When is brokerage negatively associated with economic benefits? Ethnic diversity,competition, and common-pool resources

There is a growing body of literature positively linking dimensions of social capital to economic benefits. Yet recent research also points to a potential “dark side” of social capital, where over-embeddedness in networks and the pressures associated with brokerage are hypothesized to constrain actors, having a negative effect on economic outcomes. This dichotomy suggests that context is important, yet the overwhelming majority of existing empirical evidence stems from socially homogenous populations in corporate and organizational settings, limiting a broader understanding of when and how context matters. We advance this discourse to a socially fragmented, ethnically diverse common-pool resource system where information is highly valuable and competition is fierce. Merging several unique datasets from Hawaii's pelagic tuna fishery, we find that network prominence, i.e., being well connected locally, has a significant, positive effect on economic productivity. In contrast, we find that brokerage, defined here as ties that bridge either structurally distinct or ethnically distinct groups, has a significant, negative effect. Taken together, our results provide empirical support to widespread claims of the value of information access in common-pool resource systems, yet suggest that in ethnically diverse, competitive environments, brokers may be penalized for sharing information across social divides. Our results thus contribute to an emerging theory on the fragile nature of brokerage that recognizes its potential perils and the importance of context.     

Young people's educational aspirations: psychosocial factors and the home environment

Utilising data from Understanding Society (2010–2013), this study examined the contribution of young people's psychosocial and background factors and home environment to their educational aspirations in the UK. Young people's general well-being and self-efficacy emerged as good predictors of their educational aspirations as did some aspects of their home environment. Interestingly, filial dynamics such as emotional closeness to parents and cultural capital (e.g. participating in cultural events, discussing books) were better predictors of 10–15-year-olds’ aspirations than were more school-driven parent–child interactions (e.g. homework, extra-curricular activities). Furthermore, the findings from this study showed no shortage in young people's educational aspirations although interesting demographic trends emerged with certain groups (i.e. preadolescents, males) being less aspirant than middle adolescents and females. These findings have significant implications for family and educational policy, especially with regard to ‘raising aspirations’ and reducing early school leaving and, also, for reconsidering the role of the home environment as a web of emotionally and intellectually charged relationships between parents and children rather than an extension of the school day. Finally, discussions on young people's educational aspirations should not be polarised but informed by notions of opportunity (structure) and what young people make of it (agency).     

It is risky business: can social capital reduce risk-taking behaviours among disadvantaged youth?

This study addresses the gap in the research for sound multidimensional assessment of social capital and its relationship with risk-taking behaviour among youths living in disadvantaged communities. Social capital and adolescent risk-taking outcomes were studied cross-sectionally in 1371 secondary students living in two disadvantaged communities within Australia. First, a multidimensional measure of social capital was developed and tested using confirmatory factor analysis. Then, the associations between social capital and a range of youth risk-taking behaviours were examined using structural equation modelling across five-year groups (Grades 7–12). With a few exceptions, higher levels of social capital and belongingness within the school and community were generally associated with decreases in smoking, alcohol and drug consumption, and physical violence. Some outcomes were more strongly associated with family and peer social capital, while others associated more with neighbour and community social capital, indicating that attempts to build social capital need to be targeted across the whole community. This study supports the notion that social capital can be measured empirically and is beneficial in alleviating many of the detrimental health outcomes commonly associated with risk-taking behaviours during adolescence.     

Network domains in social networking sites: expectations,meanings, and social capital

This paper examines why the use of social networking sites (SNSs) leads to different results in cultivating bridging and bonding social capital for different groups of people. Based on in-depth interviews of 45 university students in Hong Kong, I find that Mainland Chinese students studying in Hong Kong actively use SNSs for seeking practical information about offline matters, and they obtain substantial enacted support from other Mainland students of the same university through SNS use. As a result, they accumulate both bridging and bonding social capital. Local Hong Kong students, however, use SNSs mainly for social information seeking and are only able to accrue limited bridging social capital through SNS use. Drawing on the theory of network domains, I argue that the different offline network structures in which students are located – namely, homogeneous and closed networks versus heterogeneous and open networks – explain this difference. Students with closed offline networks have defined expectations of online ties; they think of their online activities as practical and leading to real changes in their status among peers. Those with open networks have indefinite expectations of their online audience; thus, they interpret online activities differently, thinking of them as recreational, and they are playful in their online behaviour. These different outcomes of online activities consequently lead to diverse results in social capital accrual.     

社会资本视角下“以购代捐”精准扶贫模式研究 ——基于凉山彝族自治州的实证分析

以凉山彝族自治州在精准扶贫过程中,为破解贫困地区“孤岛效应”,探索“以购代捐”扶贫模式为例,基于社会资本导向 的反贫困治理策略,分析“以购代捐”扶贫模式的理论内涵、演进路径、模式创新等,提出“以购代捐”正面临,物流投入滞后,影 响农产品品质;质量标准缺乏,制约农产品价格;质量检测缺位,食品安全堪忧;产品价格缺乏优势,长期执行易陷入行政摊派 等现实问题,为了完善“以购代捐”精准扶贫模式,建议：一要调动贫困农户生产积极性,保证农民“爱种（养）”;二要合理兼顾帮 扶单位的利益,让对口帮扶单位“爱吃”;三是政策措施要简单易行,让行政主管部门“爱扶”。     

从劳资关系不对称谈农民工维权艰辛的原因

在中国,外来工的劳动权利保护问题是在城乡二元结构的背景下,随着城市化进程中逐渐凸显出来的。根据社会学家布劳的社会交换理论,私营企业雇主和农民工之间的关系可以看成是一种社会交换关系,在这种社会交换关系中雇主和农民工之间存在着不对称的相互依赖关系。造成这种不对称相互依赖关系的原因有生产资料、社会资本占有的悬殊,信息占有的不对称,组织化程度的不对称,监控机制的不对称等,正是这种不对称的相互依赖关系使农民工的劳动权益得不到切实有效的保障。     

后文学产业链:无形文化资产的价值实现路径

通过解剖典型的个案,概括出作为无形文化资产(遗产)的文学,从无形转为有形的物化形态,衍生为产业链,从而走向当代价值实现的三个重要前提条件;并论述了“后文学产业链”的三级资源化过程,以及被资源化之后,传统文学活动系统中的作家、作品、读者三大要素的地位和功能的蜕变,分析了文学作为审美意识形态具有“不可资源化”的特质。     

泡沫经济预控方法刍议

泡沫经济是市场经济发展中的一个客观必然现象,无疑,泡沫经济有害无利。本文从资产市场角度,用统计推断理论,来构造泡沫经济预控方法。     

论《资本论》中微观与宏观的统一

《资本论》作为一部宏伟的经济学著作,是对资本主义经济规律的揭示和论证,既不是主观臆造的良好愿望,也不是现象描述的局部实践,而是建立在辩证法基础上的实证,具有系统、历史和抽象的特点。马克思正是运用这种建立在辨证基础上的实证,把宏观经济学与微观经济学有机的结合起来,对人类社会经济发展作出了巨大贡献,这也必将对我国经济理论的研究和实践产生深远的影响。     

企业社会资本会计探析

社会资本是当前众多学科的重点关注领域之一及重要理论分析工具,也是会计领域的新课题。从企业社会资本的角度,分析现行会计系统中社会资本的处理,指出其会计处理的不足,初步构建了企业社会资本会计框架。