12-June-2007 Measurement of Social Capital 1

Measurement of Social Capital

CES 2007 Seminar: Measurement of Capital-Beyond the traditional measures

Michel GLAUDEDirector “Social and Information Society statistics” EUROSTAT

12-June-2007 Measurement of Social Capital 2

Three Contributions

« Social Capital – Ways ahead and ways blocked in national and international comparisons »

By Laura Iisakka and Jussi Simpura (Finland) « Social Capital: Measurement and meaning »

By Tom Schuller and Enrico Giovannini (OECD)  « From measuring social capital to measuring societal

well-being: some early thoughts from UK »

By Paul Allin (UK)

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What is Social Capital?

Several “Fathers”: Coleman, Bourdieu, Putnam, Fukuyama…

Three dimensions:

- Networks

- Norms of reciprocity

- Trust The OECD definition:

“Networks together with shared norms, values and understandings that facilitate cooperation within or among groups”

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Three main issues

The concept of Social Capital

What kind of uses?

Future challenges

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Is Social Capital a form of Capital?

Not obvious from a purely economic point of view (Ownership, accumulation…).

Nevertheless, some kind of asset that provides benefits to individuals and communities even by enhancing the benefits of other forms of capital.

The weaknesses of a “carry all” concept relying on a functional definition.

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Best uses

No new magic independent variable which would explain macroeconomic performance.

Promising uses in regional economics and neighbourhood and social inclusion policies.

The difficulties in assessing the volume of SC at national level.

International comparisons biased by the “cultural” effect.

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Future challenges

Some pessimism concerning the future theoretical developments…

…but the Human Capital concept also took much time to be expanded and refined.

Include SC indicators in the new framework of Societal Well Being?

Continue to develop data collection in a cost-effective way…

.. and data analysis by researchers applying multivariate analysis.

Harmonise definition and data collection at international level like the work done on “Measuring Volunteer Activities”.

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Some questions

Governance as part of SC? The success of SC within regional economics? First results of ABS data collection on SC. How to go deeper into “cultural factors”? SC indictors to monitor social inclusion policies? Which links between SC and Societal Well Being? Better understanding the multidimensional approach. Information Society and SC?