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Purpose
– This study aims to explore the extent to which social capital plays a role in firm development, internationalization and growth, in the context of an emerging market, Brazil. The study aims to provide a new context and perspective on the role social capital plays in fostering growth and internationalization among small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in an emerging market.


Design/methodology/approach
– This is an exploratory study. First, empirical data are drawn from a commodity industry, the Brazilian Stone industry, which is a competitive, well-established sector in the country. Using a previously validated questionnaire from the World Bank, the extent of social capital possessed and used by the firms in this industry is correlated to their growth and performance. Based on the exploratory results, a set of research propositions are developed that point the way to questions that are important and interesting to further understand the role of social capital in this context.


Findings
– The results point to fairly low levels of social capital among Brazilian SMEs in this sector and relatively low levels of awareness of the potential opportunities to exploit social capital to further development and internationalization.


Research limitations/implications
– Social capital matters for firm growth and performance, but the extent of development of social capital in this context is fairly low. The limitations include the sample size and the homogeneity of the sample, which restricts generalizability.


Practical implications
– Building and exploiting social capital is a void that currently exists in the commodity sector in Brazil. Developing this can lead to more positive firm performance and growth, especially as the institutional context in Brazil continues to develop.


Originality/value
– The paper offers a unique context, as well as a new perspective on the role of firm social capital, by using an emerging market and a commodity industry that has been rarely studied in the literature.

The American Indian population is increasing at a greater rate than any other definable group in the US. The 1970 census shows that 45% of Indians live in Ur areas. Since Indian Centers have seen so much factional fighting & outside manipulation, the core of Indian social life in most cities lies in networks of friends, kin, local bars, & alcoholics anonymous organizations. Most young Indians raised in the city do not know a tribal language. Loss of tribal language also results from intertribal marriages, in which English is used as the common language. There has been an increase in education level, especially in cities, & in the proliferation of bureaucracies dealing with Indians. A great increase in crime is also noted during the period 1950-1970. Enormous pressures to acculturate & assimilate have threatened the Indians' sense of identity, & the turmoil that has characterized Indian life since 1950 reflects their determination to maintain their identity & values. More of the same is predicted, unless Indians perceive changing their identity to be in accord with their traditional values. 2 Tables. Modified HA.

PurposeThis study has a scope limited to a specific course and changes integrated to the core of the KTH naval architecture master program. The students in the program have earlier experience from engineering applications in a general sustainability perspective and understand the basic concepts within sustainability. Therefore, to introduce further steps a new course module was introduced in 2018 focusing on safety management and social sustainability. The purpose of this study is to identify and document the pedagogic lessons for a course module where sustainable development (SD) is discipline-specific.Design/methodology/approachThis study is a case study that qualitatively investigates the stainability effects of the implementation of the new course module. The course and program activities are compared to the results of a previous study in 2017 on the sustainable development learning elements (SDLEs) in the program and discussed in relation to more general SD initiatives.FindingsFrom the analysis, it is identified that the perspectives presented were new to a substantial part of the students. This study also shows that the effects of the specific module here studied, with a focus on the skill of maritime social sustainability development, differ from more general sustainability literacy. The new perspective affected the thinking about the core of the students' studies, ship design, in a way that general knowledge on sustainability has not. This was achieved with a combination of suitable tools and perspectives in combination with contextual knowledge and a frame of reference. The contextual knowledge and a frame of reference are here present in education as a result of relating the sustainability case to the core of the program.Originality/valueThe result relates the pedagogical change described to SDLEs and to the ambition of conceive, design, implement and operate approaches. This paper contributes to the literature by providing a discussion on how social sustainability can be implemented in engineering education and the role of integrated discipline-specific sustainability modules.

