Social Capital Theory Research Articles

Corporate social responsibility: an enabler of organizational resilience

PurposeDrawing on social capital theory, this study aims to explore the effect of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on organizational resilience. The research investigates the mediating role of relationship quality in the association of CSR with organizational resilience, and the moderating role of data-driven culture in the association between CSR and relationship quality.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from Chinese agricultural firms with a sample of 241 senior or middle executives and structural equation modeling was used to test the research model and hypotheses.FindingsThe results indicate that CSR positively affects the relationship quality between agribusinesses and farmers, which in turn positively affects both proactive resilience and reactive resilience. Relationship quality has a partial mediating role in the association of CSR with proactive resilience and reactive resilience. Data-driven culture has a positive moderating effect on the relationship between CSR and relationship quality.Originality/valueBy arguing for CSR toward organizational resilience and analyzing its underlying mechanism, this study enriches the literature on CSR and organizational resilience and expands the existing knowledge on the roles of relationship quality and data-driven culture. This study also provides practical insights into how to improve organizational resilience.

SNS citizenship behavior based on D&M information system success model and social capital theory: Mediating role of subjective well-being

Social media has become integral to contemporary society, with online behaviors impacting individual experiences and the wider community. In Bangladesh, a developing country, SNS have played a pivotal role in the nation's digitalization efforts. This study explores the relationship between social capital theory, D&M Information System Model, subjective well-being, and SNS Citizenship Behavior (SCB) among active social media users in Bangladesh. Data was collected from 418 participants through an online survey, and hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling. The findings indicate that the items of the D&M model positively influenced the aspects of social capital theory, excluding service quality. In contrast, social interaction ties and shared values were positively associated with SCB, although social trust did not exhibit a significant relationship. Additionally, subjective well-being mediated the connection between social capital and SCB. This research offers valuable insights into the factors influencing online prosocial behavior and provides practical implications for cultivating a positive communication culture in the digital era. The model proposed in this study holds significant implications for Bangladesh's policymakers and social networking site authorities, guiding their efforts in implementing technology-based initiatives.

The Non-Linear Impact of Digitalization on the Performance of SMEs: A Hypothesis Test Based on the Digitalization Paradox

While digitalization offers new opportunities for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), it also introduces the phenomenon of the “digitalization paradox”. This paper develops a theoretical model comprising digitalization, digital technology–business alignment, external social capital, and SMEs’ performance, rooted in strategic alignment theory (SAT) and social capital theory (SCT). The necessary data for the study were obtained by distributing questionnaires to 352 small and medium-sized enterprises engaged in digital practices in China, and hierarchical regression analysis was employed to investigate the impact of digitalization on the performance of SMEs and its boundaries of influence. The results indicate an inverted U-shaped relationship between digitalization and SME performance, with both digital technology–business alignment and external social capital serving as positive moderators. Specifically, digital technology–business alignment and external social capital both enhance the positive impact of digitalization on the performance of SMEs and mitigate its negative effects. The findings enhance comprehension of the “digitalization paradox” and offer new insights and solutions for SMEs to navigate the opportunities and challenges of digitalization.

Networks and securing an internship during an environmental anomaly: the COVID-19 pandemic

PurposeThe outbreak of COVID-19 has caused a slowdown of economic activity across the globe, which has resulted in high levels of disruption to labour markets. This study seeks to examine how the outbreak of COVID-19 has impacted the search strategies of students seeking for an internship, and whether these have changed since the start of the pandemic. The study utilises the strength of weak ties hypothesis, social capital theory and status attainment theory to explore the changes in securing a position since the outbreak of COVID-19.Design/methodology/approachThis study draws on data from two cohorts of MBA students seeking to secure internships: one before the outbreak and one during. A multinomial regression is employed to examine how students have used network ties to secure internships and how this has changed since the outbreak of COVID-19.FindingsThe multinomial regression results indicate that there was little difference in the strategies employed by students before the crisis compared to those that secured them during, potentially indicating that students are unwilling to deviate from typical job search strategies, especially in times of uncertainty.Originality/valueThis study provides insights into how network ties are used by job seekers during a period of economic and environmental uncertainty.

