Social Capital
definition — the "features of social organizations such as networks, norms, and social trust that facilitate coordination and cooperation for mutual benefit" (Putnam, 2000) — and the possible role it may play in the networked organization, has come to the fore.
Cohen and Prusak (2001) explain the connection: "Social capital makes an organization, or any cooperative group, more than a collection of individuals intent on achieving their own private purposes. Social capital bridges the space between people. Its characteristic elements and indicators include high levels of trust, robust personal networks and vibrant communities, shared understandings, and a sense of equitable participation in a joint enterprise–all things that draw individuals together into a group. This kind of connection supports collaboration, commitment, ready access to knowledge and talent, and coherent organizational behavior." (Cohen and Prusak, page 4)
Cohen, D. and Prusak, L. (2001) In good company: How social capital makes organizations work. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press.
Putnam, R. D. (2000) Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community. New York: Simon and Schuster.
from: Knowledge Communities: Online Environments for Supporting Knowledge Management and its Social Context
by Thomas Erickson and Wendy A. Kellogg. IBM. T.J. Watson Research Center.
Accessed http://www.research.ibm.com/SocialComputing/Papers/KnowCommunities.htm.