Design and validation of an instrument for evaluating the social capital of faculty members

Abstract

Background: Social capital refers to the degree and quality of connections in a certain community. The effect of social capital on productivity, absenteeism, and health of employees is reported by studies conducted in a variety of work environments. Objectives: The current study aimed to, firstly, provide a better understanding of social capital conceptualized by the faculty members in Iran and, secondly, developing an instrument for its evaluation. Methods: In this mixed-method study, initially, a search was performed to identify relevant literature for determinants of social capital at the workplace. Then, a semi-structured interview was performed with faculty members and experts. Afterward, a group of experts evaluated the obtained list of subscales and commented on the degree of relevance, importance, and grouping. Then, the questionnaire was developed based on the finalized list of determinants and expert opinions. Ten faculty members evaluated the questionnaire, comprised of 38 items, and after obtaining their approval, the questionnaire was completed by 32 faculty members from different universities. Results: Identified determinants were categorized into five categories of ability and tendency to participate in workplace activities, trust in the workplace, social cohesion, access to information, and participation in groups and networks. Exploratory factor analysis revealed a structure corresponding to the theoretical dimensions previously extracted, and Cronbach’s alpha ranged from 0.724 to 0.959. Conclusions: According to our findings, the social capital of faculty members can be evaluated by measuring ability and willingness to participate in workplace activities, trust and social cohesion in the workplace, access to workplace information, and membership in work-related groups and networks. We also provided a 38-item questionnaire for its evaluation, with acceptable internal consistency and conformity with the theoretical constructs.