Is Relational Social Capital Affected by Demographic Factors?

Abstract

In recent years, the importance of social capital, which is an intangible type of capital in organizational studies, has been increasing and attracting more attention. Social capital is social resources, such as trust, friendship, solidarity and sharing approach, which are formed by the interaction of individuals with each other and enhanced from his/her social environment in individual's favour. In the interaction process, the relational dimension of social capital becomes more prominent. The aim of this study is to investigate whether there is a significant difference between gender, marital status, age, work experience, position, and relational dimension of social capital. In addition, it aimed to make recommendations based on the results. The data of the research were gathered through questionnaires from 186 personnel working in different positions in the textile mills operating in the province of Batman. Obtained data were analyzed with the Independent Sample T-test, correlation and MANOVA using SPSS 25.0 program. The results of the analysis revealed that the level of relational social capital differed significantly according to gender, marital status, and position in the workplace. However, the level of relational social capital did not differ significantly with regard to age and work experience. Based on these results, it is recommended to know that gender, marital status, and position affect the development of relational social capital positively and significantly, while age and work experience were not related. Thus, organizations should develop managerial practices in this direction.