The relationship between social capital and innovativeness climate in schools

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 232-244 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanifi Parlar ◽  
Mahmut Polatcan ◽  
Ramazan Cansoy

Purpose Professional learning communities that merge under the same goal in schools where social relationship networks are strong can contribute to creating an atmosphere which provides a basis for innovativeness. In this study the relationships between social capital, innovativeness climate and professional learning communities were examined through the views of teachers working at public schools. The paper aims to discuss this issue. Design/methodology/approach The data of this study, which utilised correlational survey model, were collected from 734 teachers who work in the Umraniye district of Istanbul, Turkey. Findings The findings revealed that there is a positive and statistically significant correlation between social capital, innovativeness climate and professional learning communities. The results demonstrated that teachers’ perceptions of social capital in schools affected their perceptions of innovativeness climate and that professional learning communities had an intermediary role in this relationship. These findings showed that the richness in social relationship networks provided a basis for the development of innovative teaching practices in schools and the professional learning environments created in schools contributed to this process. Research limitations/implications In this study, the intermediary role of professional learning communities on the effect of social capital on innovativeness climate was analysed via teachers’ views. In the literature no study studying the relationship between social capital, innovativeness climate and professional learning communities was found. Practical implications It can be put forward that there is a need for studies that analyse the effect of the roots of social capital on innovativeness culture to identify other variables that may potentially be relevant. In addition, this study may be a contribution to the literature by providing a study on the concepts of social capital and innovativeness climate, which were studied in the fields of social sciences extensively, in educational settings and this supports the field through theoretical and empirical studies. Originality/value This study demonstrated the effects of the concept of social capital on innovativeness climate which provides a basis for innovativeness in educational institutions. This topic is currently on the agenda of the OECD and World Bank. Moreover, this study aims to show the intermediary role of professional learning communities in the relationship between social capital and innovativeness climate.

2017 ◽  
Vol 47 (4) ◽  
pp. 506-521 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jorge Cegarra-Sánchez ◽  
Juan-Gabriel Cegarra-Navarro

Purpose The environments provided by classrooms to facilitate learning among students can be seen as useful vehicles for making meaning out of gossip, lies, exaggeration and partial truths (i.e. counter-knowledge). This paper aims to focus on professional learning communities as a process to counteract the problem of counter-knowledge. Design/methodology/approach This paper has analysed the relationships between professional-learning communities and counter-knowledge using an empirical study of 210 undergraduate students to identify whether there is a significant impact on student achievement by professional learning communities. This study uses PLS-Graph software version 3.0 to conduct an analysis of the data collected. Findings Outcome findings support that professional learning communities provide a way of counteracting counter-knowledge and the noise heard through gossip, lies, exaggeration and partial truths. Originality/value Results also confirm that counter-knowledge is a variable that, when controlled, has the effect of strengthening the relationship between learning and student achievement.


Author(s):  
Eeman Basu ◽  
Rabindra Kumar Pradhan ◽  
Hare Ram Tewari

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) and job performance. It also examines the mediating role of social capital in influencing the relationship between OCB and job performance. Design/methodology/approach The study explores the dynamic relationship among the variables of OCB and job performance and social capital. Data were collected from 501 respondents working in 15 healthcare organizations in Kolkata, India, through questionnaire survey. Likert-type rating scales of OCB, job performance and social capital with sound reliability and validity were used to carry out the survey. The data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Findings The results of the present study show that OCB significantly predicts job performance in healthcare organizations. Social capital found to be a significant mediator between OCB and job performance. Research limitations/implications The findings of the study have a number of implications for organizations in acknowledging and leveraging social capital and encouraging OCB to facilitate superior performance of employees. The generalization of the findings of the study should be restricted to the healthcare organizations in Kolkata due to its own style of functioning, workforce and work environment. The role of demographic variables in influencing the outcome measures has not been considered for the present study. Further research on these aspects may reveal more interesting results with regard to the dynamics among organizational citizenship behavior, social capital and job performance. Practical implications Employee-friendly management practices should be adopted in organizations to facilitate the formation of network building and development of social capital which serves as an asset to organizations and creates competitive advantage. Originality/value The research findings enrich our understanding of voluntary social participation and citizenship behavior of employees for influencing performance at work. The study also provides useful and unique insight on the benefits of networking in healthcare organizations particularly helping employees to cope with emergency situations. The findings as well as methodology used in this study are original and unique.


2019 ◽  
Vol 57 (5) ◽  
pp. 1237-1253 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fu-Sheng Tsai ◽  
I-Chieh Hsu

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the influences of social capital on knowledge heterogeneity in order to advance the understanding of the effects and to reconcile existing inconsistent findings. Design/methodology/approach Survey data collected from 105 new product development (NPD) projects were analyzed with regression-based methods. Findings The results indicated that trust, centralization and shared vision as the three social capital dimensions generally have negative impacts on the domain and presentation dimensions of knowledge heterogeneity. However, the three dimensions of social capital do not exhibit consistent influences on the tacitness heterogeneity (i.e. an epistemological dimension of knowledge heterogeneity). Research limitations/implications More research is needed to explore the role of social capital dimensions in developing a range of knowledge attributes of NPD teams, among which knowledge heterogeneity is one. The various dimensions of knowledge an NPD team possesses should have performance implications and deserve future investigation. Originality/value The study is one of the first documented attempts to demonstrate contingencies in the relationship between social capital and knowledge heterogeneity. The effect of social capital on knowledge heterogeneity should be understood at the level of dimensions of the two respective constructs.