The subject of work - is the theoretical and practical aspects of the global experience of budget regulation. The aim of work – is to analyze and systematize the experience of implementation of budgetary regulation in counries with developed and transformational economies. Method or the methodology of the work - In work we used methods of comparative analysis, synthesis, logical generalization of results. The results of work - A comparative analysis of the fiscal policy of the EU member states and Ukraine makes it possible to assert that the fiscal system established in our country as a whole corresponds to the general principles of construction, the rules for the formation of public expenditures and their distribution according to the priority directions of development of the socio-economic system used within the European the community. Accordingly, it enables the national economy to effectively integrate with the countries of the European Commonwealth and adhere to the established requirements for the economic convergence of the united social and territorial systems Field of application of the results - the results of this work can be applied in the practice of budgetary regulation of social development. Conclusions: The approach of developed countries to the implementation of budgetary regulation measures is important from the point of view of the need to assess the impact of fiscal policies on the dynamics of economic development at different stages of the economic cycle due to their many years of experience in forecasting budgetary indicators. The priority direction of fiscal policy of the countries of the European Union is to ensure stability of the system of public finances, to promote the achievement of financial equilibrium. In order to implement the above, the rates of consumption taxes were raised, the tax base on income and profits widened, the number of civil servants reduced, a moratorium on the indexation of social benefits was introduced. Increasing the efficiency of budget expenditures becomes ...

Social disparity is an issue that has been prolonged and may lead to social conflict, weak economic development, and poor quality of life. In this paper, it focuses on the disparity in education, since education is fundamental to developing people. However, equal access to education is an important problem. This study aims to know the public opinion on the disparities in several dimensions and to understand the factors that influence disparities in education in Thailand by using the results from the Citizen Survey on Life and Society, which was conducted by King Prajadhipok's Institute during October 2014 to March 2015. Descriptive statistics are used to describe the frequency, mean, and standard variation of the basic features. Second, a Chi-square test is used to determine whether there is a significant difference between the economic variables and the dipartites in education. Finally, it uses the regression analysis to analyze the factors affecting people's opportunities to access education. The results show that income and property is the most inequality in the society. The issues that lead to discrimination include the disability and the education level. Besides, it shows that the factors affecting people's opportunities to access education are that the discrimination within the society; the inequality of income and property; the dissatisfaction with education; gender; age and location. Therefore, the social policy that is appropriate for Thailand should be the strengthening of socio-economic security, improve the quality of education and meet the labor market needs. Finally, the government should provide more opportunities to people in order to access their rights equally. ; ความเหลื่อมล้ำในสังคมถือว่าเป็นปัญหาที่ยืดเยื้อมานานและส่งผลให้เกิดความขัดแย้งในสังคม การพัฒนาเศรษฐกิจและที่สำคัญทำให้คุณภาพชีวิตถดถอยลงไปด้วย บทความนี้ได้มุ่งเน้นที่ความเหลื่อมล้ำทางด้านการศึกษาเนื่องจากเป็นรากฐานสำคัญของการพัฒนาคนแต่โอกาสทางการศึกษาที่เท่าเทียมยังพบว่าเป็นปัญหาสำคัญ วัตถุประสงค์การศึกษาเพื่อทราบถึงความคิดเห็นของประชาชนต่อความเหลื่อมล้ำในสังคมด้านต่างๆ เพื่อทราบปัจจัยที่ส่งผลกระทบต่อความเหลื่อมล้ำทางการศึกษาของประชาชน และเพื่อเป็นแนวทางในการลดความเหลื่อมล้ำทางการศึกษาให้น้อยลง โดยข้อมูลที่นำมาวิเคราะห์ได้มาจากการสำรวจเรื่องชีวิตและสังคมโดยสถาบันพระปกเกล้า ระหว่างเดือนตุลาคม พ.ศ. 2557 ถึง มีนาคม พ.ศ. 2558 โดยใช้สถิติเชิงพรรณนาเพื่อแสดงค่าร้อยละ ค่าเฉลี่ยและค่าส่วนเบี่ยงเบนมาตรฐาน มีการวิเคราะห์หาความแตกต่างระหว่างตัวแปรทางเศรษฐกิจและความเหลื่อมล้ำทาง การศึกษาด้วยสถิติไคสแควร์ และใช้วิธีวิเคราะห์การถดถอยเพื่อหาตัวแปรที่มีความสัมพันธ์กับความเหลื่อมล้ำทางการศึกษา ผลการศึกษาพบว่า ประเด็นที่มีความไม่เท่าเทียมกันมากที่สุดในสังคม คือ รายได้และทรัพย์สิน ในขณะที่ประเด็นที่ประชาชนเห็นว่าถูกเลือกปฏิบัติมากที่สุด คือ ความทุพพลภาพ รองลงมาคือ ถูกเลือกปฏิบัติเพราะระดับการศึกษา ส่วนปัจจัยที่มีผลต่อความเหลื่อมล้ำทางการศึกษาคือ การที่สังคมมีการเลือกปฏิบัติ มีความไม่เท่าเทียมกันในรายได้และทรัพย์สิน ความไม่พึงพอใจในการศึกษา เพศ กลุ่มอายุ และถิ่นที่อาศัย ดังนั้น การเสริมสร้างความ เท่าเทียมทางการศึกษาที่เหมาะสมกับบริบทไทยคือ ควรมีการเสริมสร้างความมั่นคงทางสังคมและเศรษฐกิจให้เข้มแข็ง ยกระดับคุณภาพของการศึกษาให้สอดคล้องกับความต้องการของตลาดแรงงานและรัฐบาลควรเปิดโอกาสให้ประชาชนเข้าถึงสิทธิต่างๆ ได้อย่างเท่าเทียม

