Analysis of the Social Capital in a Technological System of a Smart City Using a PLS-SEM Model

Abstract

In this paper, social capital was analyzed through the lens of the resources and capabilities theory, understanding it as a capability that has a role in the performance of the Smart City. Social capital relates to the technological capabilities and the technological learning process. The objective of this investigation was to build a representation model of the social capital resources and technological learning, taking social capital as a capability of the Smart City. First, on a methodological level, a preliminary exercise that shows the relation and the gaps between the concepts and the process to build the model are presented. Later, the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to build the conceptual and measured model. Based on the configuration of the tangible variables, the model was tested with the information provided by the final users of the public urban bicycle system of the Medellín–EnCicla technological system. The impact of technological learning is interpreted by relating it to the sources of social capital, to its resources (trust, social interaction, and shared vision), and to the technological system chosen. As a result, the construction of an exploratory model is presented that interprets the resources of social capital and their relation to technological learning in a smart city. The investigation aims to contribute to the decision-making exercise in the public policies regarding the sustainable mobility of the smart city that was the object of study.