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (6) ◽  
pp. 1153-1183 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarra Berraies ◽  
Rym Lajili ◽  
Rached Chtioui

PurposeThe objective of this research is to examine the mediating role of employees' well-being in the workplace in the relationship between the dimensions of social capital, namely structural, relational and cognitive social capital and knowledge sharing, as well as the moderating role of enterprise social networks between knowledge sharing and employees' well-being.Design/methodology/approachA quantitative approach was performed within a sample of 168 middle managers working in knowledge-intensive firms in Tunisia. The Partial Least Squares method was used to analyze the data collected.FindingsResults highlight the importance of the dimensions of social capital as a lever for boosting knowledge sharing. It also reveals that employees' well-being plays a mediating role in the link between structural and relational social capital and knowledge sharing. Moreover, findings show that while enterprise social networks use does not moderate the relationship between employees' well-being and knowledge sharing, it has a positive and significant effect on knowledge sharing.Originality/valueOn the basis of a socio-technical perspective of knowledge management, this research pioneers the examination of the mediating effect of employees' well-being in the link between dimensions of social capital and knowledge sharing and the moderating role of enterprise social networks use within knowledge-intensive firms. Findings of this study may help managers of knowledge-intensive firms in boosting knowledge sharing within organizations, in improving knowledge workers' well-being and thus in motivating and retaining these talented employees.


2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 571-588
Author(s):  
Ahmed A. Diab ◽  
Ahmed Aboud ◽  
Arafat Hamdy

Purpose The purpose of this study is to address the impact of the related party transactions (RPTs) on firm value. The authors bring evidence from a usually ignored empirical setting: an African emerging market. Design/methodology/approach In particular, the authors focus on companies listed on the Egyptian stock market using a sample of EGX 30 from 2012 to 2017. Findings Unlike the literature, the authors find no significant relationship between RPTs and market value. Practical implications This research provides insights for policymakers and other interested parties concerning the perception of RPTs in Egypt. Originality/value The reported different findings of this study assure the intermediary role of the context and the local culture in the relationship between RPTs and firm value, in contrast to the negative view that is mostly reported in the literature.


2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 694-714
Author(s):  
Sally Wai-Yan Wan

Purpose: This exploratory study investigates the relationship between teachers’ perceptions of professional learning communities (PLCs) and their differentiated instruction (DI) practice in a Hong Kong primary education context. Design/Approach/Methods: Three subsidized primary schools participated in the study. A total of 121 teachers completed surveys regarding their perceptions of PLC engagement and DI practice. Findings: Using principal component analysis, three dimensions of PLC engagement were identified: student learning, reflective dialogue, and shared and supportive leadership. Two distinctive PLC engagement profiles were generated based on cluster analysis: high PLC engagement and low PLC engagement. Teachers’ PLC engagement profiles were correlated with their DI practices. Originality/Value: The findings have implications for fostering teacher engagement in PLCs. Increased teacher participation in PLCs has great potential for promoting the use of DI.


2018 ◽  
Vol 45 (5) ◽  
pp. 829-847 ◽  
Author(s):  
George Okello Candiya Bongomin ◽  
John C. Munene ◽  
Joseph Mpeera Ntayi ◽  
Charles Akol Malinga

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to establish the mediating role of social capital in the relationship between financial intermediation and financial inclusion in rural Uganda. Design/methodology/approach The current study used cross-sectional research design and a semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data for this study. The study applied structural equation modeling through bootstrap approach in AMOS to establish the mediating role of social capital in the relationship between financial intermediation and financial inclusion. Findings The results indicated that social capital significantly mediates the relationship between financial intermediation and financial inclusion in rural Uganda. Therefore, it can be deduced that social capital among the poor play an important role in promoting financial intermediation for improved financial inclusion in rural Uganda. Research limitations/implications Although the sample was large, it may not be generalized to other segments of the population. Data were collected from only poor households located in rural Uganda. Besides, the study was cross-sectional, thus, limiting efforts in investigating certain characteristics of the sample over time. Perhaps future studies could adopt the use of longitudinal research design. Practical implications Financial institutions such as banks should rely on social capital as a substitute for physical collateral in order to promote financial inclusion, especially among the poor in rural Uganda. Originality/value This study provides empirical evidence on phenomenon not studied in rural areas in Sub-Saharan Africa where the poor use social capital embedded in customs and norms for doing business. The results highlight the importance of social capital in mediating the relationship between financial intermediation and financial inclusion of the poor in rural Uganda.


2015 ◽  
Vol 29 (5) ◽  
pp. 682-694 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Carpenter

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore supportive and shared leadership structures at schools as a function of school culture policies and procedures. Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative study was conducted at three secondary schools in the Midwestern USA. Administrators and teachers were interviewed, professional learning communities observed and artifacts collected to explore school culture policies, procedures and leadership in the implementation of professional learning community practice. Findings – This study concludes that school leaders must provide supportive and shared leadership structures for teachers in order to ensure a positive school culture and effective professional learning communities that impact school improvement. Leaders in schools must work directly with teachers to create policies and procedures that provide teachers the leadership structure to directly impact school improvement through professional learning community collaborative efforts. Originality/value – This study builds on the school culture and professional learning communities literature by exploring existent policies and practices in schools as unique cases. Much of the literature calls for specific case studies to identify issues in the implementation of effective practice. This study is important to the community as specific cases that may inform educational leaders on mechanisms that may be leveraged to ensure successful implementation of policies and procedures outline in school culture and professional learning community literature.


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