Beyond the Local: Extending the Social Capital Discourse

Social capital and community capacity have become key concepts in social policy responses to marginalised individuals and communities. Policy making has occurred in the context of heated debate about the roles government and business institutions in strengthening community capacities. In this paper, we will explore theoretical positions about the role that these institutions play in building local social capital. We argue that the dominant conceptions of social capital in Australia fail to recognise the potential for non‐local institutions to strengthening local community capacity. Drawing on a study of four geographically diverse communities we show that a substantial proportion of community members were disconnected from non‐local government and business institutions. We conclude with some initial suggestions for extending the social capital discourse to recognise and build the role of non‐local institutions in strengthening local communities.     

人力资本投资的内生增值机制与制度安排

在知识技术主导经济增长的时代,人力资本日益成为重要的投资方式。合理确认“投资法人”和“研发执行人”对人力资本内生增值价值的占有权,科学评估投资成本与收益,明晰人力资本增值后的产权关系,建立合理的共享分配机制,维护投资者和研发者的合法权益,对促进人力资本投资,建立现代企业制度具有重要意义。     

中国企业国际化模式分析与政策建议

中国企业在国际化进程中表现出了双重国际化模式,即传统的生产国际化和新兴的资本国际化。前者包括自有产品与技术的直接出口企业、对外合资或独资的企业和开展跨国并购的企业;后者包括境外上市的中国企业、境内上市外资股的公司和其他具有外资股的中国境内企业。中国企业应结合业务特征和产品市场结构,寻求符合企业发展战略的国际化模式。一方面,积极扩大产品的海外市场,特别是开辟具有增长潜力的新兴经济体市场,追寻全球生产链中的最佳位置;另一方面,引进战略机构投资者或寻求境外上市,加快企业内部重组与机制创新。     

A political economy approach to foreign investment and local welfare

A number of papers in the economics and urban literature observe several positive impacts of foreign investment on urban development and urge cities to actively pursue foreign investors. The author conducts a political-economy analysis illustrating that an economic boom stimulated by a massive inflow of international capital may bring about serious social-environmental side effects for tourist cities. If foreign investors dominate a city's policymaking, this foreign-driven expansion may come at the expense of declining local welfare, which can lead to serious social conflicts and political instability. Macao is adopted as a case study.     

论人力资本的产权特征与企业所有权安排

同非人力资本产权相比 ,人力资本产权具有人力资本与其所有者不可分离、人力资本的价值信息容易隐藏、人力资本必须在其所有者的协作劳动中发挥作用等方面的典型特征 ,这些特征决定了人力资本同非人力资本一样 ,不仅能够承担风险 ,而且还具有可抵押性 ,从而得出了有效率的企业必须实现人力资本所有者与非人力资本所有者共同分享所有权的结论 ,阐释了企业组织形式变化中 ,人力资本逐步得到重视的原因 ,也为经营者股权奖励、职工持股计划等改革方案的实施提供了理论依据。     

Caring and the generation of social capital: Two models for a positive relationship

Johansson S, Leonard R, Noonan K. Caring and the generation of social capital: two models for a positive relationship When caring is linked to social capital, it is generally assumed that the nature of the relationship is that social capital is a resource that can be used for care work. When there is inadequate funding of aged care services by the state, then social capital may be seen as a substitute for economic and human capital. Caring, therefore, is seen as a drain on capital. However, this does not have to be the case. Aged care services, if thoughtfully designed, can not only consume social capital, but also generate it. Two models of elder care, one Swedish and one Australian, have been identified which specifically address the generation of social capital. In each case, the services and facilities have been developed by third‐sector organisations with a strong community development focus, often in the face of resistance from state‐run or medically oriented services.     

What works best when? The role of active labour market policy programmes in different business cycles

Nordlund M. What works best when? The role of active labour market policy programmes in different business cycles Int J Soc Welfare 2011: 20: 43–54 © 2009 The Author, Journal compilation © 2009 Blackwell Publishing Ltd and the International Journal of Social Welfare. At what point in a business cycle do long‐term unemployed persons gain most from participation in active labour market policy programmes (ALMP) as compared with openly unemployed persons? This article studies this question from the perspective of individual human capital with the hazard of labour market exit and chances of future labour market stability and equal post‐unemployment income as output variables. All the long‐term unemployed in Sweden were followed on a four‐year basis, with 1993 (recession) and 1999 (boom) as starting years. The study shows mainly positive effects among participants regardless of the state of the market. However, ALMP training has a ‘bridging’ effect over different labour market conditions, and a quick return to the regular labour market is, therefore, not as important for the success of participation as it is among ALMP employment participants.     

