Social Capital: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

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