Social capital in a Vision of the Knowledge Economy

Today I'm going to discuss a chapter written by Tom Schuller in the Book edited by Brian Kahin and Dominique Foray entitled:  Advancing Knowledge and the Knowledge Economy.  The book contains contributions from a variety of scholars who are mostly experts on the economics side of the KBE.  Frankly, as a non-economist, I don't understand everything in the book and cannot speak engagingly about the economic models.
However, this particular chapter entitled

Social Capital, Networks, and Communities of Knowledge

I found to be particularly interesting (and digestible for me! *grin*) because it presented an argument for the inclusion of social capital concepts in our understanding of networks of Knowledge construction.  I read into it a little bit deeper in that I suggest that Schuller is also giving light to a different way of thinking about the knowledge economy.  Whereas many would define the KBE along the lines of more knowledge, or more technology, or more trade in knowledge, each a rather linear plane of conceptualization, Schuller seems to have a more 3-D understanding of the KBE.  

  He begins by giving a brief introduction to social capital as it is understood by economist and the OECD in "the Well-Being of Nations" (2001, pl 41): 

“networks together with shared norms, values and understanding that facilitate cooperation within or among groups” (OECD 2001, p. 41)  

He then introduces the reader to Woolcock's (1998) distinction between Bonding Social Capital and Bridging Social Capital.  The former happens between relatively homogeneous groups such as professional bodies.  The latter bridges between such groups, integrating inter-disciplinarily.   He also discusses a distinction that Woolcock makes between bridging and linking SC, but it is mainly to identify that the distinction is not relevant for his discussion. 

Schuller posits that

• the value of bridging SC is  important because it allows for the flow of new ideas/expertise/opportunities in Knowledge creation/utilisation
• a successful dynamic between Bonding and Bridging SC will contribute to sustained Knowledge generation

He proposes that k is not just the accumulation of information and that the competencies required to generate knowledge exist in groups and networks. 


He now introduces what I am most interested in:  3 dimensions of knowledge:  

 

He presents us with a graphical depiction of these dimensions.  He labels the axes A, B, and C. 

A --> the accumulation of Knowledge (of all sorts)

B--> access to the knowledge (can be formal access such as open source or patents, or other forms such as having the skills required to interpret and utilize the knowledge)

C--> Cultural/organizational processes that govern validation of knowledge (how we ascribe confidence in the knowledge)

He doesn't explicitly go down this route, but it strikes me that this is an interesting way to see the KBE.  If we are in a KBE (and I reserve some questions about the degree to which the current economy is that different from other economies based on knowledge), then one way we can identify the ways in which the economy is (or is not) different is by looking at these 3 dimensions of knowledge and its impact on the economy.   Other writers tend toward descriptions of the KBE in terms of the plane A:  an increase in knowledge generation.  Some do introduce discussions within the plane B, but often that is relegated to the impact of ICTs [computers give people more access].  The third plane seems less obvious in the discourse about the KBE, but it strikes me as exceptionally important.  

Consider this:  if the amount of knowledge has risen to the degree that people suggest and if access through ICTs (and even the expansion of higher education) has increased, people are now faced with selection problems. Where should one look for the knowledge they need, and which knowledge should be trusted?  A simple example makes the point:  You are experiencing particularly physical symptoms that make you wonder if you have a disease.  You have a plethora of sources of knowledge to draw upon, not least of which is now a multitude of websites.  Where do you go for your information and who do you trust?  Companies face the same issues when they have access to so much information.  Whose market research? Whose material resource comparisons?    I saw this clearly when I worked in the pharmaceutical sales industry.  Doctors, in search of the best treatments for their patients can turn to journals, peers, websites, conferences, their own experiences, clinical trials, or sales representatives from the companies. 

I suggest that it is meaningless to talk about an increase in knowledge or an increase in access to knowledge as defining properties of a KBE if we do not at the same time address changes in the ways in which knowledge is validated and trusted.  A doctor or a business or a consumer can access a great deal of information on the Internet in their attempts to make decisions, however, if those sources are not trusted, if the ways of validating them have become difficult due to sheer growth in knowledge generation (e.g. how will peer review keep up?) then can we really speak of the increased size of the knowledge base as a driving force in the economy in the same way?  

The author admits that "this chapter has presented nothing in the way of empirical substance" but I do think that asserting the importance of validity of knowledge in the understanding of a KBE is valuable.  He does so by linking forms of social capital and opening discussion on how that contributes to knowledge generation through effective networking.

He concludes with 3 policy questions:


1. What factors (social and technological) have shaped the ways networks function?
2.  How can education promote participation in networks/communities of knowledge (including moral competence as well as technical)
3. How do the architectures of our educational institutions address access and validation demands of a KBE?

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I am currently reading a variety of diverse resources on the KBE as I prepare to write comprehensive exams.  So, in the next posts, you may find that my ruminations are eclectic and disconnected.  Feel free to challenge me on anything I post.  I would benefit from the critique.