Handbook of Social Capital and Regional Development

The role of social capital in regional development is a multifaceted topic which is studied all over the world using various methods and across numerous disciplines. It has long been evident that social capital is important for regional development, however, it is less clear how this works in practice. Do all types of social capital have the same effects and are different kinds of regions impacted in the same way? This book is the first to offer an overview of this rapidly expanding field of research and to thoroughly analyze the complex issue of social capital and regional development.The authoritative and original chapters, written by leading scholars from around the world, combine theory and new empirical research to analyze various types of regions from metropolitan to rural. A particular focus is on entrepreneurship and the social capital of enterprises, whilst the role of social capital for modern governance and planning is also highlighted. The different components of social capital and data availability are also treated in depth. This handbook is an ideal resource for students and scholars studying social capital, social networks, and regional growth and development.It also offers great insight for policymaker and planners in the fields of urban, regional and rural development. Contributors include: M. Andersson, P. Arenius, R.E. Bolton, N. Bosma, A. Christoforou, M. Emmelin, M. Eriksson, M.P. Feldman, E. Ferragina, R. Franzén, M. Fritsch, T. Hatori, D. Iriwati, B. Johannisson, B. Johansson, L. King, K. Kobayashi, J.P. Larsson, M. Lindberg, M. Ljunggren, J. Peiró-Palomino, E. Pisani, J. Poot, Y. Pu, M. Ramírez Pasillas, M. Roskruge, R. Rutten, V. Schutjens, E. Setiawan, T.F. Slaper, M.F. Thompson, E. Tortosa-Ausina, B. Volker, J. Wernberg, H. Westlund, M. Wyrwich, A. Xiong, T.D. Zoller

Table of Contents:
Contents: 1. Social Capital and Regional Development: An Introduction Hans Westlund and Johan P. Larsson 2. Social Capital and Networks in Spatial Economies Börje Johansson PART I ASPECTS OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP 3. Local Social Entrepreneurship and Social Capital Niels Bosma, Veronique Schutjens and Beate Volker 4. Does Persistence in Start-up Activity Reflect Persistence in Social Capital? Michael Fritsch and Michael Wyrwich 5. Women’s Entrepreneurship and Social Capital Pia Arenius and Riikka Franzén 6. Dealmakers in Place: Social Capital Connections in Regional Entrepreneurial Economies Maryann P. Feldman and Ted Douglas Zoller 7. Social Capital and the Economics of Cities Martin Andersson, Johan P. Larsson and Joakim Wernberg 8. Indonesian Entrepreneurs in the UK: A Social Capital Perspective on Challenges and Opportunities of Migrant Entrepreneurs Eddy Setiawan, Dessy Irawati and Roel Rutten 9. Social Capital, Entrepreneurship and Living Standards: Differences Between Migrants and the Native Born Matthew Roskruge, Jacques Poot and Laura King PART II MEASUREMENT AND REGIONAL PERFORMANCE 10. The Social Capital of European Regions Emanuele Ferragina 11. Social Capital and Regional Economic Performance: A Study Across U.S. Metropolitan Statistical Areas Michael F. Thompson and Timothy F. Slaper 12. Social Capital and Income Convergence in European Regions Jesús Peiró-Palomino and Emili Tortosa-Ausina PART III ASPECTS OF REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT 13. Challenges and Opportunities for Local Development Initiatives to Influence Social Capital for Health Promotion Purposes: Theoretical and Empirical Support Malin Eriksson and Maria Emmelin 14. Social Capital and Rural Development in Southern European Regions: The Case of EU-funded LEADER Projects Asimina Christoforou and Elena Pisani 15. Research on Social Capital and Regional Development in China: What Has Been Done So Far and What Should be Done in Future Ailun Xiong and Yongjian Pu PART IV GOVERNANCE, STRATEGIES AND PLANNING 16. Social Capital and Regional Learning Governance: A Japanese Perspective Kiyoshi Kobayashi and Tsuyoshi Hatori 17. Clusters as a Take-Off for Glocal Strategies: the Role of Social Capital Bengt Johannisson, Marcela Ramirez-Pasillas and Malin Lindberg 18. A Habermas-inspired Approach to Social Capital in Regional Planning Roger E. Bolton 19. Researchers’ Role in Regional Development – Collaboration and Social Capital in Swedish Higher Education Institutions Maria Ljunggren Index

About the Author :
Edited by Hans Westlund, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Jönköping International Business School (JIBS), Jönköping, Sweden and Institute for Developmental and Strategic Analysis (IRSA), Ljubljana, Slovenia and Johan P. Larsson, Department of Land Economy, University of Cambridge, UK

Review :
‘This book is an excellent collection of papers that explore a variety of issues related to regional development while progressing the theoretical development of the concept of social capital. . . the variety of perspectives combine to provide an excellent exploration of the theory and related issues.’ ‘This excellent volume combines a rich set of papers linking space and social relationships. It reminds everyone who studies entrepreneurship that entrepreneurs exist in a place - and derive strength from their social networks. This provides a wide view of the exciting world of spatial research in the 21st century.’ ‘In the Handbook of Social Capital and Regional Development, Westlund and Larsson have gathered a truly impressive list of experts on how social capital - an often neglected topic - shapes economic development. A must for all those interested in understanding the dynamics of regional development processes.’ ‘Research into the role played by social capital in shaping and fostering regional development is burgeoning, and rightly so. Many previously opaque and little-understood aspects of local development processes and mechanisms are now increasingly coming to light due to our growing understanding of social capital. This has led to both major empirical and theoretical breakthroughs, many of which are reflected and articulated in this excellent volume, comprising some of the very best scholars in the field. This is a valuable resource for all scholars working on these topics.’