Management Theories in Practice(C18MT)
Name: Lee Wen Syuen
Student ID: H00351307
Word Count:1397 word
Tutor Name: Ms. Lim Wee Ling
Introduction
Nowadays, social media has been a part of our life, it is easy to access and helps us
to keep up the trend. People of the same age are “linked by similar world view
because they share common life-shaping experiences during their late teens and
early twenties” (Yoon, Cole & Michelle, 2009). In perspective of social capital theory,
this study strives to investigate college students’ WeChat usages for searching
information and sharing comments in youth league campus (YLC) activities. The
data were conducted by Chen X, Ma J, Wei J, Yang S, titled “The role of perceived
integration in WeChat usages for seeking information and sharing comments: A
social capital perspective, Information and amp; Management” (2020). This paper
will be starting off by theoretical framework of chosen theory and followed up by the
analysis and the conclusion at last.
Theoretical Framework
Social Capital are often seen from different perspective by different theorists, but
most of them allude to the characteristic of social capital as for example, shared
norms, values, connections, relationships, community. Consistent with Pierre
Bourdieu (1986), Social capital introduce “the aggregate of the actual or potential
resources which are linked to possession of a durable network of more or less
institutionalized relationships of mutual acquaintance and recognition – or in other
words, to membership of a group – which provides each of its members with the
backing of the collectively-owned capital, a ‘credential’ which entitles them to credit,
in the various senses of the word.” Social capital provides resources that can be a
tool for demonstrating options and opportunities among individuals and groups. It
also provides a standing credit and secure for every other. Meanwhile, Alejandro
Portes (2010) declared that the social capital is a capability of performer to assured
profits as a results of membership in social structures social networks or other social
networks.
However, James Coleman explained that the social capital is defined by its
function. “It isn’t one entity, but a spread of various entities having two characteristics
in common: all of them contains of some aspect of social structure, and that they
facilitate certain actions of people who are within the structure” (Coleman 1990: 302).
He claimed that norms, information potential, obligation and expectations and
authority relations, effective sanctions are the manifestation of social capital. From
Robert D. Putnam (2000) Perspective, Social capital is "connections among
individuals – social networks and therefore the norms of reciprocity and
trustworthiness that arise from them." There have three components including social
networks, moral obligations and norms, and social values in Putnam's concept of
social capital. The outcome of the region’s successful accumulation of social capital
is that if a specific area features a high level of political affiliation and a functional
financial set-up consistent with Putnam’s central thesis. (Putnam 1993). Social
Capital as defined by Robert Putnam is the interactions between individuals in our
society, it’s what hold us together and allows people to work together.
Furthermore, Bonding social capital, Bridging Social Capital and Linking
social capital are the three basic sorts of social capital. Bonding social capital
connects folks that are alike and bridging social capital draw people who are different
together (Putnam, Goss 2001: 28-29). Social Capital can be studied by measuring
the structure of people’s personal networks. the presence of diverse- weak ties is a
good measure of bridging social capital, while the presence of close densely knit ties
is a good indicator of bonding social capital. Bonding social capital is describing to
the relationships which share an equivalent background which may form quickly and
have a robust and close ties. Michael Woolcock propose that “bridging social capital
are often horizontal or vertical so one single category misses the important aspect of
the exercise of power that is important in vertical associations While bridging social
capital is about building connection that cut across ties to make mobility from
different backgrounds.” “Bridging describe social relationships of exchange, often of
associations between people with shared interests or goals but contrasting social
identity” (Pelling, Mark and Chris High,2005). “Linking” (Woolcock 1998) declared
that ties across groups or individuals that are very economically, socially or culturally
distant from divergence of society, culture or strata and which could elucidate
respect, cooperation and trust beyond them. This are used among members of
voluntary organizations including employees of an equivalent company. In
conclusion, bonding social capital are significant with instant suppuration, but linking
and bridging social capital provided a lane to deep-rooted survival and community
revitalization and wider neighbourhood (Hawkins and Maurer, 2010).
Social capital is suchlike sophisticated notion which it’s not probable to be
constitute by each and every figure or measure. The diverse dimension’s required
sets of index to be useful (Cox and Caldwell 2000). Deliberations of the
measurement of social capital inescapably cast back the conceptual debates on
social capital itself, specifically, whether social capital could be calculated at a
personal or association level (Baum and Ziersch 2003). The calculation of Social
Capital simply counted on trust and reciprocity, shared norms and values social
networks. Social Capital was defined as “networks alongside shared norms, values
and understandings that facilitate cooperation within or among groups”.
(OECD,2001)
Analysis
Based on the appendix, it’s state that within the context of this study, the
college student is in all probability to ascertain the activity information of YLC that is
of interest to them, once they expand a high level of social interaction bind with other
members within the YLC WeChat group. The college student gets to feel more
connected and empowered to the world around them, while they are in the same
group.
According to social interaction bind, the correlation of student that choose to
use WeChat is to be conversant in one another. Through the time invested and
energy of interactions with WeChat friend in YLC activities, WeChat user will develop
strong and shut ties. In reality, the social circle of WeChat mostly comprises families,
friends, and colleagues, so it allows them to trust each other with no doubt. This
related to the bonding social capital that allow the community to operate inside.
However, friendship can also lead to bridging social capital when it comes to persons
from diverse socioeconomic background, cultural background, or age, who may in
order to come up with approach to information and other groups or individuals not
previously acquaint to one another. Regardless, the intensity of relationship between
college students may have an optimistic outcome on their objective to take part in
activities of YLC. As for example, Che and Chao(2014) pose that the purpose to use
social networking sites like WeChat reflect an optimistic result end in trust.
