2003) 'The Contribution of Social Capital in the Social Economy to Local Economic Development in Western Europe, Final Report', accessed at: [www.conscise.info].
  20. Cooke, P. and Morgan, K. (1998) The Associational Economy: Firms, Regions and Innovation. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
  21. Cote, S. and Healy, T. (2001) The Well-being of Nations: the Role of Human and Social Capital. Paris: Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.
  22. Dasgupta, P. and Serageldin, I. (2000) Social Capital: a Multifaceted Perspective. Washington, DC: The World Bank.
  23. DeFillipis, J. (2001) 'The Myth of Social Capital in Community Development', Housing Policy Debate 12 (4): 781-806.
  24. DeFillipis, J. (2002) 'Symposium on Social Capital: an Introduction', Antipode 34 (4): 790-5.
  25. DTI (Department of Trade and Industry) (2002) Social Enterprise: a Strategy for Success. London: HMSO.
  26. EC (European Commission) (1995) Local Development and Employment Initiatives. Brussels: EC.
  27. EC (European Commission) (1998) The Third System and Employment: a First Reflection. Brussels: EC DV/A4.
  28. EC (European Commission) (1999) European Social Fund - Article 6 Innovative Actions -Local Social Capital. Brussels: EC/DG Employment and Social Affairs, accessed at: [http://europa.eu.int/comm/employment _social/actions/a602_en.htm].
  29. EC (European Commission) (2002) The New Actors of Employment: Synthesis of the Pilot Action 'Third System and Employment'. Brussels: EC/DG Employment and Social Affairs.
  30. ECOTEC (2000) Third System and Employment: Final Report of External Evaluation. Brussels: ECOTEC.
  31. EFILWC (European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions) (2005) Regional Social Capital in Europe. Dublin: EFILWC, accessed at: [www.eurofound.net].
  32. Eurostat (1997) The Co-operative, Mutual and Non-profit Sector in the European Union. Brussels: EC.
  33. Evers, A. (2001) 'The Significance of Social Capital in the Multiple Goal and Resource Structure of Social Enterprises', in C. Borzaga and J. Defourney (eds) The Emergence of Social Enterprise, pp. 296-311. London: Routledge.
  34. Evers, A. and Schulze-Boeing, M. (2001) 'Germany: Social Enterprises and Transitional Employment', in C. Borzaga and J. Defourney (eds) The Emergence of Social Enterprise, pp. 120-35. London: Routledge.
  35. Fevre, R. (2000) 'Socialising Social Capital: Identity, the Transition to Work and Economic Development', in S. Baron, J. Field and T. Schuller (eds) Social Capital - Critical Perspectives. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
  36. Fine, B. (2001) Social Capital versus Social Theory: Political Economy and Social Science at the Turn of the Millennium. London: Routledge.
  37. Fine, B. and Green, F. (2000) 'Economics, Social Capital and the Colonisation of the Social Sciences' in S. Baron, J. Field and T. Schuller (eds) Social Capital -Critical Perspectives. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
  38. Flora, J. (1998) 'Social Capital and Communities of Place', Rural Sociology 63 (4): 481-506.
  39. Foley, M. and Edwards, B. (1999) 'Is it Time to Disinvest in Social Capital?', Journal of Public Policy 19 (2): 141-73.
  40. Friedman, J. (2001) 'The Role of Microenterprise Development in Stimulating Social Capital and Rebuilding Inner City Economies: a Practitioner's Perspective', Journal of Socio-economics 30 (2): 139-44.
  41. Gittell, R. and Vidal, A. (1998) Community Organising: Building Social Capital as a Development Strategy. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications.
  42. Granovetter, M. (1985) 'Economic Action and Social Structure: the Problem of Embeddedness', American Journal of Sociology 91 (3): 481-510.
  43. Grootaert, C. (1997) 'Social Capital: the Missing Link?', Expanding the Measure of Wealth: Indicators of Environmentally Sustainable Development. Washington, DC: The World Bank.
  44. Grootaert, C. and Van Bastelaer, T. (2001) 'Understanding and Measuring Social Capital: a Synthesis of Findings from the Social Capital Initiative', World Bank Social Capital Initiative Working Paper No. 24. Washington, DC: World Bank.
  45. Hall, P. (1999) 'Social Capital in Britain' British Journal of Political Science 29 (3): 417-61.
  46. Halpern, D. (1999) 'Social Capital: the New Golden Goose', unpublished review, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Cambridge University.
  47. Halpern, D. (2005) Social Capital. Cambridge: Polity Press.
  48. Hudson, R. (1998) 'What Makes Economically Successful Regions in Europe Successful? Implications for Transferring Success from West to East', Sussex European Institute Working Paper No. 27. Brighton: University of Sussex.
  49. Johnston, G. and Percie-Smith, J. (2003) 'In Search of Social Capital', Policy and Politics 31 (3): 321-34.
