Social Capital Frameworks | Social Capital Project

Capital Classification Framework

The highlighted component of this framework illustrates the focus of our exploration, which is on the intangible, or human, side of social capital.

Dimension 1: Where the capital exists

Individual: one person owns the resource
Social: the resource depends on a relationship

Dimension 2: What the capital is

Material: a tangible resource
Human: an intangible resource

Defined in Discussing “Capital” with Precision.

Social Capital Classification Framework

This is the most comprehensive framework we’ve found to classify social capital.

Dimension 1: Social capital form

Structural: observable structures and processes
Cognitive: subjective values attitudes and beliefs

Dimension 2: Social capital scope

Micro: relationships between individuals
Meso: groups with hierarchical relationships
Macro: institutional structures in society

Discussed in Classifying Social Capital.

Originally proposed in Working Paper 24 of The World Bank Social Capital Initiative.

Other Social Capital Frameworks

Classifying Social Capital in Economic Development

This framework categorizes the academic research on social capital and economic development into four viewpoints. Below we illustrate how the viewpoints overlap with our primary social capital classification framework above.

Communitarian View

Networks View

Institutional View

Synergy View

Discussed in Economic Development and Social Capital.

Originally proposed in Social Capital: Implications for Development Theory, Research, and Policy.

Classifying Relationships in Social Capital

Social capital is rooted in relationships, and we can classify them into bonding or bridging. (The literature more commonly refers to this as “bonding and bridging social capital.”) Below we illustrate where bonding and bridging relationships typically come into play with the primary social capital classification framework above.

Bonding Relationships