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The ‘Bright’ Side of Social Capital: How ‘Bridging’ Makes Italian Provinces More Innovative

In: Geography, Institutions and Regional Economic Performance

Author

Listed:
  • Riccardo Crescenzi

    (London School of Economics)

  • Luisa Gagliardi

    (London School of Economics)

  • Marco Percoco

    (Università Bocconi)

Abstract

Existing studies have failed to reach a consensus on the impact of social capital on local innovative performance: some empirical analyses emphasize a positive effect while others speak about a ‘dark side’ of social capital. This chapter aims to shed new light on the differential role of ‘bonding’ and ‘bridging’ social capital in innovation dynamics. The spatial economic analysis of the innovative performance of the Italian provinces suggests that social capital is an important predictor of innovative performance. However, only ‘bridging’ social capital-based on weak ties-can be identified as a relevant driver of the process of innovation while ‘bonding’ social capital is shown to be non-significant for innovation.

Suggested Citation

  • Riccardo Crescenzi & Luisa Gagliardi & Marco Percoco, 2013. "The ‘Bright’ Side of Social Capital: How ‘Bridging’ Makes Italian Provinces More Innovative," Advances in Spatial Science, in: Riccardo Crescenzi & Marco Percoco (ed.), Geography, Institutions and Regional Economic Performance, edition 127, pages 143-164, Springer.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:adspcp:978-3-642-33395-8_8
    DOI: 10.1007/978-3-642-33395-8_8
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    Cited by:

    1. Antonio Bubbico, 2013. "Administrative Continuity: Enhancer or Constraint for Regional Governments' Efficiency?," ERSA conference papers ersa13p493, European Regional Science Association.
    2. 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.
    3. Bozzano, Monica, 2017. "On the historical roots of women's empowerment across Italian provinces: religion or family culture?," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 24-46.
    4. Marco Percoco, 2012. "Entrepreneurship, Social Capital and Institutions: Evidence from Italy," Spatial Economic Analysis, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 7(3), pages 339-355, September.
    5. Giorgio Calcagnini & Germana Giombini & Francesco Perugini, 2016. "Bank Foundations, Social Capital, and the Growth of Italian Provinces," Mo.Fi.R. Working Papers 131, Money and Finance Research group (Mo.Fi.R.) - Univ. Politecnica Marche - Dept. Economic and Social Sciences.
    6. Monica Bozzano, 2015. "On the Historical Roots of Women’s Empowerment across Italian Provinces: Religion or Family Culture?," Department of Economics 0052, University of Modena and Reggio E., Faculty of Economics "Marco Biagi".

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Innovation; Social Capital; Knowledge Transfer; Regional Development;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O31 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes
    • R15 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Econometric and Input-Output Models; Other Methods

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