  50. Kretzman, J. and McKnight, J. (1993) Building Communities from the Inside Out: a Path toward Finding and Mobilizing a Community's Assets. Chicago, IL: CUP.
  51. Leadbetter, C. (1997) The Rise of the Social Entrepreneur. London: Demos.
  52. Lee, R., Leyshon, A., Aldridge, T., Tooke, J., Williams, C. and Thrift, N. (2004) 'Making Histories and Geographies? Constructing Local Circuits of Value', Environment and Planning D: Society and Space 22: 595-617.
  53. LRDP (London Regional Development Planning) (2001) 'Evaluation of Article 6 Local Social Capital', Final Report to DG Employment, accessed at: [http://europa.eu.int/comm/employment_social/ evaluation/esf04_en.html].
  54. Mayer, M. and Rankin, E. (2002) 'Social Capital and (Community) Development: a North/South Perspective', Antipode 34 (4): 804-8.
  55. Mouffe, C. (2000) The Democratic Paradox. London: Verso. OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) (ed.) (1999) Social Enterprise. Paris: OECD.
  56. ONS (Office for National Statistics ) (2001a) 'Analysis of Social Capital Workshop Sessions 16 November 2001', papers accessed at: [www.statistics.gov.uk/research].
  57. ONS (Office for National Statistics) (2001b) 'Social Capital: a Review of the Literature', accessed at: [www.statistics.gov.uk/research].
  58. Piselli, F. (2000) 'Social Capital as a Situational and Dynamic Concept', paper presented at the International Workshop on Social Capital organized by the Sociology Department of the University of Trento (Oct.), Trento. Accessed at: [http://alfazero.soc.unitn. it/dsrs/index.pl?id=1941].
  59. Portes, A. and Landolt, P. (1996) 'The Downside of Social Capital', The American Prospect 26: 18-21.
  60. Purdue, D. (2001) 'Neighbourhood Governance: Leadership, Trust and Social Capital', Urban Studies 36 (12): 2211-24.
  61. Putnam, R. (1993) Making Democracy Work: Civic Traditions in Modern Italy. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
  62. Putnam, R. (2000) Bowling Alone: the Collapse and Revival of American Community. New York: Simon and Schuster.
  63. Schuller, T., Baron, S. and Field, J. (2000) 'Social Capital: a Review and Critique', in S. Baron, J. Field, and T. Schuller (eds) Social Capital -Critical Perspectives. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
  64. Seyfang, G. (2001) 'Spending Time, Building Communities: Evaluating Time Banks and Mutual Volunteering as a Tool for Tackling Social Exclusion', Voluntary Action 4 (1): 29-48.
  65. Stolle, D. and Lewis, J. (2002) 'Social Capital -an Emerging Concept', in B. Hobson, J. Lewis and B. Siim (eds) Key Concepts in Gender and European Social Politics. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Press.
  66. Storper, M. (1995) 'The Resurgence of Regional Economies, Ten Years Later: the Region as a Nexus of Untraded Interdependencies', European Urban and Regional Studies 2 (3): 191-221.
  67. Storper, M. (1997) 'Regional Economies as Relational Assets', in R. Lee and J. Wills (eds) Geographies of Economies, pp. 248-58. London: Arnold.
  68. Szreter, S. (1999) 'A New Political Economy for New Labour: the Importance of Social Capital', Renewal 7 (1): 30-44.
  69. Technologie-Netzwork (2001) Promoting Local Employment in the Third System. Berlin: Technologie- Netzwork.
  70. Trigilia, C. (2001) 'Social Capital and Local Development', European Journal of Social Theory 4 (4): 427-42.
  71. Uphoff, N. (2000) 'Understanding Social Capital: Learning from the Analysis and Experience of Participation', in P. Dasgupta and I. Serageldin (eds) Social Capital: a Multifaceted Perspective. Washington, DC: World Bank.
  72. Van Oorschot, W. and Arts, W. (2005) 'The Social Capital of European Welfare States: the Crowding Out Hypothesis Revisited', Journal of European Social Policy 15 (1): 5-26.
  73. Williams, C., Aldridge, T., Lee, R., Leyshon, A., Thrift, N. and Tooke, J. (2001) Bridges into Work? An Evaluation of Local Exchange Trading Schemes (LETS). Bristol: The Policy Press.
  74. Wilson, P. (1997) 'Building Social Capital: a Learning Agenda for the Twenty-first Century', Urban Studies 34 (5/6): 745-60.
  75. Woolcock, M. (1998) 'Social Capital and Economic Development: Toward a Theoretical Synthesis and Policy Framework', Theory and Society 27 (2): 151-208.
  76. Woolcock, M. (2001a) 'The Place of Social Capital in Understanding Social and Economic Outcomes', ISUMA, Canadian Journal of Policy Research 2 (1): 11-17.
  77. Woolcock, M. (2001b) 'Microenterprise and Social Capital: a Framework for Theory, Research and Policy', Journal of Socio-economics 30 (2): 193-8.
  78. Wuthnow, R. (1994) Sharing the Journey: Support Groups and America's New Quest for Community. New York: Basic Books. Correspondence to: Mel Evans, School of Health and Social Sciences, Middlesex University, Queensway, Enfield, Middlesex EN3 4SA, UK. [email: m.d.evans@mdx.ac.uk]