Expatriates’ boundary-spanning: double-edged effects in multinational enterprises

AbstractExpatriates typically perform boundary-spanning to address challenges related to functional, linguistic, and cultural variations within multinational enterprises (MNEs), which in turn influences their relationships with host-country employees. Integrating social capital and role theory perspectives, this study explores the relational dynamics between expatriates and host-country employees by developing a novel theoretical framework that examines the double-edged effects of expatriates’ boundary-spanning. We propose that expatriates’ boundary-spanning nurtures mutual trust between expatriates and host-country employees, further facilitating expatriates’ identification with subsidiaries and host-country employees’ identification with MNEs. On the other hand, we propose that boundary-spanning increases expatriates’ role stressors, causing expatriates’ emotional exhaustion and outgroup categorization by host-country employees. We further categorize expatriates’ boundary-spanning into three types (functional, linguistic, and cultural) and theorize about their varying effects on the cognitive and affective bases of mutual trust and on role stressors. With data from 177 expatriate–host-country coworker dyads in Chinese MNEs, our double-edged framework is generally supported. Our findings suggest that cultural boundary-spanning exhibits the strongest double-edged effect, while functional boundary-spanning shows asymmetric effects, with negative outcomes surpassing positive ones, and linguistic boundary-spanning demonstrates the weakest effect. This study offers realistic and comprehensive insights into expatriates’ boundary-spanning, particularly in expatriate–host-country employee relationships.

Dynamics of School Management and Its Translations into School Climate

The study is grounded on Social Capital Theory and Ecological Systems which was introduced by Robert Putnam and Urie Bronfenbrenner. Through the multiple-case study among 27 participants from different secondary schools, the researcher explored participants’ experiences with the development of a positive school climate. In determining the themes of the study, the researcher utilized Braun & Clarke (2006) Six-phased Thematic Analysis and Multiple Cross-Case Analysis by Miles & Huberman (1994). Results indicated that school management practices such as Teaching and Learning, Institutional Environment and Relationships are important considerations in building a positive school climate.

Sharing information about medical crowdfunding projects on social networking sites: the integration of attribution-affect model of helping and social capital theory

PurposeSharing project information is critical for the success of medical crowdfunding campaigns. However, few users share medical crowdfunding projects on their social networks, and the sharing behavior of medical crowdfunding projects on social networking sites has not been well studied. Therefore, this study explored the factors and potential mechanisms influencing users’ sharing behaviors on networking sites.Design/methodology/approachA research model was developed based on the attribution-affect model of helping and social capital theory. Data were collected using a longitudinal survey. Partial least squares structural equation modeling was used to analyze the collected data. We conducted post hoc analyses to validate the results of the quantitative analysis.FindingsThe analysis results verified the effects of perceived external attribution, perceived uncontrollable attributions, and perceived unstable attributions on sympathy and identified the effect of sympathy and social characteristics of medical crowdfunding users on sharing behavior.Originality/valueThis research provides a comprehensive theoretical understanding of users’ sharing behavior characteristics and provides implications for enhancing the efficiency of medical crowdfunding activities.

A two-actor model for understanding user engagement with content creators: Applying social capital theory

The emergence of video sharing platforms has given rise to the creation and consumption of tourism-related content. However, there is limited knowledge about the characteristics of content creators that enhance users' engagement with their content. The present study aims to fill this gap by examining creator characteristics and their impact on three tiers of user engagement. Tourism-related content, comprising 366 videos across six destinations, was extracted from YouTube using three social media analytic tools: VidIQ, TubeBuddy, and SocialBlade. The data were analyzed using PLS-SEM with SmartPLS 4.0. The findings reveal that channel subscribers positively influence user engagement at three levels – views, likes, and comments. However, a higher number of video uploads negatively impacts engagement. Furthermore, older videos tend to garner more views, but users' tendency to like the videos decreases over time. In addition, we extracted 23,993 comments and performed sentiment analysis on users’ comments using Python-based VADER social media sentiment analysis tool. The compound-based sentiment analysis reveals that 59.5 percent of users show positive sentiments toward tourism-related content on YouTube while only 9.3 comments were negative, and 31.2 percent of sentiments remain neutral. Temporal analysis shows the rising trend in qualitative user engagement from 2010 to 2023, highlighting a growing interest in consuming and interacting with tourism-related content. This study discusses its theoretical contributions and managerial implications for content creators, destination managers, and advertising agencies.

