Social Capital And Social Network Analysis

Social capital are embedded in social network and the structure or configuration of the social networks affect members access to the social capital embedded therein (Inkpen& Tsang 2005; Nahapiet & Ghoshal 1998). These also have implication for the flow and creation of new Kente-related knowledge. That is social networks and how such networks are configured can affect the flow and creation of new Kente-related knowledge. This is premised on the assertion that social network features such as “density, connectivity and hierarchy - are all features associated with flexibility and ease of information flow exchange through their impact on the level of contact or accessibility they provide to the network members” (Krackhardt 1989 cited in Nahapiet …show more content…
Coleman for example believes that closure of social networks is very significant in the creation and maintenance of social capital (Coleman 1990). Some scholars have also expressed a similar view. Woolcock (2002) and Szreter and Woolcock, 2004), for example , point out that the ability of an actor within a network to accrue benefits from the network does not only depend on the number of connections the person has but also the ability of the actor to interact with others. ‘Embedded ties’ for example has been noted to be effective and efficient for access to vital information than ‘Arm’s length ties’ (Uzzi 1996). These concepts are synonymous to Granovetter (1985)’s strong ties and weak ties. As noted by Granovetter, new information flows to people via weak ties than strong ties since close friends (with strong ties) tend to normally move in the same direction or circle. In this case, they are likely to access a similar kind of information. On the contrary, acquaintances (with weak ties) know other individuals who might be a source of new information (Granovetter 1985). Following from this, it can be said that, while strong ties among people such those in the family, communities (example community of practice) and friendship can help people access vital Kente-related knowledge, weak ties such those existing among for …show more content…
Coleman writes that; “every form of social capital, with the exception of that deriving from formal organization with structures based positions depends on stability” (Coleman 1990, p.320). This position has been supported by some researchers (Markowitz et al. 2001; Gail 2006). Gail (2006) for example noted that residential stability promote the growth of social capital by boosting the relationships among the members in the community. In contrast, residential mobility can destruct social capital since the mobility impedes the building of social networks which are sources of social capital (Sampson, Jeffrey, Morenoff & Earls 1999; Coleman 1990). However, there is an empirical literature that seems to suggest that mobility does not only destruct the creation of social capital but promotes the creation as well particularly with regards to the access to knowledge (Oettl & Agrawal 2008; Brennenraedts, Bekkers &Verspagen 2006 ). Oettl and Agrawal (2008) studied how labour mobility across borders of a country facilitates the flow of knowledge and noted that labour mobility facilitates the knowledge flow to even unintended market mechanisms (institutionalised social structure). Brennenraedts et al. (2006) also identified mobility of people as channel through which knowledge flows among people. It can thus be said that, while mobility destruct an