Related papers

Generating Social Capital?: The Social Economy and Local Economic Development
Stephen Syrett

European Urban and Regional Studies, 2007

★ European Urban and Regional Studies 14(1): 55-74

View PDFchevron_right
Social Capital and Local Development
Catie Burlando

European Journal of Social Theory, 2001

The concept of social capital has become more important in understanding contemporary economic development in the era of globalization. This concept, however, requires a theoretical framework that could help to distinguish between forms of social capital with positive effects on local development and other forms that may have negative consequences. This article argues that in order to understand this difference, two conditions are crucial. First, social capital has to be considered in terms of social relations and social networks, rather than in terms of culture and civicness. The second condition is that the interaction between social capital and other institutions, especially political institutions, has to be carefully analysed. Therefore, this article points to the crucial role of political factors - of the `embedded autonomy' of political action - in favouring a positive role of social capital in local economic development.

View PDFchevron_right
BENEFITS OF SOCIAL CAPITAL, SOCIAL ECONOMY IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT: A REVIEW ARTICLE
Dr. Muhammad Nawaz Iqbal

Research Paper, 2023

Social Capital has just become the flavor of the month. There is a lot of disagreement about what the term entails, which necessitates guesswork and estimating of the build. Advertisers in the wellness industry, for example, are being tested to see whether they can redesign their campaigns around this contested idea. Although social capital does not yet exist, it is created by those aspects of social connections that individual scholars or analysts choose to consider in its name. Philosophy is in charge of deciding these relationships. To those who adhere to a neoliberal, market-driven mindset, social capital is a means of reaching the limit of monetary progress, as well as a means of accelerating the privatization or reduction of public agencies. Local area enhancement is one of many state interventions used to mitigate market inequity.

View PDFchevron_right
IMPORTANCE OF SOCIAL CAPITAL FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Dr. Muhammad Nawaz Iqbal

Research Paper, 2023

This research focuses on a three-year study endeavor that is succinct. It describes how to get social capital, where to find it, and why it's important to understand social economy and community development after addressing its definition. Social capital has just become the flavor of the month. There is a lot of disagreement about what the term entails, which necessitates guesswork and estimating of the build. Advertisers in the wellness industry, for example, are being tested to see whether they can redesign their campaigns around this contested idea. Although social capital does not yet exist, it is created by the aspects of social relations that individual scholars or analysts choose to consider in its name. Philosophy is in charge of deciding these relationships. To those who adhere to a neoliberal, marketdriven mindset, social capital is a means of reaching the limit of monetary progress, as well as a means of accelerating the privatization or reduction of public agencies. Local area enhancement is one of many state interventions used to mitigate market inequity. Experts, scientists, and strategy creators may find that incorporating social capital into financial and monetary discussions is a good notion. The main factor is to build community and social capital for strong relationship is trust. In any event, its application should be approached with caution as a potentially critical development. It is important not to confuse such threats with the great work done for the purpose of fortifying and limiting the local region.

View PDFchevron_right
Local development using social capital as an instrument: a comparative analysis
Panagiota Karametou

Sustainable Development and Planning IV, 2009

This study aims to present the process for the development of a social capital measurement tool, which was adapted to the Greek socio-cultural context. The validity and the reliability of this social capital questionnaire were evaluated in a sample of 318 adults drawn from two different mountain rural areas in Greece. The social capital questionnaire is a useful instrument in measuring the existent stock of social capital and in understanding the local development "physiognomy" of two Greek mountainous rural areas. However, we should keep in mind that the reliability of responses to questionnaires is always questionable, in particular for subjective questions about social norms. This is why detailed interviews constitute a precious tool to corroborate the results of a survey. For this reason, the present survey was subsequently followed up by 46 in-depth, semi-structured interviews with selected participants in both areas. The overall socioeconomic status of the two case study areas was assessed in relation to a wide variety of social capital related variables. Using the data collected from the quantitative research, the paper describes how social capital is distributed geographically between the two different mountain areas. On the whole, both case study areas appear not to be substantially different in aggregate levels of social capital. Therefore, social capital seems to be different in its characteristics and underlying structure in both case study areas.