Marketing capability, technology capability and complementor performance: the mediating role of platform network centrality

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate how complementors’ marketing capability and technology capability affect their performance. Drawing on social capital theory, the authors examine platform network centrality as a mediator and platform reputation as a moderator of the relationships between these two capabilities and complementor performance. Design/methodology/approach This study collects data by questionnaire from 154 Chinese firms adopting e-commerce platforms. Hierarchical multiple regression is used to test the hypotheses of this study. Findings This study finds that complementors’ marketing capability and technology capability positively affect performance by increasing their platform network centrality. Moreover, platform reputation positively moderates the relationship between platform network centrality and complementor performance, and it strengthens the mediating role of platform network centrality. Originality/value This paper emphasizes the critical role of marketing capability and technology capability on complementor performance. It explores the improvement path of complementor performance from the perspective of network position, which is a key element for complementors to effectively leverage their capabilities to build competitive advantage.

How social values gained from sharing travel experiences influence tourists’ satisfaction: moderated mediation effect of onsite mobile sharing behaviour

PurposeWhile travelling, tourists like to use mobile technology to share their travel experiences. This study aims to understand how the social value gained by tourists from sharing a travel experience with mobile technology affects their satisfaction with the travel experience through onsite mobile sharing behaviour.Design/methodology/approachA second-order hierarchical model is constructed to examine the moderated mediating role of onsite mobile sharing behaviour in improving tourists’ travel satisfaction. Through systematic sampling, 304 responses were collected at ten attraction points in Guangzhou and Shenzhen, China.FindingsThe results show that, compared with self-centred values (self-presentation and self-identification), other-centred values (building social connection and reciprocity) contribute more to forming social values of sharing. In addition, onsite mobile sharing behaviour partially mediates and moderates the effect of social values on travel satisfaction.Originality/valueThis study applies the social capital theory to identify the value gained by sharing travel experiences and empirically evaluates the impact of these values on the overall value of sharing travel experiences. This study also contributes to tourism research by examining the moderated mediating role of onsite mobile sharing behaviour in improving travel satisfaction. This study helps destination marketing to make strategies to motivate tourists to use mobile technology to share their travel experiences while travelling.

Political crisis and social trust: the case of Australia

ABSTRACT Trust in Australian political institutions has declined markedly since 2007. Trust scholars and social capital theorists argue that institutional trust affects social trust, which implies that declining trust in political institutions should also reduce social trust. However, using data from the Australian Election Study, World Values Survey and HILDA panel study, I find no evidence of any aggregate-level decline in Australian social trust since 2007. While this could be a result of the ‘coup era’ in Australian politics from 2010 to 2018, a better explanation is that social trust remained high because permanent changes in trust occur primarily among younger people. A long-term decline through generational replacement therefore remains possible. This challenges both social capital theory and institutional theories of social trust, but would explain the experiences of other advanced democracies during episodes of political crisis, including New Zealand, Greece, Finland, Japan, Sweden, Spain and the United States.

“No One Works in Isolation Here”: The Socialization of Physical Education Teachers Into a Professional Learning Community

Purpose: Drawing from occupational socialization theory and social capital theory, the purpose of this study was to investigate the socialization of physical education teachers in a professional learning community during induction. Method: Because this investigation consisted of a single school, a single instrumental case study design was utilized. The school was purposely chosen given its status as a “model professional learning community.” Two physical education teachers, three school administrators, and the founding principal participated in this study. Data collection consisted of a combination of dyadic interviews, focus groups, observations, and documents. Results: Data analysis revealed three overlapping themes with supportive categorical subthemes: (a) Dispersed and Inclusive Leadership, (b) Teacher Empowerment, and (c) Culture of Belonging. Discussion: Implications for physical education teachers include the necessity of ongoing collaboration with administrators, cross-curricular colleagues, and physical education teaching peers. Physical educators should seek to develop strong social capital within the school professional learning community.

Export Performance of SMES in Malaysia and The Important of Relationship Quality Between Exporters and Intermediaries

The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of relationship quality between Malaysia SMEs exporter and their intermediaries. This paper draws insights from three integrating theories such as social capital theory (SCT), internationalization process (IP) theory and relational exchange theory (RET) to examine the synergistic outcome of several constructs on export performance. The model is tested using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) via Smart PLS on a sample of SME exporters in Malaysia. The findings reveal that all hypotheses are supported. The research highlights that cultural similarity is a catalyst in the internationalization process and show the mechanism of how it (cultural similarity) can influence effective communication and lead to knowledge sharing process thus impetus trust which finally reflect the performance outcomes. Results also confirm that trust serves as a mediator between cultural similarity and export performance. The findings extended the application of the underpinning theories and their tenets in explaining the Malaysian SMEs’ export performance use foreign intermediaries.

