Mediating Roles of Perceived Job Insecurity in the Impact of Online Social Capital on Entrepreneurial Tendency

The new social and economic paradigm, organised around emerging information technologies, represents profound organizational, political, economic, social and cultural changes at various levels – from individual companies to entire countries, from specific regions to global transformation. Economic development under these conditions cannot be analyzed solely through tangible and measurable inputs such as labor, capital and technology. It is now essential to consider the impact of intangible resources, including human, intellectual, social, moral and psychological capital. Economic growth, educational attainment, business and entrepreneurship, social behavior and inequalities, as well as earnings, are economic aspects of psychological capital. These aspects are key indicators of its significance in both individual personal development and the economic development of society. Despite its well-documented influence on organizational outcomes, the macroeconomic implications of psychological capital remain largely unexplored. This paper addresses this gap by developing a conceptual model linking psychological capital with human capital, social capital, productivity, unemployment and economic growth. The impact of psychological capital on economic growth is demonstrated using the system dynamics method, employing qualitative cause-and-effect diagrams to highlight key variables and feedback mechanisms. The conclusion is that economies with higher levels of psychological capital demonstrate greater productivity, lower unemployment, increased human and social capital and consequently, higher economic growth. The research underscores the need for future empirical validation through system dynamics modelling and simulation.

IntroductionThis study aims to examine the impact of social capital on college students’ academic adaptation and to explore the underlying mechanism—specifically, the mediating role of positive emotional experience. By integrating perspectives from social capital theory and positive psychology, it seeks to enrich theoretical understandings of higher-education adaptation.MethodsA total of 428 undergraduates from a comprehensive university participated in this study. Data were gathered using a self-developed Social Capital Scale, an Academic Adaptation Scale, and a Positive Emotional Experience Scale. Descriptive statistics and confirmatory factor analysis were conducted in SPSS 26.0 and AMOS 24.0, respectively. Structural equation modeling was used to test the hypothesized paths, and the mediating effect of positive emotional experience was assessed via Hayes’s PROCESS macro (Model 4) with 5,000 bootstrap samples.ResultsSocial capital had a significant direct predictive effect on academic adaptation (β = 0.251, p < 0.001). The path from social capital to positive emotional experience was also significant (β = 0.679, p < 0.001), as was the path from positive emotional experience to academic adaptation (β = 0.583, p < 0.001). Bootstrap analysis indicated an indirect effect of 0.396 (95% CI [0.283, 0.523]), excluding zero, demonstrating that positive emotional experience partially mediates the relationship between social capital and academic adaptation.DiscussionThese findings support social capital theory and broaden-and-build theory, revealing a synergistic mechanism whereby external social support resources enhance students’ positive emotional experiences, which in turn promote academic adaptation. Practically, universities should foster strong teacher–student and peer support networks while implementing interventions to cultivate positive emotions, thereby leveraging both pathways to improve students’ adaptation to academic life.

This study aims to empirically analyze the impact of social capital on young adults’ perceptions of social conflict in South Korea. Using data from the 2022 Youth Life Survey conducted by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs, the study examines responses from 14,966 individuals aged 19 to 34. Social capital is conceptualized as consisting of social trust, social participation, and social networks. Perceptions of social conflict were measured across five dimensions: generational, class, gender, regional, and national conflicts. The analysis yielded the following key findings: First, social trust emerged as the most significant factor in reducing perceptions of social conflict. Higher levels of trust in society were associated with lower perceived severity of social conflict among youth. Second, social participation showed a positive effect, indicating that higher levels of civic engagement may increase young people’s sensitivity to social conflict. Third, while social networks as a whole did not show a significant effect, These results suggest that the influence of social capital on the perception of social conflict varies by component, highlighting the need for differentiated policy approaches. In particular, restoring social trust, enhancing the quality of youth participation, and promoting diverse and inclusive social networks are proposed as key strategies to mitigate perceptions of social conflict and foster social cohesion.

