Managing social capital - summary
, Managing social capital - summary Emma Hamm, 2078889
Table of content
1 - Social Capital in the Digital Age 2
2 - Onboarding and Embeddedness 10
3 - HRM and Modern Teamwork 19
4 - Social Capital and Turnover 30
1
, Managing social capital - summary Emma Hamm, 2078889
1 - Social Capital in the Digital Age
#1 Lin 1999
#2 Nahapiet & Ghoshal 1998
I. HISTORY OF SOCIAL CAPITAL THEORY
WHAT IS MARX VIEW ON CAPITAL?
Capital = part of surplus value, a product of an investment process
- surplus value: products of capitalists sold at a higher price (user value)
Capitalization = investment process, in which surplus value is produced and captured by a
class
Marx’s perspective
● Exploitative relations between two classes
● View on society: dichotomous (2 mogelijkheden)
NEO-CAPITALIST THEORIES
1. Human Capital theory (Becker, 1964/93)
- Human capital = individual knowledge, skills, abilities and other traits (KSAOs)
Main ideas behind this theory
(1) Education and training are an important form of capital
(2) Individuals have choice in what KSAOs to “invest”
(3) Labor market determines the value of an individual’s human capital
2. Cultural capital theory (Bourdieu, 1990)
- Cultural capital = investments on part of the dominant class (regular people) in
reproducing a set of symbols and meanings of the bourgeoisie (upper class)
Forms and functions of cultural capital
- Embodied <belichaamd> cultural capital (upbringing and experience)
- Objectified cultural capital (e.g., artworks, books)
- Institutionalized cultural capital (e.g., formal degrees)
➢ Function: People use cultural capital to maintain their status and exclude others
3. Psychological capital theory (Luthans, 2002; Doci et al., 2022)
- PsyCap = Having high levels of (a) self-efficacy <zelfvertrouwen>, (b) hope, (c)
optimism, (d) resilience
Key findings and assumptions
- PsyCap is trait-like <karakteristiek>, but can be developed
- Facilitates individual (and firm) performance
Critical perspective (Doci et al., 2022)
2
, Managing social capital - summary Emma Hamm, 2078889
➢ PsyCap is rooted in different social learning trajectories due to inequalities in
society (different social expectations, learning opportunities, role models, etc.)
DIFFERENT FORMS OF CAPITAL
Focus of this course: the social capital: who you know
→ relationships, network of contacts, friends
NEO-CAPITALIST THEORIES
Important social capital theorists: Mark Granovetter, Nan Lin, and Robert Putnam
→ How do their perspectives differ?
1. MARK GRANOVETTER - TIE STRENGTH PERSPECTIVE
→ not all connections are the same. It focuses on the quality and intensity of relationships
within a network, where strong ties carry more influence in spreading information and
shaping behavior compared to weak ties.
2. NAH LIN - EMBEDDED RESOURCES PERSPECTIVE
→ social relationships contain valuable resources like information, support, and
opportunities. These resources influence individuals' behaviors and outcomes within a
network.
3
, Managing social capital - summary Emma Hamm, 2078889
Table of content
1 - Social Capital in the Digital Age 2
2 - Onboarding and Embeddedness 10
3 - HRM and Modern Teamwork 19
4 - Social Capital and Turnover 30
1
, Managing social capital - summary Emma Hamm, 2078889
1 - Social Capital in the Digital Age
#1 Lin 1999
#2 Nahapiet & Ghoshal 1998
I. HISTORY OF SOCIAL CAPITAL THEORY
WHAT IS MARX VIEW ON CAPITAL?
Capital = part of surplus value, a product of an investment process
- surplus value: products of capitalists sold at a higher price (user value)
Capitalization = investment process, in which surplus value is produced and captured by a
class
Marx’s perspective
● Exploitative relations between two classes
● View on society: dichotomous (2 mogelijkheden)
NEO-CAPITALIST THEORIES
1. Human Capital theory (Becker, 1964/93)
- Human capital = individual knowledge, skills, abilities and other traits (KSAOs)
Main ideas behind this theory
(1) Education and training are an important form of capital
(2) Individuals have choice in what KSAOs to “invest”
(3) Labor market determines the value of an individual’s human capital
2. Cultural capital theory (Bourdieu, 1990)
- Cultural capital = investments on part of the dominant class (regular people) in
reproducing a set of symbols and meanings of the bourgeoisie (upper class)
Forms and functions of cultural capital
- Embodied <belichaamd> cultural capital (upbringing and experience)
- Objectified cultural capital (e.g., artworks, books)
- Institutionalized cultural capital (e.g., formal degrees)
➢ Function: People use cultural capital to maintain their status and exclude others
3. Psychological capital theory (Luthans, 2002; Doci et al., 2022)
- PsyCap = Having high levels of (a) self-efficacy <zelfvertrouwen>, (b) hope, (c)
optimism, (d) resilience
Key findings and assumptions
- PsyCap is trait-like <karakteristiek>, but can be developed
- Facilitates individual (and firm) performance
Critical perspective (Doci et al., 2022)
2
, Managing social capital - summary Emma Hamm, 2078889
➢ PsyCap is rooted in different social learning trajectories due to inequalities in
society (different social expectations, learning opportunities, role models, etc.)
DIFFERENT FORMS OF CAPITAL
Focus of this course: the social capital: who you know
→ relationships, network of contacts, friends
NEO-CAPITALIST THEORIES
Important social capital theorists: Mark Granovetter, Nan Lin, and Robert Putnam
→ How do their perspectives differ?
1. MARK GRANOVETTER - TIE STRENGTH PERSPECTIVE
→ not all connections are the same. It focuses on the quality and intensity of relationships
within a network, where strong ties carry more influence in spreading information and
shaping behavior compared to weak ties.
2. NAH LIN - EMBEDDED RESOURCES PERSPECTIVE
→ social relationships contain valuable resources like information, support, and
opportunities. These resources influence individuals' behaviors and outcomes within a
network.
3
