Abstract
The objective of this study is to determine the distribution of social capital across industries and states in Peninsular Malaysia, since social capital is considered one of the key factors that contribute to the performance of micro-enterprises. This study employs the cross-sectional approach and quantitative data were collected through structured interviews from 417 women micro-entrepreneurs in Peninsular Malaysia. It was found that the distribution of social capital is the same across industries except for ‘shared meaning and interpretation’ and ‘cognitive social capital’. However, findings reported a significant difference in items of social capital among the states, except for ‘network density’. Policy makers should therefore focus on interactive programs in order to increase the social capital of the states with a low level of social capital as social capital is linked to enterprise performance and economic development. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2016.v7n1p350
Highlights
The term “social capital” indicates the resources that are available from and through personal and business networks
As the formation of social capital is affected by the supportive environments and state government plays in crucial role in promoting micro-enterprises, this study aimed to determine the distribution of social capital across the states in Peninsular Malaysia
This study examined the distribution of social capital across the industry in Peninsular Malaysia
Summary
The term “social capital” indicates the resources that are available from and through personal and business networks These personal and business networks generate resources, such as business opportunities, information, financial capital, ideas, leads, emotional support, trust, cooperation, and even goodwill. The term “social” in the social capital context explains that these resources belong to an individual while being part of a network of relationships (Baker, 2010). A French sociologist, defined social capital as the sum of resources, actual or virtual, that are available to individuals or groups derived from strong network relationships built by mutual acquaintance and recognition (Gauntlett, 2011). The World Bank defines social capital as “the groups, networks, norms, and trust that people have available to them for productive purposes” (Narayan, Jones, & Woolcock, 2003)
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