This study empirically investigates the impact of social capital on the entrepreneurial performance of small business owners, focusing on the mediating effect of business model awareness. While previous research has predominantly focused on large corporations or SMEs in the context of business models, studies targeting small business owners remain limited. Despite being significant actors in the economy, small business owners often face constraints in resources and lack systematic approaches to respond to market changes. This study aims to examine how social capital influences entrepreneurial performance and whether business model awareness mediates this relationship. Data were collected from 144 small business owners using the Naver Office survey platform between September 21 and October 15, 2024. Regression and mediation analyses were conducted using SPSS 29.0. The results are as follows: First, social capital had a significant positive effect on business model awareness. Second, business model awareness positively influenced entrepreneurial performance. Third, the subdimensions of social capital—network and trust/norms—each showed significant positive effects on entrepreneurial performance. Lastly, business model awareness was found to have a partial mediating effect on the relationship between both subdimensions of social capital and entrepreneurial performance. This study highlights the importance of social capital in enhancing the entrepreneurial performance of small business owners and confirms the mediating role of business model awareness. From a practical perspective, the findings suggest that beyond financial support, small business owners need structured programs such as Business Model Canvas workshops and Lean Startup training, as well as strengthened networking events and collaborative activities.

Employment is the biggest project of people’s livelihood. The high-quality employment of postgraduates is of practical significance to the supply of high-level talents and economic development. There is an urgent need for higher education to explore the critical path to improve the employment quality of postgraduates more effectively. In this study, 778 graduate students and hierarchical regression analysis were used to investigate the impact of human capital and social capital of graduate students on subjective and objective employment quality. The results show that human capital positively influences objective employment quality, and social capital positively influences subjective employment quality. Employability mediates the relationship between human capital and objective employment quality. It mediates between social capital and subjective employment quality. Future career clarity positively moderated the relationship between human capital and graduate student employability. Employment policy support negatively moderated the relationship between graduate student employability and subjective and objective job quality. This study reveals the mediating and boundary effects of graduate student “Capital” on employment quality and provides some references for graduate student training and employment.

The article reviews mechanisms of influence that development of social capital may have on subjective well-being at the conceptual and theoretical level as well as at the level of empirically confirmed research practice. The relevance of the study is defi ned by importance of subjective well-being appropriate level increasing and maintaining both for various social groups and the population in general. Th us, identifying and analyzing factors that contribute to positive socio-economic dynamics is signifi cant not only from the point of view of the research discourse development but also in the context of country’s productive development. Subjective well-being is considered as category of quality-of-life research that allows us to overcome limitations of welfare assessment objective parameters focusing on human needs and the degree of their satisfaction. Social capital has been analyzed as a resource of exceptional social signifi cance as it acts both to strengthen social integrity and to enhance efficiency of interactions of various natures. Considerable social capital encourages enhancement of subjective well-being as well as acts as barrier to negative dynamics in life satisfaction. Th e impact of social capital on subjective wellbeing acquires particular significance in periods of turbulence when population faces the challenge of overcoming various shocks.

Stronger together: Impact of social capital on gastrointestinal cancer surgery outcomes among older adults.

Purpose This study examines the impact of contractors' internal and external social capital on organizational resilience in the project context and explores the mediating role of dynamic capabilities. Design/methodology/approach A structural equation model based on social capital theory and dynamic capabilities theory was established. Data from 259 project managers of construction companies were analyzed using Mplus 8.3. Findings The study finds that internal social capital enhances resilience through learning and integration capabilities, while external social capital strengthens resilience by improving sensing and learning capabilities. Practical implications Helping contractors optimize the allocation of internal and external social capital aids project managers in optimizing collaboration and resource integration. Originality/value This study offers a novel theoretical integration of social capital theory and dynamic capabilities theory from construction contractors' perspective. It distinguishes internal and external social capital and uncovers their different mechanisms in fostering organizational resilience under uncertainty. By clarifying the mediating roles of sensing, learning and integration capabilities, it reveals how social capital enhances organizational resilience through dynamic capabilities. This enriches the application of social capital theory in construction and refines the understanding of dynamic capabilities by embedding them within network-based resource structures. The findings offer insights for resilience-oriented project management.

