مجله مدیریت سرمایه اجتماعی
سال نهم شماره 1 (بهار 1401)

COVID pandemic has led to the increase of anxiety level among the public, especially the high risk groups such as the elderly. Therefore, the identification of the solutions to overcome anxiety and the way it affects the elderly is a necessity. Accordingly, the purpose of the study at hand was to examine the effect of social capital on COVID-driven anxiety among three elderly groups based on physical activity levels before and after COVID pandemic. The research method was a mixture of causal comparative and correlational research methods. The statistical population of the study was comprised of all the elderly over 50 years old in Semirom city. The sample was consisted of 42 active athletic elderly, 42 inactive athletic elderly, and 42 non-athletic elderly, selected using purposive sampling method. A standard questionnaire was used for data collection whose reliability and validity was confirmed. Data analysis was done using Kolmogorov-Smirnov, multivariate analysis of variance, LSD post hoc test, Pearson correlation coefficient, and simultaneous multivariate regression analysis. The results showed that active and inactive athletic elderly were not significantly different in terms of social capital and its dimensions during COVID pandemic; however, their social capital was found to be more than that of the non-athletic elderly. The active athletic elderly experienced the lowest and the non-athletic elderly the highest levels of COVID-driven anxiety.  Moreover, the results demonstrated that the cognitive and communicative dimensions of social capital had negative, significant impact on COVID-driven anxiety. Therefore, it might be concluded based on the research findings that household sports during social distancing period reduce COVID-driven anxiety in the elderly, mostly through physiological and psychological effects.

Social divergence is an obstacle to managing the generation and regeneration of social capital, because social divergence spoils the context of interaction and connection, prevents the quantitative and qualitative maximization of those interactions, and brings about social capital corrosion. As a result, social capital management depends on the management of elements and components that aggravate social divergence. Social divergence has its bases on the non-management of social differences such as national and ethnic differences, different mental beliefs and values, economic differences, etc. This study was an effort to examine the role of national and ethnic differences in social capital management using an analytical-descriptive method. In particular, this study set out to answer the question “What are the Quranic principles of managing the national and ethical differences that lead to the enhancement of social capital?” In order to answer this question, first a discussion of the divine traditions in the management of the human social system in general and the traditions about the national/ethical differences in particular are presented. Then, the strategic principles suggested by the Quran to manage these differences in order to prevent social divergence are put forth. These principles were formulated in the light of the cognitive and communicative components of social capital. To this end, the principle of the representation of the similar human quiddity as the cognitive component of social capital, the principle of “ta’aaruf” as a positive approach, and the principle of “social piety” as the negative approach to management of the communication of various nations and ethnicities were identified.

An organization is a social phenomenon that acts to achieve a common goal using individuals and groups who interact with each other. Since the organization is a social phenomenon, the models and norms that are followed by the members of the organization should be balanced and congruent so that the organization can stay away from disorder and chaos. In fact, organizations – as social phenomena – can get afflicted with anomaly, turmoil, disorder, and chaos; this state is theoretically called organizational anomie. Consequently, the study at hand was carried out to explore the antecedents and consequences of organizational anomie using a mixed methods approach. The statistical population of the study was comprised of the related experts, including the staff and line managers of Refah Kargaran Bank in Lorestan Province, Iran, out of which 30 individuals were selected using purposive sampling and theoretical sufficiency principle. In the qualitative phase of the study, data was collected using semi-structured interviews, while a questionnaire was used to collect data in the quantitative phase. Then, the data obtained in the qualitative phase was analyzed using ATLAS.ti software and coding method, while the quantitative data of the study was analyzed using the Fuzzy Delphi method. The findings reveal that the unethical atmosphere of the organization, weak leadership and management, favoritism and partiality, weak communications, lack of meritocracy, and lack of an appropriate evaluation system are the main antecedents of organizational anomie. Moreover, reduced personal and organizational performance, administrative corruption, reduced profitability and market share, lack of competitiveness, reduced loyalty, and loss of customers are the main consequences of organizational anomie.

The purpose of this study was to design a model for the development of social capital in the Ministry of Education. This study was applied in terms of purpose and qualitative in terms of research method. The statistical population included all experts, professors, and top managers of educational management domain and Training and Improvement Department of Human Resources Office in Lorestan Province who have experience and have been active in the education arena. Sampling was done using purposive sampling up to the theoretical saturation point through snowball technique. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data related to research questions. Then, the three overlapping processes of grounded theory conceptualization (namely open, axial, and selective coding) were applied to analyze the data. The results showed that “structural, managerial, individual, and organizational developments” were the central categories. The “interaction, knowledge management, and facilities and logistics” categories were the causes that had an active role in the creation and development of social capital in the Ministry of Education. Strategies involved “cultural, recreational, and scientific activities, networking, and knowledge cycle.” Ccontextual conditions were “employees’ problems, organizational environment, and employee groups.” The intervening factors of the paradigmatic model included “human resource management strategies and organizational structure and culture.” Finally, “individual and organizational consequences” were found to be the consequences of social capital development.

The general purpose of this study was the structural equation modeling of university social capital and the employee tendency to participate through the mediating role of their readiness for change in Shiraz University. The statistical population of the study involved all employees of Shiraz University (990 individuals), from among whom 339 individuals were selected as the study sample through simple random sampling method. The research instrument included three questionnaires of social capital, readiness for change, and tendency to participate, which were distributed and received back for data collection after the calculation of validity and reliability through item analysis and Cronbach’s alpha. The obtained data was analyzed using one-sample t-test and multivariate regression analysis in SPSS and Amos software. The findings of the study showed that the social capital in the sample was higher than the benchmark average. While the cognitive readiness of the employees was less than the benchmark average, the other dimensions – including the general readiness level of the employees – were higher than the benchmark averages. The average score of the employees’ tendency to participate was higher than the benchmark average. The structural equation model also showed that the university social capital and the employees’ readiness to change were direct, significant predictors of the employees’ tendency to participate. Moreover, the findings indicate that the mediating role of employees’ readiness makes social capital a stronger predictor of the employees’ tendency to participate.

The foundational part of social capital is made of communication networks and awareness about social relationships. Accordingly, the way individuals face and perceive the quality of relations and the quality of knowledge will influence the growth or reduction of social capital. The epistemic-behavioral pathology of this domain reveals that dogmatism has a significant role in the destruction of communication networks. The purpose of this study was to elucidate various aspects of dogmatism, discuss its influence on reducing social capital, and offer an essential solution to diminish the effects of this problem. Using the descriptive-exploratory research method, dogmatism was analyzed in the epistemic and behavioral domains, and its effect on social capital were probed. With its emphasis on thematic analysis, the analytical method is one of the useful methods in theoretical-philosophical research arena. Within the theoretical studies domain, this method is mostly used to induce concepts and ideate theories. This paper suggests philosotherapy as the essential solution to face dogmatism. Creating a dialectic milieu for understanding, philosotherapy (aka philosophical consultation) sets a foundation on which social awareness is developed and social relations are enhanced. Consequently, treating the damaging roots of social capital in the two realms of cognition and behavior and developing wisdom, philosotherapy sets the ground for novel studies to deepen and enhance the convergence of social capital components.