WeChat provides users with a personal space that indicates that only those
person you have been admitted into the friend list can read and comments on your
posts (Gan, 2017). In practical society, the selection of WeChat as a social media
platform are being boost by the college students for partaking comments and
searching statement among students with resemble value, targets, or experiences.
The capital in these relationships are real or virtual and consist of social networks,
trust and norms (Portes, 1998; Williams, 2006). WeChat emphasizes the connection
between the foundation and conservation of social relationships between the online
and offline world. It’s also the trust that comes from interactions between individuals,
small groups, clubs, civic engagement and all those sorts of activities that help us
work together and help us to build trust in one another. The activities which linked
everyone together essentially make the community stronger.
Conclusion
The results show that the time spent on WeChat can promote the subjective well-
being of college students, which is likely because social media technology can
contribute members with a convenient and effective way to bond with others,
Integration with people enhances satisfaction in host society, give and get emotional
and social support, (Pang, 2018c, Wen et al., 2016). Social Capital encompasses
there sources that can be access from people in social network, people regarding
online or offline. Based on the current social capital theory, this study aims to
investigate how WeChat usage was linked with sharing comments and seeking
information in the YLC WeChat group. At the same time, through social interactions,
indirect network externalities could affect users' perceived social value. Social
Capital has played a vital role in our social interaction with others, in fact results may
not always be good, there is still some negative impacts.
Reference List:
Cyberpsychol., Behav. Soc. Netw., 20 (3) (2017), pp. 172-179
Yoon,C., Cole, Catherine A., & Michelle, P.L.(2009). Consumer decision making and
aging: Current knowledge and future directions. Journal of Consumer Psychology,
19.1 2-16.
Coleman, J.S. Foundations of Social Theory; Harvard University Press: Cambridge,
MA, USA, 1990; pp.100–101.
Putnam, Robert D.: Making democracy work. Civic traditions in modern Italy.
Princeton: Princeton University Press 1993
Putnam, R.D. Bowling alone: America’s declining social capital. J. Democr. 1995, 6,
65–78.
Putnam, R.D.; Goss, K. A. (2001): Einleitung. In: Putnam (2001): 15-43.
Portes, Alejandro. (2010) 'Social Capital: Its Origins and Applications in Modern
Sociology ', Rev. Sociol. 1998, 24, 1–24.
Dolfsma, Wilfred, and Charlie Dannreuther. (2003). “Subjects and boundaries:
Contesting social capital-based policies.” Journal of Economic Issues 37: 405-413.
Narayan, Deepa. (2002). “Bonds and bridges: social capital and poverty.” in Social Capital
and Economic Development: Well-being in Developing Countries, edited by Sunder
Ramaswamy. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar.
Baum, FE, and AM Ziersch. 2003. ‘Social Capital.’ Journal of Epidemiology Community Health
57: 320-3.
Narayan, Deepa, and Lant Pritchett. (1999). “Social capital: Evidence and implications.”
Social Capital: A multifaceted perspective, edited by Ismail Serageldin. Washington, DC:
World Bank. Pp. 269-296
Pelling, Mark and Chris High. (2005). “Understanding Adaptation: What Can Social Capital
Offer Assessments of Adaptive Capacity?” Global Environmental Change 15(4), 308–19.
Hawkins, R.L.; Maurer, K. Bonding,(2010) “bridging and linking: How social capital operated
in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina. Bri. J. Soc. Work 2010, 40, 1777–1793.
Cox, Eva, and Peter Caldwell. (2000). ‘Making policy social.’ Pp. 43 – 73 in Social capital and
public policy in Australia, edited by Ian Winter. Melbourne: National Library of Australia
C.-B. Zhang, Y.-N. Li, B. Wu, D.-J. Li (2017) “How WeChat can retain users: roles of network
externalities, social interaction ties, and perceived values in building continuance intention”
Comput. Hum. Behav., 69 (2017), pp. 284-293
K. Ishii (2017) “Online communication with strong ties and subjective well-being in Japan”
Comput. Hum. Behav., 66, pp. 129-137
H. Goswami (2012) “Social relationships and children’s subjective well-being” Soc. Indicat.
Res., 107 (3), pp. 575-588
S. Trepte, L. Reinecke (2013) “The reciprocal effects of social network site use and the
disposition for self-disclosure: a longitudinal study” Comput. Hum. Behav., 29 (3) pp. 1102-
1112
Chu-Bing Zhang, Yi-Na Li, Bo Wu, Dong-Jin Li (2017) “How WeChat can retain users: Roles of
network externalities, social interaction ties, and perceived values in building continuance
intention Computers in Human Behavior,69” 284-293
H.L. Che, Y. Cao. (2014) “Examining WeChat users’ motivations, trust, attitudes, and
positive wordof-mouth: Evidence from China”, Computers in Human Behavior, 41
104-111.
L. Zhao, Y. Lu, B. Wang, P.Y.K. Chau, L. Zhang (2012) “Cultivating the sense of
belonging and motivating user participation in virtual communities: A social capital
perspective”, International Journal of Information Management, 32. 574-588.
H. Pang (2018) “Understanding the effects of WeChat on perceived social capital
and psychological well-being among Chinese international college students in
Germany” Telematics and Informatics Volume 35, Issue 8, Pages 2147-2156