Farmers’ green production behavior is key to addressing resource and environmental constraints and advancing agricultural green transformation, with social capital critically influencing their production decisions. However, rural population mobility amid urbanization and market economy penetration have reshaped farmers’ social interactions, reconstructing and differentiating social capital into distinct types. Few studies now focus on the complex link between this transformed social capital and farmers’ green production behavior. Moreover, though the government has long used agricultural subsidies to encourage green production, how these subsidies function when different social capital types affect green production remains unclear. To address the aforementioned issues, using 2022 CLES data and a binary logit model, this study examines how embedded and disembedded social capital influence farmers’ green production behavior and the moderating role of subsidies. Results show that (1) disembedded social capital has a significantly positive impact on farmers’ green production behavior, stronger than embedded social capital; (2) subsidies only positively moderate embedded social capital’s impact. The results have rich theoretical and practical implications, which can promote farmers’ adoption of green production behavior and accelerate the green transformation of agriculture.

This study examines the impact of social capital on card payment behavior across 137 countries in 2021, with a particular focus on the mediating role of trust. Drawing on the Legatum Institute’s Social Capital Index and trust measures, we employ path analysis to assess both direct and indirect effects on debit and credit card usage. The findings indicate that higher social capital significantly increases the likelihood of adopting card payments, and trust partially mediates this relationship—accounting for 46.98% of the total effect on combined card usage, 70.74% for credit cards, and 33.63% for debit cards. This study offers novel empirical evidence linking social capital to financial behavior in a global context and provides practical implications for policymakers and financial institutions seeking to promote secure, inclusive, and trust-based cashless payment ecosystems.

Group Size and Social Capital Impact on Free Riding Behavior in Padang’s Self-Guards Managed Railway Crossing

Social capital enables sharing, trust, solidarity, proper norms and respectful behaviours, and organisational participative management. Employee innovative behaviour is vital for organisations as it provides a competitive advantage. This study aims to determine the impact of social capital and its sub-dimensions, friendly acceptance, norms of behaviour, trusting/reciprocity, and governance on innovative behaviour and its sub-dimensions, participative leadership, external work contacts, and innovative output on innovative behaviour. The data were gathered from 264 school administrators and teachers through a questionnaire. The SPSS Statistics 25.0 program was used to test the research hypotheses. Reliability and validity analysis results are sufficient. The results showed that social capital (overall) and its all-sub-dimensions, except trusting/reciprocity, significantly and positively impact innovative behaviour. However, most of the sub-dimensions of social capital have no significant impact on the sub-dimensions of innovative behaviour.

Purpose: This study aims to determine the role of effective governance as a mediating variable in the relationship between intellectual capital and social capital to improve community welfare in border villages, especially in Belu Regency, Indonesia. Methodology: This study uses a quantitative approach and Partial Least Squares (PLS) analysis method. Data from 155 families in border areas was collected with a survey from 28 border villages in Belu Regency that have distinctive socio-cultural characteristics. Results: Effective governance has been proven to mediate the relationship between intellectual capital and community welfare. Meanwhile, in the relationship between social capital and welfare, partial mediation was found. The distribution of well-managed village funds improves welfare, even with limited intellectual capital. Conclusions: Good governance encourages the compliance of village fund managers with the rules. Strong social capital and local customs-based also strengthen the impact of fund management on welfare. Limitations: The findings are contextual in certain villages in Belu, so they cannot be generalized. This research emphasizes the importance of strengthening governance and integrating traditional values in village resource management. Contribution: This research contributes to the literature by integrating intellectual capital, social capital, and governance into a single framework, highlighting how governance mediates development outcomes in marginalized border communities.

The management of large-scale societal crises is often impeded by a complex interplay of factors, yet the strategic role of social capital in mitigating such unforeseen global challenges remains inadequately conceptualized. This study aims to systematically examine the contribution of social constitutive capital to the development of family resilience during the pandemic in the contemporary world. Employing a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) methodology, this research analyzed 20 pertinent articles sourced from the Scopus database. The results delineate a multifaceted typology of contributions: social capital functions through direct mechanisms, as a mediating variable alongside other factors, and through indirect pathways. The analysis establishes that social capital (operationalized through trust, networks, norms, and social organization) served as a fundamental pillar of family resilience. Its efficacy was significantly amplified when synergized with local belief systems, technological adoption, entrepreneurial initiatives, and institutional support. Furthermore, social capital acted as a critical mediator in enhancing relational capacities within marginalized demographics. A cross-national analysis of 27 countries highlighted the pivotal role of social trust in alleviating psychological distress, thereby bolstering collective resilience. Conversely, the study also revealed that the impact of social capital on individual resilience was comparatively less significant than that of socioeconomic status, demographic vulnerability, and robust physical infrastructure. These findings provide a seminal framework for understanding the multidimensional utility of social capital in crisis response.