Thesis (Ph.D. (Development Administration))--National Institute of Development Administration, 2016 ; The objectives of this research were 1) to comprehend a process of empowerment of people (PEP) that is suitable to Thailand's social conditions; 2) analyze major/main components of PEP in urban and rural communities; 3) to come up with a model on this matter and 4) to study problems and obstacles about this matter can also revealed. The areas of study are three communities as Ban Chonabot community; Ban Kueng-Muang community and Ban Ku-Muang community. ; This research uses qualitative research as a main tool with emphasis on phenomenology, collecting data via in-depth interviews of 36 key-informants and participant observation. Data verification will be scrutinized with triangulation technique concerning people, place and time involving. Data obtain were interpretative analysis and systematic analysis along logical context coupled with an analysis of social context. ; he research was found as the followings: 1) People's empowerment process for social solidarity of community were 5 steps that created group activity, goal setting together, find problems through dialogue, created working agreement, and expanded networks working. 2) Important components of PEP were 3 components that leadership, knowledge, and trust. iv 3) "PEP Model" was focused on building awareness of the community to solve problems together via sharing personal property. 4) Problems and obstacles about this matter can also revealed were moral of next generation leadership. ; Important recommendations propose for solving the problem. First should be a process of increasing trusts among people in the community via common activities in the community. Secondly, should have potential development of next generation leaders/core persons should be carried out in order to make sure that the work and process of people empowerment will continue forever. Third, the government should review it's roles and rhythm for supporting knowledge, methods and ...

This article offers an alternative to the dominant individualistic theories of entrepreneurship. It develops Scheff's notion of the deference-emotion system to propose a theory of entrepreneurial conduct that emphasizes social interaction and emotion. This theory proposes that the emotions of pride and shame, produced by the giving and withholding of deference, can motivate action that resists the innovation-inhibiting effect of social sanctions. By suggesting a social basis for the generation and reproduction of entrepreneurial conduct, it is able to explain the frequently volatile and inconsistent nature of this conduct, an important dimension of entrepreneurial behaviour that, whilst recognized empirically, normally escapes theoretical attention. The article advocates making social situations rather than individuals the analytical starting point for fresh and potentially valuable insights into the nature of entrepreneurial behaviour.

El artículo hace un acercamiento conceptual a la gentrificación como fenómeno urbano contemporáneo, con vigencia en el contexto latinoamericano, entendido como un proceso de transformación de alto impacto, para las ciudades, que afecta la conformación espacial, social, económica y política. Este trabajo también presenta, de manera general, los impactos que la gentrificación acarrea en la estructura social urbana, denotando la contundencia de sus efectos sobre la población y las consecuencias que genera en la estructura funcional de la urbe, para evidenciar los principales impactos sociales que crea, mediante la promoción y el fortalecimiento de las dinámicas del mercado inmobiliario, a partir de los cuales se impulsan la segregación, la exclusión y el desplazamiento urbano, por medio de la disolución de tejidos sociales consolidados.

