This dissertation explores the relationship between scenario planning and the building of new social capital in addressing potential or actually perceived environmental turbulence. In particular, the research explores how, when environments around organizations risk unpredictable and disruptive change, people in those organizations can act to develop new social capital that contributes to their survival. In this research, I present scenario planning as a mechanism for organizations to build this new social capital. Scholars have suggested that certain forms of social capital are more conducive to being directly built than others. My research indicates that scenario planning entails aspects which, in effect, are direct investments in creating the cognitive social capital resources that make new sense of turbulence. These resources are created with the scenario process articulating new conceptual framings and possibilities for the future, thereby re-conceptualizing the situation. The resources enable new shared meanings to be created - directly building the cognitive dimension of new social capital while enabling the more researched structural and relational dimensions to be built as by-products. This dissertation also suggests that social capital can be built more quickly than researchers have previously indicated. By directly investing in the creation of new shared meanings, scenario planning can build new social capital faster than the centuries that Putnam and generations that Emery and Trist suggested were needed. The dissertation’s contribution to the social capital literature is to suggest how new social capital, by foregrounding the cognitive dimension, can be purposefully and more quickly built to address turbulent conditions. The contribution to the scenario planning literature is to propose a scholarly explanation for how scenario planning builds new social capital, suggested in practice but not yet theorized, and in so doing, provide practitioners with a new purpose to strengthen the return on investments these efforts require.

Background The role of social capital for promoting health has been extensively studied in recent years but there are few attempts to investigate the possible influence of social capital on HIV prevention,particularly in developing countries. The overall aims of this thesis are to investigate the links between social capital and HIV infection and to contribute to the theoretical framework of the role of social capital for HIV prevention. Methods Key informant interviews with leaders of organizations, networks, social groups and communities and focus group discussions with members and non-members of the social groups and networks were conducted to map out and characterize various forms of social capital that may influenceHIV prevention. A quantitative community survey was carried out in three case communities toestimate the influence of social capital on HIV risk behaviors. A cross-sectional survey was conducted to estimate the HIV prevalence in the urban district representing a high HIV prevalence zone to determine the association between social capital and HIV infection. Main findings In early 1990’s many of the social groups in Kagera region were formed because of poverty and many AIDS related deaths. This formation of groups enhanced people’s social and economic support to group members during bereavement and celebrations as well as provided loans that empowered members economically. The social groups also put in place strict rules of conduct, which helped to create new norms, values and trust, which influenced sexual health andthereby enhanced HIV prevention. Formal organizations worked together with social groups and facilitated networking and provided avenues for exchange of information including healtheducation on HIV/AIDS. Individuals who had access to high levels of structural and cognitive social capital were more likely to use condoms with their casual sex partners compared to individuals with access to low levels. Women with access to high levels of structural social capital were more likely to use condoms with casual sex partners compared to those with low levels. Individuals with access to low levels of structural social capital were less likely to be tested for HIV compared to those with access to high levels. However, there was no association between access to cognitive social capital and being tested for HIV. Individuals who had access to low levels of both structural and cognitive social capital were more likely to be HIV positive compared to individuals who had access to high levels with a similar pattern among men and women. Conclusion This thesis indicates that social capital in its structural and cognitive forms is protective to HIV infection and has played an important role in the observed decline in HIV trends in the Kagera region. Structural and cognitive social capital has enabled community members to decrease number of sexual partners, delay sexual debut for the young generation, reduce opportunities for casual sex and empower community members to demand or use condoms. It is recommended that policy makers and programme managers consider involving grassroots’ social groups and networks in the design and delivery of interventions strategies to reduce HIV transmission.

This study provides valuable insights into the factors making an innovation hub attractive to potential tenants, with a specific emphasis on the role of cognitive social capital (CSC). Drawing on semi-structured interviews with industry professionals, the research uses thematic analysis to parse out key themes and sub-themes. It uncovers the multi-layered value offered by innovation hubs, highlighting the significance of not only tangible elements like physical infrastructure, but also intangible aspects such as networking, collaboration, knowledge, and learning opportunities. Moreover, the strategic role of an innovation hub in helping businesses meet their objectives is accentuated. The research delves deeper into CSC, revealing the intricate interplay of shared values and understanding, trust, and recognition in enriching the attractiveness of innovation hubs. Furthermore, the study suggests potential avenues for additional services, underscoring the desire for consultancy expertise and wellness facilities. The findings underscore the critical role innovation hubs play in fostering entrepreneurship and the potential they hold in contributing to economic development when they focus on building a supportive and interconnected community. The research not only illuminates the importance of CSC in the context of innovation hubs but also indicates future areas of investigation for scholars and practitioners alike.

