The dynamics of social capital in first-year teaching teams: a comparative case study analysis

Abstract

Developing social capital in university teaching teams is a worthwhile exercise which can benefit students, educators and wider institutions through improvements in areas such as knowledge sharing, a critical component of effective teams. This case study analysis explores the social capital and knowledge sharing of two teaching teams at an Australian university. It found that strong positive signs of ‘bonding’ social capital were evident in terms of trust, relatedness and support, and these attributes were seen to be important in assisting the performance of these teams especially the sharing of knowledge. However, our research findings suggest that new information was more likely to be sourced internally rather than externally, which may pose a risk of lack of new ideas and innovation. A further finding was that existing social capital within the university teaching teams differed, suggesting that social capital development should not entail a one-size-fits-all approach. This research presents a useful social capital evaluation tool and provides leaders with the information needed to attend to group-specific nuances in developing team social capital, including knowledge sharing and access to new ideas. Meeting team-specific social capital needs through cultivating trust, belonging and support can  benefit the teaching team, students and the institution.