Foreword / by Peter Herrmann -- Prologue -- Poverty, war and welfare -- The world of welfare -- Plateaus and platitudes of practice -- Archaeology of social practice -- Transforming social work -- Hermeneutics of help -- Seven pillars of social practice -- Environmental justice : a practice model -- Freedom and vocabularies of change -- The end of social work : epilogue -- Afterword -- Bibliography -- Index -- About the author and the foreword writer

Problem This dissertation presents a literature-based framework for communication in science (with the elements partners, purposes, message, and channel), which it then applies in and amends through an empirical study of how geoscientists use two social computing technologies (SCTs), blogging and Twitter (both general use and tweeting from conferences). How are these technologies used and what value do scientists derive from them? Method The empirical part used a two-pronged qualitative study, using (1) purposive samples of ~400 blog posts and ~1000 tweets and (2) a purposive sample of 8 geoscientist interviews. Blog posts, tweets, and interviews were coded using the framework, adding new codes as needed. The results were aggregated into 8 geoscientist case studies, and general patterns were derived through cross-case analysis. Results A detailed picture of how geoscientists use blogs and twitter emerged, including a number of new functions not served by traditional channels. Some highlights: Geoscientists use SCTs for communication among themselves as well as with the public. Blogs serve persuasion and personal knowledge management; Twitter often amplifies the signal of traditional communications such as journal articles. Blogs include tutorials for peers, reviews of basic science concepts, and book reviews. Twitter includes links to readings, requests for assistance, and discussions of politics and religion. Twitter at conferences provides live coverage of sessions. Conclusions Both blogs and Twitter are routine parts of scientists' communication toolbox, blogs for in-depth, well-prepared essays, Twitter for faster and broader interactions. Both have important roles in supporting community building, mentoring, and learning and teaching. The Framework of Communication in Science was a useful tool in studying these two SCTs in this domain. The results should encourage science administrators to facilitate SCT use of scientists in their organization and information providers to search SCT documents as an important ...

Comparative research on welfare states has most focused on social transfers as the depen dent variable. As demographic changes make social services increasingly important ingredi ents of welfare state production, however, it will be necessary to shift the research agenda accordingly, and to take servtces more system atically into account. Building on Stein Rok kan's approach to the study of European political development, this article specifies some tasks for the comparative study of social services. Following a short overview of the topics and phases of comparative welfare state research, it proposes a set of variables for the mapping of variations in service supply as well as a check-list of variables which might help to explain such variations. The new research per spective is then applied to a comparative analysis of services for elderly people in Euro pean countries, which is based on a re-analysis if the country reports for the European Com mission's Observatory on Older People in Europe. Denmark and the Netherlands are shown to have more highly developed levels of social service supply than Germany. Such cross-country variations are related to differ ences in the modes of regulation, of financing, and of service delivery, and to the degree that decision makers at these crucial points are related to consumer interests. A theoretical conclusion relates the proposed new perspec tive to the work of Stein Rokkan. It is argued that variations of social transfer provisions could be analysed in terms of the class cleavage and of the power relations between capital and labour, but that the study of social services requires a shift in the theoretical perspective which puts more emphasis on centre-periphery relations and on church-state relations.

Recent developments of life-course theory and research are discussed in a comparative framework. With accelerating social change, the life course has become a topic that centres on the interplay of personal and institutional dynamics through the life span that provides the temporal and social contexts for biographical planning and stock-taking. Modern life-course analysis asks to what extent biographies are losing their structural embeddedness in favour of negotiations among individuals, opportunities, institutions and social networks. First, a historical account about European and North American traditions of life-course research is presented, delineating the cohort/life-event and the life-history approaches. Second, three conceptual frameworks are illuminated that focus on the relationship between social change and human lives: linking mechanisms, structuration and institutional arrangements (with a focus on age and gender). Concerning methodology, longitudinal studies that use quantitative as well as qualitative methods are necessary to understand the interrelationships between social change and biography. Third, innovative themes for research are presented, relating to the issues of agency and institutions, the timing of transitions and linked lives. The article concludes with a call for more cross-cultural life-course research.