The economic essence of social capitaland features of formation in modern conditions

Abstract

The article summarizes the theoretical approaches to the definition of the category of social capital and considers the impact of modern changes on its formation and reproduction. It is substantiated that the holistic theory of social capital is not complete, which actualizes the research on deepening the essence of the definition of the category of social capital and systematizing the features of its formation. The evolution of the concept of social capital, modern approaches to the study and basic components of this type of capital are analyzed. It is established that initially social capital was considered as a special manifestation of relations between people, which contributes to the solution of common problems, including determined by the established ties between people. The components of the concept of "social capital" - trust, connections and norms, as well as considered as a certain resource available to man. It is argued that in the current environment, social capital includes the following elements - obligations and expectations, which depend on the reliability of the social environment; the ability of the social structure to transmit information flows and norms, which are accompanied by sanctions. Social capital involves the benefit of its various manifestations, or the return on efforts to maintain interpersonal relationships. It is established that scientific research is underway to develop an integrated indicator that has contributed to a comprehensive and adequate assessment of the level of development of social capital, in particular at the macro level. The versatility of the concept of social capital is proved, which requires for its study to adhere to an interdisciplinary scientific approach and take into account numerous factors of external and internal environment of its formation. The positions of scientists who prove the positive impact of social capital on various result indicators, in particular the growth of any economic system, are presented. The definitions of the category of social capital proposed by Ukrainian researchers are systematized and consensus is highlighted in the understanding of it as a resource based on stable social ties and used to generate additional income. The author's definition of understanding the category of social capital is proposed, which is considered on the basis of relationships based on trust and mutual obligations not directly related to the main activities of economic agents, and contribute to the formation and strengthening of their competitive advantages. The factors that influence the development of social capital and adjust its interpretation accordingly are systematized. Keywords: social capital, trust, relationships, social ties.