IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/envirc/v34y2016i6p1025-1057.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Social capital and innovation: A comparative analysis of regional policies

Author

Listed:
  • Lyndon Murphy
  • Robert Huggins
  • Piers Thompson

Abstract

This paper analyses how different forms of social capital are associated with different types of innovation across regional policy interventions. Taking the case of a continuum of three policy interventions incorporating both ‘hard’/traditional and ‘soft’/non-traditional innovation measures, the analysis finds that differing regional innovation programmes are connected with different forms of social capital generation. Significant associations are found between the types of innovation generated and differing forms of social capital. In particular, the elements of social capital associated with the benefits of social networks are positively related to softer forms of innovation. However, there is also evidence that the positive influence of social networks varies in strength across policy interventions, suggesting a strong contextual and environmental influence on this relationship. It is concluded that social capital should not be considered a panacea for increasing levels of innovative activity within regional policy programmes.

Suggested Citation

  • Lyndon Murphy & Robert Huggins & Piers Thompson, 2016. "Social capital and innovation: A comparative analysis of regional policies," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 34(6), pages 1025-1057, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:envirc:v:34:y:2016:i:6:p:1025-1057
    DOI: 10.1177/0263774X15597448
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0263774X15597448
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1177/0263774X15597448?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Philip Cooke & Nick Clifton & Mercedes Oleaga, 2005. "Social capital, firm embeddedness and regional development," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 39(8), pages 1065-1077.
    2. Zak, Paul J & Knack, Stephen, 2001. "Trust and Growth," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 111(470), pages 295-321, April.
    3. Sriya Iyer & Michael Kitson & Bernard Toh, 2005. "Social capital, economic growth and regional development," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 39(8), pages 1015-1040.
    4. Akçomak, I. Semih & ter Weel, Bas, 2009. "Social capital, innovation and growth: Evidence from Europe," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 53(5), pages 544-567, July.
    5. Tomi Tura & Vesa Harmaakorpi, 2005. "Social capital in building regional innovative capability," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 39(8), pages 1111-1125.
    6. Jennie Björk & Fausto Di Vincenzo & Mats Magnusson & Daniele Mascia, 2011. "The Impact of Social Capital on Ideation," Industry and Innovation, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(6), pages 631-647, August.
    7. Robert Huggins & Piers Thompson, 2014. "A Network-based view of regional growth," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 14(3), pages 511-545.
    8. Sjoerd Beugelsdijk & Ton Van Schaik, 2005. "Differences in social capital between 54 Western European regions," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 39(8), pages 1053-1064.
    9. Christoph Hauser & Gottfried Tappeiner & Janette Walde, 2007. "The Learning Region: The Impact of Social Capital and Weak Ties on Innovation," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 41(1), pages 75-88.
    10. Andrés Rodríguez-Pose & Marco Di Cataldo, 2015. "Quality of government and innovative performance in the regions of Europe," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 15(4), pages 673-706.
    11. Claire Nauwelaers & Rene Wintjes (ed.), 2008. "Innovation Policy in Europe," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 4131.
    12. Magro, Edurne & Wilson, James R., 2013. "Complex innovation policy systems: Towards an evaluation mix," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 42(9), pages 1647-1656.
    13. Stephen Knack & Philip Keefer, 1997. "Does Social Capital Have an Economic Payoff? A Cross-Country Investigation," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 112(4), pages 1251-1288.
    14. Bjørn Asheim & Lars Coenen & Jan Vang, 2007. "Face-to-Face, Buzz, and Knowledge Bases: Sociospatial Implications for Learning, Innovation, and Innovation Policy," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 25(5), pages 655-670, October.
    15. Guido Tabellini, 2010. "Culture and Institutions: Economic Development in the Regions of Europe," Journal of the European Economic Association, European Economic Association, vol. 8(4), pages 677-716, June.
    16. Westlund, Hans & Bolton, Roger, 2003. "Local Social Capital and Entrepreneurship," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 21(2), pages 77-113, September.
    17. Weijan Shan & Gordon Walker & Bruce Kogut, 1994. "Interfirm cooperation and startup innovation in the biotechnology industry," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 15(5), pages 387-394, June.
    18. Samuel Bowles & Herbert Gintis, 2002. "Social Capital and Community Governance," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 112(483), pages 419-436, November.
