Building social-capital networks and relationship commitment in China and India

Purpose This study aims to develop a framework based on drew social capital theory and the literature on guanxi to examine and compare a buyer’s willingness to commit to a supplier in the context of informal social-capital networks in the two largest emerging markets of China and India. The two main objectives of the study included an examination of the influence of communication behavior and conflict resolution on the development of social-capital networks and a comparison of the influence of distinct dimensions of social-capital networks on a buyer’s commitment to a supplier. Design/methodology/approach Data was collected in China and India from random samples of buyers. The model was tested using structural equation modeling. Findings Findings revealed that communication and conflict resolution contribute significantly to build trust, increase social benefits and promote mutual collaboration between buyers and suppliers in both China and India. However, social benefits were found to have a greater influence on commitment in India, whereas collaboration was found to have a greater influence on commitment in China. Practical implications The study demonstrates the importance of social capital theory to explain the informal social capital network and commitment development. Results provide practitioners with specific strategies to build social capital in China and India and improve committed relationships with buyers. Originality/value This study advances theory development within the context of emerging markets. It is unique as it includes the two most populous and fast-growing emerging markets in one study.

Chronic illness and informal social capital: Individual level mediators and country-level moderators

This study investigates whether there are differences in informal social capital between people with a chronic illness and healthy individuals. We also test to what extent this relationship is mediated by individual characteristics and moderated by country-level characteristics. In contrast to previous research, we use representative recent and high-quality data from the European Social Survey of 2012 as well as multilevel analysis. Our results demonstrate that chronically ill people have less informal social capital, all across Europe. Individual characteristics, including depression, subjective health, and perceived income, mediate this relationship almost fully. Welfare regimes and the amount of money countries spend on health care moderate the relationship between chronic illness and informal social capital.

Zasoby i kierunki zmian kapitału społecznego w wybranych płaszczyznach zróżnicowania społecznego

The article presents theoretical accounts and the most important research findings, both Polish and international, concerning social capital in relation to social diversity and inequality. The analysis is aimed to show the major trends in social resources diversity. Two indicators of social capital are considered – participation in association and other forms of organizations (i.e. formal social capital) and social networks access (i.e. informal social capital). Social capital, like other forms of capital, is not equally distributed in society. Its allocation not only reflects the existing social divisions but can also preserve or even deepen social inequalities. Research findings indicate that the extent of social capital is associated with socio-demographic characteristics, such as age and gender, socio-economic status, and with ethno-cultural diversity. The changes of forms and fields of social activity are noteworthy and should be taken into account both in evaluation of social capital resources and in practices aimed to support social integration of the socially excluded or categories threatened by social exclusion.

Social capital affects the health of older people more strongly than that of younger people

ABSTRACTThe study examines whether social capital affects health of older people more strongly than it affects health of younger individuals. Following Pierre Bourdieu's concept, social capital has been analysed on a cognitive dimension, distinguishing between institutional and informal social capital. The analysis is based on the data of the Austrian Health Interview Survey 2006–07 with a representative sample of 15,575 people. Multivariate linear regression models were calculated. Measures of health and social capital were operationalised by indices based on the quality of life inventory of the World Health Organization, the WHOQOL-Brief questionnaire. The analysis has shown institutional social capital to be significantly more important for health of older people (60 years or older) than for younger people. There is a gender difference in the interaction between informal social capital and age in their association with psychological health. In contrast to the sub-sample of women, the psychological health of older men is more strongly affected by a lack of informal social capital than that of younger men. Institutional social capital is of special importance for the health of older people. Therefore health-promotion activities for older people should include activities to strengthen their social capital.