Social Capital: Prospects for a New Concept

Abstract

A growing number of sociologists, political scientists, economists and organizational theorists have invoked the concept of social capital in the search for answers to a broadening range of questions being confronted in their own fields. Seeking to clarify the concept and help assess its utility for organizational theory, this article synthesizes the theoretical research undertaken in these various disciplines and develops a common conceptual framework that identifies the sources, benefits, risks, and contingencies of social capital.