The multi-dimensional, multi-level impact of social capital on academic job search in China: A comparison between domestic PhDs and PhD returnees in the social sciences

Background Social capital has emerged as a key variable in explaining regional economic disparities, yet its multidimensional nature complicates measurement and policy design. In the South American context, characterized by institutional fragility and inequality, the impact of social capital on economic growth remains empirically ambiguous. Methods This study employs a quantitative methodology using panel data from 2007 to 2023 across nine South American countries. Data is sourced from the Legatum Prosperity Index, focusing on five elements of social capital: family relationships, social networks, interpersonal trust, social tolerance, and civic participation. Econometric analysis is conducted using instrumental variables and two-stage least squares models to address endogeneity. Results The econometric findings reveal heterogeneous effects among dimensions of social capital. Civic participation and family relationships exhibit a significant positive association with economic growth, while social tolerance and interpersonal trust show negative or inconsistent impacts. Notably, social networks instrumentalized in the model have a negative and significant relationship with growth, suggesting potential inefficiencies in their current form. The presence of endogeneity and multicollinearity among variables highlights the complexity of causality in this domain. Conclusions Social capital plays a critical, yet context-dependent, role in fostering economic development in South America. While some dimensions such as civic engagement promote inclusive growth, others may reinforce exclusion or inefficiencies depending on institutional quality and social structure. Policymakers should therefore target specific aspects of social capital, promoting civic participation and inclusive networks while addressing institutional weaknesses. Future research should explore longitudinal dynamics and the interaction of social capital with digitalization and labor market transformation.

Building a good-neighbourly relationship: The impact of neighbourhood social capital on the subjective well-being of migrant elderly in China

The main objective of this study is to determine the impact of social capital on the production behavior of agricultural producers. The population of the study consisted of 1345 farms registered in the Farmer Registration System in Onikişubat district of Kahramanmaraş province. As a result of sampling, 225 farms were included in the sample with a confidence interval of 90% and a margin of error of 5%. To achieve this objective, the effects of environmental practices, information gathering activities, innovative practices, intellectual accumulation, neighborhood relations and cultural potential on the agricultural production behavior of producers were analyzed. The results indicated that innovative practices, information gathering activities and environmental practices have a significant positive impact on agricultural production behavior. We emphasize that the structure and characteristics of social capital should be considered and that measures to strengthen social capital should be considered necessary when developing policies related to rural and agricultural production.

Purpose This study constructs a theoretical model based on social capital theory to examine the impact of multi-dimensional social capital in collaborative R&D networks on firm innovation resilience, with global and local cohesion of knowledge networks as the moderating variables. Design/methodology/approach Based on the literature on social capital, knowledge absorptive capacity and innovation resilience, this study proposes a conceptual model and advances several hypotheses. Panel data from 3,480 firm-year observations of 218 Chinese automobile manufacturing firms spanning the years 2001–2022 are utilized for the empirical analysis. Findings Results indicate that structural, relational and cognitive social capital in collaborative R&D networks all have positive effects on firm innovation resilience. Local cohesion of knowledge network is found to weaken the positive effects of structural, relational and cognitive social capital on firm innovation resilience. In contrast, global cohesion of knowledge networks strengthens the positive impact of structural, relational and cognitive social capital on firm innovation resilience. Practical implications This study examines the impact mechanisms of cooperative R&D network social capital in different dimensions on firm innovation resilience at the firm level. It can guide firms with limited resources and capabilities on how to accumulate specific dimensions of social capital to enhance their innovation resilience. Originality/value Although previous studies have suggested that social capital is conducive to firm innovation, few studies have linked social capital in collaborative R&D networks to firm innovation resilience in terms of theoretical discussions or empirical analyses. This study captures the impact mechanisms of multi-dimensional social capital in collaborative R&D networks on firm innovation resilience from a comprehensive perspective. In addition, this study emphasizes that the structural characteristics of the knowledge base (knowledge network cohesion) are a boundary condition for social capital in collaborative R&D networks to influence firm innovation resilience.