Social Capital and Social Indicators

Building Organizational Health in the Modern Economy

This academic paper introduced a new management theory using social capital indicators as modern measures of organizational health. Social capital theory enhances our ability to explain workplace dynamics, such as employee engagement and equity and inclusion, in ways that human capital theory doesn’t.

Social capital and social indicators work well together by using a competency model based on Respect, Inclusion, and Ethics as well as Emtrain’s framework of Workplace Social Indicators, which organizations can use to measure and manage organizational health and productivity.

We discuss the opportunities presented by social capital, the productive value of interpersonal relationships between employees and groups. We hypothesize that Respect, Inclusion, and Ethics are core behavioral competencies that can be taught and measured and that they are predictive of business outcomes.

Download this in-depth paper as we introduce a competency model based on Respect, Inclusion, and Ethics, and a framework of Workplace Social Indicators that organizations can use to measure and manage organizational health and productivity. More importantly, these are leading indicators that enable executives to proactively govern the business, and mitigate risk.