O objetivo deste trabalho é propor um instrumento de medição de desempenho em Comunidades Virtuais de Aprendizagem (CVA). Para isso foram utilizadas as variáveis da teoria do capital social. Todo o trabalho está direcionado à construção de uma matriz composta pelas variáveis: (a) capital social estrutural, sob o enfoque econômico, aqui relacionado aos fatores de infra-estrutura tecnológica e utilização de ambientes virtuais, bem como às políticas de incentivo ao uso de recursos de Tecnologia da Informação; (b) capital social cognitivo, gerado por meio da criação da cultura virtual e (c) coesão social sob o enfoque ações coletivas, analisadas a partir da interação e colaboração entre seus participantes no tocante à promoção de tais ações. A pesquisa parte do pressuposto de que a geração de conhecimento em ambientes virtuais de aprendizagem está relacionada à alfabetização digital e à conseqüente utilização dos ambientes virtuais pelos participantes da comunidade em estudo. A metodologia está fundamentada na análise etnográfica do ambiente estudado, nas técnicas de coleta por meio de questionário, bem como na análise da construção de um discurso do sujeito coletivo. Uma visão estruturada dessas questões relativas ao desempenho de uma CVA está representada na Matriz do Capital Social resultante. Esta visão converge para os requisitos almejados nas análises de desempenho, ou seja para o estabelecimento de metas de gestão e a avaliação de seus resultados. / This paper has the objective of proposing a measuring tool for performances in Virtual Learning Communities (VLC). For this purpose, variables of the theory of social capital have been used. The whole work heads for the building of a matrix with the following variables: a) structural social capital under economic focus, here related to factors such as technological infra-structure and the use of virtual environments, as well as policies to encourage the use of resources of Information Technology (IT); b) cognitive social capital, generated through the creation of virtual culture, and c) social cohesion under the focus of social actions, analyzed from the point of view of the interaction and cooperation of their participants in respect to the promotion of such actions. The research starts from the presupposition that knowledge generation in virtual learning environments is related to digital literacy, and the use of virtual environments by the participants of the studied community is a consequence. The methodology is based on the ethnographic analysis of the environment under study, on the techniques of collecting data through questionnaires, as well as on the analysis of the construction of a discourse of a collective subject. A structured view of these questions related to the performance of a VLC is represented in the resulting Social Capital Matrix. This view converges to the requisites desired in the different performance analyses or, in other words, to the establishment of management goals and the assessment of their results.

O objetivo deste trabalho é propor um instrumento de medição de desempenho em Comunidades Virtuais de Aprendizagem (CVA). Para isso foram utilizadas as variáveis da teoria do capital social. Todo o trabalho está direcionado à construção de uma matriz composta pelas variáveis: (a) capital social estrutural, sob o enfoque econômico, aqui relacionado aos fatores de infra-estrutura tecnológica e utilização de ambientes virtuais, bem como às políticas de incentivo ao uso de recursos de Tecnologia da Informação; (b) capital social cognitivo, gerado por meio da criação da cultura virtual e (c) coesão social sob o enfoque ações coletivas, analisadas a partir da interação e colaboração entre seus participantes no tocante à promoção de tais ações. A pesquisa parte do pressuposto de que a geração de conhecimento em ambientes virtuais de aprendizagem está relacionada à alfabetização digital e à conseqüente utilização dos ambientes virtuais pelos participantes da comunidade em estudo. A metodologia está fundamentada na análise etnográfica do ambiente estudado, nas técnicas de coleta por meio de questionário, bem como na análise da construção de um discurso do sujeito coletivo. Uma visão estruturada dessas questões relativas ao desempenho de uma CVA está representada na Matriz do Capital Social resultante. Esta visão converge para os requisitos almejados nas análises de desempenho, ou seja para o estabelecimento de metas de gestão e a avaliação de seus resultados. / This paper has the objective of proposing a measuring tool for performances in Virtual Learning Communities (VLC). For this purpose, variables of the theory of social capital have been used. The whole work heads for the building of a matrix with the following variables: a) structural social capital under economic focus, here related to factors such as technological infra-structure and the use of virtual environments, as well as policies to encourage the use of resources of Information Technology (IT); b) cognitive social capital, generated through the creation of virtual culture, and c) social cohesion under the focus of social actions, analyzed from the point of view of the interaction and cooperation of their participants in respect to the promotion of such actions. The research starts from the presupposition that knowledge generation in virtual learning environments is related to digital literacy, and the use of virtual environments by the participants of the studied community is a consequence. The methodology is based on the ethnographic analysis of the environment under study, on the techniques of collecting data through questionnaires, as well as on the analysis of the construction of a discourse of a collective subject. A structured view of these questions related to the performance of a VLC is represented in the resulting Social Capital Matrix. This view converges to the requisites desired in the different performance analyses or, in other words, to the establishment of management goals and the assessment of their results.