    19. Joel Sobel, 2002. "Can We Trust Social Capital?," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 40(1), pages 139-154, March.
    20. repec:hal:spmain:info:hdl:2441/f0uohitsgqh8dhk980ea412b5 is not listed on IDEAS
    21. Uwe Cantner & Elisa Conti & Andreas Meder, 2009. "Networks and Innovation: The Role of Social Assets in Explaining Firms' Innovative Capacity," European Planning Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(12), pages 1937-1956, November.
    22. Robert Huggins & Piers Thompson, 2015. "Entrepreneurship, innovation and regional growth: a network theory," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 45(1), pages 103-128, June.
    23. Pezzoni, Michele & Sterzi, Valerio & Lissoni, Francesco, 2012. "Career progress in centralized academic systems: Social capital and institutions in France and Italy," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 41(4), pages 704-719.
    24. Roel Rutten & Hans Westlund & Frans Boekema, 2010. "The Spatial Dimension of Social Capital," European Planning Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(6), pages 863-871, June.
    25. Anneli Kaasa, 2007. "Effects Of Different Dimensions Of Social Capital On Innovation: Evidence From Europe At The Regional Level," University of Tartu - Faculty of Economics and Business Administration Working Paper Series 51, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, University of Tartu (Estonia).
    26. Foley, Michael W. & Edwards, Bob, 1999. "Is It Time to Disinvest in Social Capital?," Journal of Public Policy, Cambridge University Press, vol. 19(2), pages 141-173, May.
    27. Andrés Rodríguez-Pose & Michael Storper, 2006. "Better Rules or Stronger Communities? On the Social Foundations of Institutional Change and Its Economic Effects," Economic Geography, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 82(1), pages 1-25, January.
    28. Beugelsdijk, Sjoerd & van Schaik, Ton, 2005. "Social capital and growth in European regions: an empirical test," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 21(2), pages 301-324, June.
    29. Durlauf,S.N. & Fafchamps,M., 2003. "Empirical studies of social capital : a critical survey," Working papers 12, Wisconsin Madison - Social Systems.
    30. Pérez-Luño, Ana & Cabello Medina, Carmen & Carmona Lavado, Antonio & Cuevas Rodríguez, Gloria, 2011. "How social capital and knowledge affect innovation," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 64(12), pages 1369-1376.
    31. Partha Dasgupta, 2005. "Economics of Social Capital," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 81(s1), pages 2-21, August.
    32. Howells, Jeremy, 2005. "Innovation and regional economic development: A matter of perspective?," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 34(8), pages 1220-1234, October.
    33. Robert Huggins & Andrew Johnston & Piers Thompson, 2012. "Network Capital, Social Capital and Knowledge Flow: How the Nature of Inter-organizational Networks Impacts on Innovation," Industry and Innovation, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(3), pages 203-232, April.
    34. Laranja, Manuel & Uyarra, Elvira & Flanagan, Kieron, 2008. "Policies for science, technology and innovation: Translating rationales into regional policies in a multi-level setting," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(5), pages 823-835, June.
    35. Tom Broekel & Martin Binder, 2007. "The Regional Dimension of Knowledge Transfers—A Behavioral Approach," Industry and Innovation, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 14(2), pages 151-175.
    36. Bill McEvily & Akbar Zaheer, 1999. "Bridging ties: a source of firm heterogeneity in competitive capabilities," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 20(12), pages 1133-1156, December.
    37. Roberta Capello & Alessandra Faggian, 2005. "Collective Learning and Relational Capital in Local Innovation Processes," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 39(1), pages 75-87.
    38. Annen, Kurt, 2003. "Social capital, inclusive networks, and economic performance," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 50(4), pages 449-463, April.
    39. Edward J. Malecki, 2012. "Regional Social Capital: Why it Matters," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 46(8), pages 1023-1039, June.
    40. Utterback, James M & Abernathy, William J, 1975. "A dynamic model of process and product innovation," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 3(6), pages 639-656, December.
    41. Nancy Ettlinger, 2003. "Cultural economic geography and a relational and microspace approach to trusts, rationalities, networks, and change in collaborative workplaces," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 3(2), pages 145-171, April.
    42. Geoff Mulgan, 2006. "The Process of Social Innovation," Innovations: Technology, Governance, Globalization, MIT Press, vol. 1(2), pages 145-162, April.