The Impact of Social Capital on College Students’ Entrepreneurial Behavior: A Moderated Mediation Model

Entrepreneurial behavior has been substantially addressed in entrepreneurship literature, but the mechanisms by which social capital influences entrepreneurial behavior among college students remain unclear, especially the potential mediating and moderating interplay among them. Therefore, drawing on social capital theory and the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) model, this study proposed a moderated mediation model of social capital on entrepreneurial behavior. Sample data were collected via questionnaires from entrepreneurial team members participating in the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition in Southwest China. Results showed that (1) social capital has a positive impact on entrepreneurial behavior; (2) entrepreneurial passion partially mediates the relationship between social capital and entrepreneurial behavior; and (3) entrepreneurial risk perception positively moderates the relationship between entrepreneurial passion and behavior and thus enhances the mediating effect of entrepreneurial passion. This study provides insights into the internal mechanism of social capital on entrepreneurial behavior and also offers practical guidance for individuals, universities, and governments.

Role of Knowledge Management Practices in Enhancing Innovation and Competitiveness in the Ethiopian Leather Industry

Purpose: The aim of the study was to investigate the role of knowledge management practices in enhancing innovation and competitiveness in the Ethiopian leather industry.
 Methodology: This study adopted a desk methodology. A desk study research design is commonly known as secondary data collection. This is basically collecting data from existing resources preferably because of its low cost advantage as compared to a field research. Our current study looked into already published studies and reports as the data was easily accessed through online journals and libraries.
 Findings: The role of knowledge management practices in enhancing innovation and competitiveness in the Ethiopian leather industry is significant. Through effective knowledge management strategies, such as knowledge sharing, transfer, and utilization, firms can capitalize on their intellectual capital to foster innovation and improve competitiveness. By leveraging existing knowledge assets and creating a culture of continuous learning and innovation, Ethiopian leather companies can position themselves for sustained growth and success in both domestic and international markets.
 Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: Resource-based view (RBV) theory, dynamic capabilities theory & social capital theory may be used to anchor future studies on the role of knowledge management practices in enhancing innovation and competitiveness in the Ethiopian leather industry. Organizations within the Ethiopian leather industry should invest in capacity-building programs to enhance employees' knowledge management capabilities. Government policies should be formulated to support knowledge management initiatives and innovation in the Ethiopian leather industry.

Interprofessional education: Building social capital among faculty. Are we there yet?

Introduction: Interprofessional education (IPE) is advocated by governments, health professional bodies and universities as key to health professional education and improvement in patient safety. Although many universities have implemented scaffolded IPE curricular models across multiple disciplines, few have reported on faculty perception of this approach. This study sought to explore faculty perception in response to a new IPE curriculum model using the theoretical lens of social capital theory. Methods: In 2021, 24 key University of Sydney Faculty of Medicine and Health (FMH) academics (from nursing, medical imaging, pharmacy, oral health, dentistry, applied science, health science, dietetics, medical science and occupational therapy) involved in the delivery of IPE were invited to participate in individual interviews. Using the conceptual lens of social capital theory, framework analysis was used to categorise themes in the data. Results: In total, 46% (n = 11) of invited FMH faculty were interviewed. Positive elements to the implementation of the curriculum model included a feeling of connectedness, recognition of a scaffolded approach to IPE integrated in existing coursework and growing interest of early career academics in IPE. However, a number of challenges were revealed, including structural barriers in course design, timetabling, misunderstanding regarding the IPE curricula and inequity in distribution of workload. Conclusion: Social capital theory provided a useful framework to consider the perceived enablers and barriers to the newly established IPE curriculum. Although the findings indicate that faculty felt positive about implementing the IPE curriculum, a number of barriers were identified, highlighting the need for increased faculty training and broader engagement in development of IPE curricula.

