Social Capital Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Social Capital - Essay Example nt methodologies that can be used to measure it, identify social concepts that can be addressed by social capital and lastly explain how social capital can solve problems in a specific organisation. The organisation chosen for analysis is the Environmental Protection Agency Queensland. This will be the focal point in the last portion of the essay as I work in this organisation. Many groups and individuals have attempted to define social capital. However, some of the statements passed of as definitions are in fact depictions of social capital and not the actual thing. Social capital may be defined as the informal and instantiated norm that acts as a means for promoting cooperation between individuals. Norms in this case may refer to the cases of reciprocation between two people or they may refer to complex doctrines from major religions such as Christianity. The most important aspect here is that these norms have to be engrained into a real human relationship. (Stayner, 1997: p7) The issue of reciprocation is something that potentially exists among all people but is usually evident when dealing with friends. In other words, other aspects such as civil society, trust and networks are only products of social capital but do not form part of the actual definition. It should be noted here that institutional norms do not just apply to any kind of norms. The norms under consideration in social capital are those ones that can cause an actual increase in the level of cooperation between certain groups. These norms must be linked to certain values that include honesty, reciprocity, performance of duties among others. This also means that other norms applicable in specific scenarios may not qualify as suitable ones in social capital. For instance, in some parts of Italy, there is great cohesion between members of the family but outside the family unit; individuals are allowed to take advantage of one another. Those norms are not acceptable in the definition of social