View PDFchevron_right

Related topics

  • Social Change
  • Human Geography
  • Economics
  • Local Economic Development
  • Social reproduction

    • Cited by

    Challenging social enterprise debates in Bangladesh
    Michelle Hackett

    Social Enterprise Journal, 2010

    View PDFchevron_right
    Social capital, research and development, and innovation: An empirical analysis of Spanish and Italian regions
    Jose M Barrutia

    European Urban and Regional Studies, 2010

    Innovation theories have identified and explained the antecedents of innovation outcomes. Theories have moved on from explaining innovation outcomes in terms of individual research and development (R&D) efforts to include social capital. Although conceptual support for the relevance of social capital as an antecedent of innovation outcomes seems persuasive, measurement and quantitative evidence are scarce. We contribute to filling this gap by empirically testing the role of social capital as a driver of the relationship between R&D expenditure and innovation outcomes in the context of the Spanish and Italian regions. As there is no consensus on how to measure social capital, we use two different approaches: a rational choice-driven approach and a sociologically driven approach. The results of both approaches are controversial, in that they are different, unclear and almost in opposition, but this should not be interpreted as an argument for abandoning all efforts to quantify the role of social capital. E u r o p e a n U r b a n a n d R e g i o n a l S t u d i e s European Urban and Regional Studies 17(4) 371-385

    View PDFchevron_right
    Entrepreneurship and Social Capital: Examining the Association in Deprived Urban Neighbourhoods
    Piers Thompson

    International Journal of Urban and Regional Research

    Spatial approaches to examining entrepreneurship have increasingly built on theories of social capital. However, the nature and extent of local social capital in less successful deprived communities remains under-researched and inadequately understood. The paper examines the association between social capital and entrepreneurship in a deprived urban neighbourhood in the city of Leeds, UK as a means of contributing to an improved theoretical understanding of how space moderates this association. It is found that social capital has a strong association with patterns of entrepreneurship in deprived urban neighbourhoods, with the potential impacts being both positive and negative. The forms of social capital are found to differ from that found in more affluent localities, with a prevalence of bonding social capital as the key facilitator of entrepreneurship, which may help in the early stages of venture development, but which over time may become a constraint. Also, a lack of the bridging social capital associated with entrepreneurial success is found within the locality. From a policy perspective, it is recommended that policy makers responsible for entrepreneurship in deprived urban neighbourhoods should seek to enhance initiatives for developing social capital which incorporate local businesses, residents and local government agencies.

    View PDFchevron_right
    Understanding social enterprises in the United Kingdom: the case of South Yorkshire
    Walter Mswaka

    European Business Review, 2016

    Purpose This study aims to analyse the development of social enterprises in the UK, in the context of the increased need for creative solutions to ameliorate deprivation and deliver effective public services. Design/methodology/approach The investigation draws on a mixed method approach from a postal survey of 102 social enterprises complemented by detailed analysis of two selected cases and key informant interviews. Findings The results of the study show that there is a paradigm shift in the practice and conceptualisation of social enterprises in South Yorkshire, as they are increasingly taking a more corporate approach to achieve their outcomes. Research limitations/implications The study is limited to social enterprises in South Yorkshire, UK. Further comparative analysis in other regions and social contexts is required to explore if these results are widely applicable. Practical implications This study is of potential benefit to researchers and those involved in formulating poli...

    View PDFchevron_right
    Rural social enterprises in Europe: A systematic literature review
    Lucas Olmedo

    Local Economy: The Journal of the Local Economy Policy Unit, 2020

    There is a growing perception that social enterprises represent a significant solution to the range of contemporary challenges facing rural areas across Europe. However, while much of the existing studies of European rural social enterprises provide a rich insight into specific case studies, as of yet, there is no comprehensive review of the breadth of research currently published on rural social enterprises in Europe. We respond to this gap by providing a systematic literature review incorporating 66 studies of rural social enterprise in Europe. We highlight the range of research in this field and demonstrate how the organisations act as key actors in fulfilling needs of rural areas that are not met otherwise. This systematic literature review confirms that rural social enterprises are characterised by strong local involvement with an ability to combine different goals and resources. Based on this review, we suggest that the rural and local contexts, often combined with tailored external support, are important factors in enabling rural social enterprises. This review also indicates that the academic field is relatively young and rapidly growing, leaving room for new lines of potential research to improve our understanding of these enterprises and their contribution to the development of rural places.

    View PDFchevron_right
    580 California St., Suite 400
    San Francisco, CA, 94104
    © 2025 Academia. All rights reserved