DOI: 10.17072/2078-7898/2018-4-573-582

The social capital of workers of Russian industrial enterprises as a resource of modernization development^*

Igor A. Germanov
Ph.D. in Sociology, Docent,
Associate Professor of the Department of Sociology

Perm State University,
15, Bukirev str., Perm, 614990, Russia;
e-mail: germanov1973@yandex.ru
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2338-6693

Yulia S. Markova
Senior Lecturer of the Department of Sociology

Perm State University,
15, Bukirev str., Perm, 614990, Russia;
e-mail: julyamarkova@gmail.com
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6271-9403

To date, a wealth of scientific material has been accumulated in the study of the phenomenon of social capital, its constituent elements, its influence on social practices and spheres of people’s activities. However, empirical studies of the social capital of industrial workers in Russian science are rare. This study is based on the materials of a formalized survey of workers at one of the largest industrial enterprises in Perm Krai. The article describes the influence of social capital on industrial behavior, as well as the initiation and promotion of innovations. With the use of cluster analysis, two groups have been distinguished within the staff of the organization, which significantly differ in the indicators of development of the main components (cognitive and structural) of social capital. It is shown that the first cluster consists of workers of high social capital. They are oriented towards mutual assistance, mutually beneficial cooperation, strong initiative at work, and are also included in broad social networks and maintain deep, trusting relationships with a relatively large number of colleagues. The second cluster of workers is characterized by low social capital. They are much less focused on collectivism, mutual assistance, and initiative. Moreover, they establish social interactions and deep social ties with just a small number of colleagues at work. Workers with developed social capital have better conditions for obtaining collective knowledge. They are more inclined to observe labor discipline, have stronger motivation to achieve high product quality and initiative to create innovations. High social capital contributes to the improvement of the professional efficiency of workers in the industrial sector, thereby exerting a positive influence on the modernization development of the organization.

Keywords: social capital, social networks, norms, values, workers of industrial enterprises, innovations, modernization development.

 

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Received 29.09.2018

For citation:

Germanov I.A., Markova Yu.S. The social capital of workers of Russian industrial enterprises as a resource of modernization development // Perm University Herald. Series «Philosophy. Psychology. Sociology». 2018. Iss. 4. P. 573–582. DOI: 10.17072/2078-7898/2018-4-573-582

 

* Публикация подготовлена при финансовой поддержке РФФИ, проект «Социальный капитал организации как фактор модернизации российской промышленности (на примере предприятий Пермского края)», № 16-03-00374.