    43. Evans, Peter, 1996. "Government action, social capital and development: Reviewing the evidence on synergy," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 24(6), pages 1119-1132, June.
    44. Michael Storper, 2005. "Society, Community and Economic Development," Post-Print hal-03416658, HAL.
    45. Todtling, Franz & Trippl, Michaela, 2005. "One size fits all?: Towards a differentiated regional innovation policy approach," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 34(8), pages 1203-1219, October.
    46. Maureen Blyler & Russell W. Coff, 2003. "Dynamic capabilities, social capital, and rent appropriation: ties that split pies," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24(7), pages 677-686, July.
    47. Woolcock, Michael & Narayan, Deepa, 2000. "Social Capital: Implications for Development Theory, Research, and Policy," The World Bank Research Observer, World Bank, vol. 15(2), pages 225-249, August.
    48. Keld Laursen & Francesca Masciarelli & Andrea Prencipe, 2012. "Regions Matter: How Localized Social Capital Affects Innovation and External Knowledge Acquisition," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 23(1), pages 177-193, February.
    49. Frank Pot & Fietje Vaas, 2008. "Social innovation, the new challenge for Europe," International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 57(6), pages 468-473, July.
    50. Maarten H. Batterink & Emiel F.M. Wubben & Laurens Klerkx & S.W.F. (Onno) Omta, 2010. "Orchestrating innovation networks: The case of innovation brokers in the agri-food sector," Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 22(1), pages 47-76, January.
    51. Franz Huber, 2012. "On the Role and Interrelationship of Spatial, Social and Cognitive Proximity: Personal Knowledge Relationships of R&D Workers in the Cambridge Information Technology Cluster," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 46(9), pages 1169-1182, October.
    52. Philip McCann & Raquel Ortega-Argilés, 2013. "Modern regional innovation policy," Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 6(2), pages 187-216.
    53. Jane E Fountain, 1998. "Social capital: Its relationship to innovation in science and technology," Science and Public Policy, Oxford University Press, vol. 25(2), pages 103-115, April.
    54. Marco Percoco, 2013. "Strategies of regional development in European regions: are they efficient?," Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 6(2), pages 303-318.
    55. Martin Gargiulo & Mario Benassi, 2000. "Trapped in Your Own Net? Network Cohesion, Structural Holes, and the Adaptation of Social Capital," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 11(2), pages 183-196, April.
    56. Bjornskov, Christian, 2006. "The multiple facets of social capital," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 22(1), pages 22-40, March.
    57. Rost, Katja, 2011. "The strength of strong ties in the creation of innovation," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 40(4), pages 588-604, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Abdul-Fatahi Abdulai & Lyndon Murphy & Brychan Thomas, 2019. "University Knowledge Transfer And Innovation Performance In Firms: The Ghanaian Experience," International Journal of Innovation Management (ijim), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 24(03), pages 1-33, April.
    2. Robert Huggins & Piers Thompson & Martin Obschonka, 2018. "Human behaviour and economic growth: A psychocultural perspective on local and regional development," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 50(6), pages 1269-1289, September.
    3. José A. Avalo-Ortega & José L. Yagüe-Blanco & Arístides Vara-Horna & Guillermo Cangahuala Allain, 2020. "Mediation Effect of Adaptive Planning between Social Capital and Business Innovation: Application to a Community of Pisco Producers in Peru," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-19, September.
    4. Diemer, Andreas, 2023. "Divided we fall? The effect of manufacturing decline on the social capital of US communities," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 120355, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    5. Nick Williams & Robert Huggins & Piers Thompson, 2020. "Entrepreneurship and Social Capital: Examining the Association in Deprived Urban Neighbourhoods," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 44(2), pages 289-309, March.
    6. Daria Denti & Alessandro Crociata & Alessandra Faggian, 2023. "Knocking on Hell’s door: dismantling hate with cultural consumption," Journal of Cultural Economics, Springer;The Association for Cultural Economics International, vol. 47(2), pages 303-349, June.
    7. Barba-Aragón, María Isabel & Jiménez-Jiménez, Daniel, 2020. "HRM and radical innovation: A dual approach with exploration as a mediator," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 38(5), pages 791-803.
    8. Inmaculada Buendía-Martínez & Inmaculada Carrasco Monteagudo, 2020. "The Role of CSR on Social Entrepreneurship: An International Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-22, August.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. İ. Semih Akçomak & Hanna Müller-Zick, 2018. "Trust and inventive activity in Europe: causal, spatial and nonlinear forces," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 60(3), pages 529-568, May.