Exploring the factors that influence continued use of sharing economic platforms: Insights from idle fish

This study centres on the Idle Fish platform, a prominent online marketplace for second-hand goods in China, and constructs a theoretical structure predicated on social cognitive theory and social capital theory. The quick expansion of the sharing economy has not merely catalysed economic transformation but has revolutionized consumption patterns. This research employed a survey methodology, utilizing a digital questionnaire disseminated via Credamo, which yielded 400 valid responses. The sample pool on this platform is of exceptional quality. Prior to accessing the questionnaire, the respondents must complete five perquisite prompts, which ensure their attentiveness. This procedure acts as a safeguard, ensuring the high calibre of the data collected. Employing the SmartPLS (structural equation model), the paper elucidates how self-efficacy and social trust, influenced by social referral, system quality, platform resources, community interaction, rights protection, and shared goals, drive users’ sustained willingness to utilize the sharing economy platform. The findings reveal that self-efficacy and social trust positively impact users’ willingness to persist in using the platform of the sharing economy. Furthermore, shared goals emerge as the most critical determinant of social trust. The paper accomplishes this by discussing the practical suggestions of the research findings for the platforms of the sharing economy.

Leveraging local capital in humanitarian supply networks during pandemic response

During COVID-19, global supply chain disruption marred communities around the world. In active humanitarian crises, these logistical issues compounded underlying vulnerabilities in communities most in need, pushing humanitarian supply networks to adapt rapidly in order to continue providing aid and development activities. This paper therefore seeks to answer: “how can social capital be leveraged in disaster response during a crisis?“. By conceptualizing resilience through the lens of social capital theory, the paper abductively analyses 17 semi-structured interviews, into other to identify four examples of how social capital was leveraged by local humanitarian supply networks during COVID-19. By adopting a “peri-crisis lens” from trauma-informed research, the paper finds four resiliency behaviours of humanitarian supply networks: 1) localising supplier networks, 2) engaging local production, 3) pivoting to cash provision for local households, and 4) handing over to national staff. This paper argues that individuals, organisations, and communities are more resilient, not merely when they have social capital, but when they can rapidly leverage that social capital in a crisis. Through a close examination of the factors that enabled and hindered the leveraging of social capital during COVID-19, the paper offers practical policy suggestions for government and non-governmental organisations engaged in humanitarian supply networks, to rapidly respond in future pandemics. Additionally, the paper demonstrates the use of peri-crisis as a lens.

Circular supply chain management: Antecedent effect of social capital and big data analysis capability and their impact on sustainable performance

AbstractThe circular economy era has begun, and circular supply chain management (CSCM) is widely acknowledged as a management paradigm that promotes firm sustainability. Through previous research, we have learned that the key challenge in the circular transformation of manufacturing firms is to encourage supply chain partners to collaborate and effectively participate in resource cycles. Drawing inspiration from social capital theory and resource‐based views, we explored how social capital effect sustainable performance through CSCM and the moderating effect of big data analytics capability (BDAC). We tested this by collecting data from 414 Chinese manufacturing firms. The results indicate that both internal and external social capital are positively correlated with CSCM. In addition, CSCM mediates the relationship between social capital and organizational environmental and social sustainability. The results also indicate that BDAC strengthen the impact of external social capital on CSCM, but the moderating effect on the relationship between internal social capital and CSCM is not significant. This essay advances the theory and practice of CSCM by offering fresh perspectives on how social capital influences sustainable performance of firms.

Corporate diplomacy: the dimensional structure and outcomes

PurposeGiven the great upheaval in the international situation and the increasing operating risk in international business, research on corporate diplomacy is thriving. However, it still lacks clear conceptualization and operationalization. Based on social capital theory, our study conceptualizes corporate diplomacy as a three-dimensional construct and quantifies its distinct and combined impacts on multinational enterprises’ (MNE) subsidiary performance.Design/methodology/approachThis research analyzes 134 responses collected from a questionnaire survey among key informants in Chinese MNEs using the regression method.FindingsThis research finds that corporate diplomacy is positively correlated with MNEs’ subsidiary performance. Specifically, compatriot-oriented diplomacy is the most effective, followed sequentially by host-partner-oriented and host-regulator-oriented diplomacy. In addition, compatriot-oriented diplomacy substitutes for host-partner-oriented diplomacy but complements host-regulator-oriented diplomacy in enhancing subsidiary performance.Originality/valueOur research enriches the conceptualization and operationalization of corporate diplomacy and provides a nuanced view of its distinct and combined effects on MNEs’ subsidiary performance.