Social capital measurement

Table 7.2 Selected methods of social capital measurement...

When Kawachi and co-workers carried out a path analysis, it indicated that the primary effect of income inequality on mortality is mediated by social capital (as measured by level of perceived fairness). Income inequality exerts a large indirect effect on overall mortality through the social capital variable. As income inequality increases, so does the level of social mistrust, which is in turn associated with increased mortality rates. 

When using the term high social capital, one should ask how the capital s level may be determined. To date, no universal and generally accepted model or formula for calculating social capital has been proposed in the literature. This indicates that social capital is highly complex and intangible. Despite difficulties in the classification of social capital, attempts have been made to measure it (Baraniecka 2005, pp. 15-25). The methods used to measure social capital are reviewed in Table 7.2. 

Measurement of social capital as a scale of commitment, cohesion and tmst in the network... 

The cited sources are used to provide grounds for the measurement and assessment of the company s social capital. Unfortunately, among those specified, the only research tool that can be used at company level is related to trust (Gnidzewski et al. 2009). 

Understanding the components of social capital may prove helpful in identifying, measuring and developing it. The elements of social capital include (Theiss 2005, p. 61) ... 

At this stage, a steady measurement of the social capital is made based on the profile and dedicated indicators developed earlier. 

When measuring the level of a supply chain s social capital, one may... 

As the deliberations presented herein show, a supply chain s social capital is not much discussed in theory or applied in business practice. It seems that tradition and the effective promotion of the macroeconomic approach to social capital have dominated the application of any relevant theories in practice in the public sector. This is probably why social capital is regarded by business environments as an unknown and uncontrollable external factor of company and supply chain operation. A similar situation is found with respect to the social capital of companies. It was concluded, too quickly and easily, that this invisible resource of individual organisations could not be accurately measured, and that one could therefore not influence its structure or level in order to adjust it to the needs of supply chain management. 

Economic impacts of sustainability can be measured with a capital approach that can be defined as maintaining economic, environmental, human, and social capital over time for future generations (Kulig, Kolfoort, and Hoekstra 2010). The capital approach can be proposed as a theoretical basis for sustainable development indicators (Atkinson and Hamilton 2003 World Bank 2006 UNECE 2014). The capital approach provides a theoretical approach by measuring all capital stocks in their own units. The capital approach can provide consistent, theoretically sound, and policy-relevant comparisons between countries (Kulig et al. 2010). 

From a technical point of view it was infinitely easier to plough up large units of land without regard for individual claims than it was to identify each family allotment, measure its value in the peasants traditional terms, and then painfully transpose it from scattered strips into a consolidated farm. Then, too, a capital city administrator could not help but prefer to supervise and tax large productive units and not have to deal with separate farmers.. . . The collective had a dual appeal to authentic agrarian reformers. They represented a social ideal for rhetorical purposes, and at the same time they seemed to simplify the technical problems of land reform and state control. ... 

The strength of this book is that it can be read, understood, and hopefully acted upon by the chief executive officer of a corporation, right down to the line manager of systems engineering or the subject matter expert in the safety department. This value can be measured in cost savings, be it in the form of human, social, or financial capital. Real-world examples will illustrate this point. 

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