Human Capital, Social Capital, and Social Network Analysis: Implications for Strategic Human Resource Management

Human resource management research has traditionally taken the attribute approach; outcomes are considered to be dependent on attributes of the individuals or attributes of the job itself. However, many of the phenomena and outcomes related to human capital, such as recruiting and onboarding, teamwork and communication, knowledge management, and employee satisfaction are also dependent on social capital and the relational networks that exist among employees. Social network analysis is a methodology that has so far been underutilized within the human capital field, but it is uniquely suited for helping researchers and practitioners understand the complex relationships that are driving organizations. This article provides an introduction to social network analysis and explains how it can be applied to both research and practice, with the goal of developing new ways of thinking about human capital, social capital, and the important interaction between the two.