文化资本与地位获得对浙江某市私营企业主子女上向流动的个案分析

本文通过个案,分析探索转型期的私营企业主是如何看待“向上流动”的。被访的私营企业主依据文化资本把自己归入社会中下层,他们期望并力图使子代通过教育进入体制,从而实现向上流动。而他们的子代在进入体制失败后无奈地“子承父业”,没有实现他们所认同的向上流动。文中重点分析了文化资本在私营企业主自我定位和其子代谋求向上流动过程中的影响。正是这些源于制度与文化的影响使私营企业主认同积累文化资本才是实现向上流动的唯一途径。     

中国农民工社会融入的代际比较

本文依据2011年中国社会科学院社会学研究所中国社会状况综合调查数据,描述了老一代农民工和新生代农民工在经济、社会、心理和身份四个层面的社会融入状况,分析了人力资本、社会资本和政策制度等因素对社会融入的影响。研究发现,新生代农民工社会融入状况与老一代农民工相比并没有根本差异;影响社会融入的人力资本因素更显著地体现在农民工的工作技能上;政策制度对农民工社会融入具有重要影响;农民工社会融入的经济-社会-心理-身份四个层次不存在递进关系,经济层次的融入并不必然带来其他层次的融入。     

The Effects of Participation and Resources on Democratic Attitudes: Role of Social Capital in Four Latin and South American Countries

ABSTRACT

Social capital research in Latin and South American countries has been gravely limited by the absence of valid measures of social capital. This study seeks to create a scale for measuring social capital in the Latin and South American context using exploratory and confirmatory statistical procedures. It also seeks to test the effect of social capital on democratic attitudes in Latin America through structural equation modeling methods. Analysis of four countries in Latin and South America suggests that social capital is positively related to democratic attitudes. Recommendations for future studies are highlighted, and scale properties and outcomes are discussed.     

会计核算目标与会计核算体系

企业会计核算目标依其经营目标不同而有差异,现代企业经营要实现政府、投资者和内部职工三方利益,在国有企业会计制度设计中应该充分考虑三方利益,形成科学合理的会计核算体系.     

A Bedrock of Support? Trends in Welfare State Attitudes in Sweden, 1981–2010

This article reports findings about Swedes' attitudes towards the welfare state from 1981 to 2010, building on data from the Swedish Welfare State Surveys. Attitudes towards social spending, willingness to pay taxes, attitudes towards collective financing and public organization, suspicion about welfare abuse, and trust in the task performance of the welfare state are tracked. Overall, there is a large degree of stability in attitudes, and where change is registered, it tends to go in the direction of increasing support. More people state their willingness to pay higher taxes for welfare policy purposes; more people want collective financing of welfare policies; and fewer people perceive extensive welfare abuse in 2010 than was the case in previous surveys. Class patterns change so that the salaried and the self‐employed become more similar to workers in their attitudes. Hence, the unprecedented election loss of the Swedish Social Democrats in 2010, and the rise of the Moderates (conservatives) as the dominant party cannot be explained by changing attitudes towards the welfare state. Nor can any corrosive effects from increased marketization of the Swedish welfare state on public support for welfare policies be detected.     

The Impact of Social Capital on Labor Force Participation: Evidence from the 2000 Social Capital Benchmark Survey

Objectives . Few studies apply the concept of social capital to labor force participation. In this research, I study the relationship between friendship networks and labor force participation as represented by employment and hours worked. Methods . I test five hypotheses representing social capital with network structure, network quality, and network diversity using nationally representative data from the 2000 Social Capital Benchmark Survey. Since this survey enables comparisons across racial/ethnic and gender groups, I am also able to specify how social capital interacts with race/ethnicity and gender to influence labor force participation, while controlling for other prominent theoretical concerns such as human capital theory. Results . I find that friendship networks are generally positively related with increased labor force participation. Further, I find significant social capital differences based on race/ethnicity and gender. Conclusions . I illustrate that social capital can be applied across a broader racial/ethnic/gender spectrum. The findings suggest that programs that attempt to bring valuable labor market information to individuals and communities lacking employment–related information are likely to be effective in reducing inequality, especially if combined with programs for developing human capital.     

中国劳动力市场人力资本对社会经济地位的影响

本文试图解释为什么在中国教育收益率不断提高的情况下,收入差距出现不断扩大的趋势。根据中国社会科学院社会学研究所在2008年进行的“中国社会状况综合调查”的数据,本文分析了以教育年份、技术水平和工作经验为表征的人力资本因素对劳动力市场上人们的经济社会地位的影响,这种经济社会地位是以收入水平和社会保障状况来界定的。根据对调查数据的分析,本文发现,不同的社会阶层,教育收益率是有很大差异的,但这种差异主要是受人力资本因素的影响,而社会保障状况的差异则主要是受户籍等制度因素的影响。本文由此引申出的结论是,中国劳动力市场具有二元分割的特征,这种特征决定了劳动力市场上的社会分层机制。     

社会资本的功能论析——从对社会与人的发展的影响来看

社会资本具有积极功能与消极功能。从宏观上看,社会资本既能促进社会与人的发展,也能给社会和人的发展带来负面影响。为此,应该设法实现社会资本的积极功能,有效地预防其消极影响。     