    2. Robert Huggins & Piers Thompson, 2015. "Entrepreneurship, innovation and regional growth: a network theory," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 45(1), pages 103-128, June.
    3. Jonathan Muringani & Rune D Fitjar & Andrés Rodríguez-Pose, 2021. "Social capital and economic growth in the regions of Europe," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 53(6), pages 1412-1434, September.
    4. Yamamura, Eiji, 2008. "The role of social capital in homogeneous society: Review of recent researches in Japan," MPRA Paper 11385, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. Roberto Antonietti & Ron Boschma, 2021. "Social capital, resilience, and regional diversification in Italy [Social capital, innovation and growth: evidence from Europe]," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 30(3), pages 762-777.
    6. Thomas Farole & Andres Rodriguez-Pose & Michael Storper, 2007. "Social capital, rules, and institutions: A cross-country investigation," SciencePo Working papers Main hal-03461998, HAL.
    7. Semih Akçomak & Hanna Müller-Zick, 2013. "Trust and Innovation in Europe: Causal, spatial and non-linear forces," STPS Working Papers 1304, STPS - Science and Technology Policy Studies Center, Middle East Technical University, revised Dec 2013.
    8. repec:hal:spmain:info:hdl:2441/f0uohitsgqh8dhk980eal4i12 is not listed on IDEAS
    9. Dufhues, Thomas & Buchenrieder, Gertrud & Fischer, Isabel, 2006. "Social capital and rural development: literature review and current state of the art [Sozialkapital und ländliche Entwicklung: Literaturüberblick und gegenwärtiger Stand der Forschung]," IAMO Discussion Papers 96, Leibniz Institute of Agricultural Development in Transition Economies (IAMO).
    10. Franz Huber, 2009. "Social Capital Of Economic Clusters: Towards A Network‐Based Conception Of Social Resources," Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie, Royal Dutch Geographical Society KNAG, vol. 100(2), pages 160-170, April.
    11. repec:zbw:iamodp:92017 is not listed on IDEAS
    12. Robert Huggins & Piers Thompson & Martin Obschonka, 2018. "Human behaviour and economic growth: A psychocultural perspective on local and regional development," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 50(6), pages 1269-1289, September.
    13. Sibylle Puntscher & Christoph Hauser & Karin Pichler & Gottfried Tappeiner, 2014. "Social Capital and Collective Memory: A Complex Relationship," Kyklos, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 67(1), pages 116-132, February.
    14. Diemer, Andreas, 2023. "Divided we fall? The effect of manufacturing decline on the social capital of US communities," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 120355, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    15. van Rijn, Fédes & Bulte, Erwin & Adekunle, Adewale, 2012. "Social capital and agricultural innovation in Sub-Saharan Africa," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 108(C), pages 112-122.
    16. Akçomak, I. Semih & ter Weel, Bas, 2009. "Social capital, innovation and growth: Evidence from Europe," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 53(5), pages 544-567, July.
    17. Erik E. Lehmann & Nikolaus Seitz, 2017. "Freedom and innovation: a country and state level analysis," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 42(5), pages 1009-1029, October.
    18. Sibylle Puntscher & Christoph Hauser & Janette Walde & Gottfried Tappeiner, 2016. "Measuring Social Capital with Aggregated Indicators: A Case of Ecological Fallacy?," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 125(2), pages 431-449, January.
    19. Nick Williams & Robert Huggins & Piers Thompson, 2020. "Entrepreneurship and Social Capital: Examining the Association in Deprived Urban Neighbourhoods," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 44(2), pages 289-309, March.
    20. Giorgio Calcagnini & Germana Giombini & Francesco Perugini, 2016. "Bank Foundations, Social Capital, and the Growth of Italian Provinces," Working Papers 1603, University of Urbino Carlo Bo, Department of Economics, Society & Politics - Scientific Committee - L. Stefanini & G. Travaglini, revised 2016.
    21. Carlo Corradini, 2022. "Social trust and new firm formation: a regional perspective," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 58(1), pages 169-184, January.
    22. Robert Huggins & Daniel Prokop & Piers Thompson, 2020. "Universities and open innovation: the determinants of network centrality," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 45(3), pages 718-757, June.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:sae:envirc:v:34:y:2016:i:6:p:1025-1057. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.