培养造就高素质的企业家队伍

企业家的选择本质上是一个市场淘汰的过程,但由于现代企业规模巨大,利害关系复杂,加之所有权与控制权的分离,企业人事决策、特别是高层管理人才的选聘是企业生死攸关的问题.我国传统体制下企业家的选择机制的主要弊端是,不是资本出于自身增值的需要去选择企业家,而是国家行政机构出于其他目的来选择企业领导者;对企业家的选拔偏重于政治标准,往往按照党政官员的标准进行;社会财富按行政系统进行分割固化,企业家资源和资本资源不能有效配置;管人与管事脱节,管理企业的部门不管干部,管理干部的部门不管企业;选人的渠道非常单一.我们应在企业家市场的培育方面多下功夫,最终通过市场实现企业家资源的供需平衡.同时,也应创造、形成一种有利于企业家成长的文化氛围,在中国现代文化中培养起适应社会经济发展需要的企业家精神.     

Sports in School: Source of Amity or Antipathy?

Objectives . Previous research looks at the impact of school sports on participants' delinquency, but not at the impact on delinquency in schools; further, it does not control for school size or for unobserved school-level variables. This research fills that gap. It uses social capital theory to frame the impact of sports programs on both participants and nonparticipants. Social capital theory predicts that group cohesion will increase cooperative, pro-social behavior among those in the group; however, it can also increase uncooperative, antisocial behavior among those not in the group—particularly when in-group membership is seen as desirable. Social capital theory also predicts that larger schools will have more disturbances, but subgroups in large schools will reduce these adverse effects. Methods . The hypotheses were tested by looking at the relation between disturbances and interscholastic sports programs in Montgomery County, Maryland high schools. Using three years of data on each high school in the county, the study regresses disturbances on sports participation, holding constant demographic variables, school size, and a dummy variable for each school. Results . Larger schools have more disturbances, but bigger interscholastic sports programs mitigate these effects. Conclusions . The policy implications suggest that to foster cooperative behavior in high schools, it might be wise to limit school size, or to foster participation in varsity sports as school size increases.     

Social Capital and the Growth of the Nonprofit Sector*

Objectives. This article examines the extent to which nonprofit organizational foundings are determined by various forms of social capital. Our hypothesis is that, controlling for other relevant social, political, and economic factors, communities with higher levels of social capital should experience more extensive growth in their nonprofit sectors. Methods. Using data derived from the Social Capital Community Benchmark Survey and the IRS “charitable organization” Business Master Files, we test our hypothesis using a negative binomial event count regression on nonprofit organization foundings in 284 U.S. counties in the year 2001. Results. We find that two core dimensions of social capital—political engagement and “bridging” social ties—have a significant impact on county‐level nonprofit foundings. Surprisingly, a key element of social capital in the literature, the level of interpersonal trust, does not lead to an increase in foundings of new not‐for‐profit organizations. Conclusions. This study provides further evidence of the strength of political engagement and bridging ties for the vitality of the community. It also shows that the different dimensions of social capital do not manifest a uniform effect on nonprofit sector growth. These results further demonstrate that the growth of a community's not‐for‐profit sector is dependent on a mix of ecological and environmental factors, especially preexisting organizational density, median household income, unemployment, and levels of governmental spending. Overall, social capital can usefully be seen as another key “environmental” factor in explanations of organizational foundings.     

Social Capital, Social Funds and Poor Communities: An Exploratory Analysis

Social capital has captured the attention of social policy-makers and development administrators, with its emphasis on social relationships, civic participation, collaborative action and norms of reciprocity. Social funds support small-scale community-based development projects aimed primarily at reducing poverty. This article synthesizes the relevant literature and explores the nexus between social capital and social funds in relation to poor communities. Drawing upon primary research in Jamaica, the article reports the outcomes of eight social fund sub-projects that involved local organizations in community-driven development processes. It analyses the role of social networks and the influence of community power structures in social capital creation. Social policy implications of the findings are discussed.     

Social assistance assessments of couple households: A vignette study on applicants’ ethnicity and gendered family roles

Social work professionals’ assessments of social assistance (SA) eligibility for a heterosexual couple with a baby are examined. Professionals (n = 899) spread over 43 social service offices in 19 Swedish municipalities assessed a vignette. According to the vignette, one of the parents abstained from paid work to take parental leave, which caused the couple's need for SA. Two vignette dimensions were varied: the couple's ethnicity (Swedish/Arabic) and gendered family roles (mother/father going on parental leave). Data were analysed using multilevel logistic regression modelling. The results show that the combination of the couple's gendered family roles and ethnicity seems to have bearing on the assessments. Professionals were most prone to grant SA to couples with Swedish names where the mother went from work to parental leave. The lowest granting rate was found in assessments of couples with the same gender setting and Arabic names.