Social Capital: An Indispensable Ingredient to Global Transformation towards Sustainable Development, Dr Roland Bardy

Dr Roland Bardy
Consult Mannheim
Germany
Email: rbardy@t-online.de

Paper Type: Research Paper
Received: 26 August 2023 / Revised: 2 November 2023 / Accepted: 2 November 2023 / Published: 30 December 2023

DOI: 10.47556/B.OUTLOOK2023.19.3

Abstract

Purpose: This paper aims to show how an operational concept of social capital rather than a mere network definition enhances social capital deployment for societal control of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on the global level, together with what has been called “transformation of issue spaces”, i.e., the evolution of changes in the locus of global decision-making. 

Design: The approach to the topic is mainly descriptive; there are not enough data for statistical evidence.

Findings: Discussing the applicability of the social capital concept for monitoring global transformation towards sustainable development strengthens the role of both formal institutions and civil society organisations to monitor progress of SDG implementation and to preserve public goods related to specific SDGs.

Original value: Connecting sustainable development to the maintenance of public goods is a perception that has not been brought into play very often. It is important for theory as well as for praxis that this nexus is exploited.

Keywords: Human Capital; Social Capital; SDG Implementation; Public Goods; Transformation of Issue Spaces; Unity of Purpose.

Citation: Bardy, R. (2023) “Deploying Human and Social Capital to Control Global Transformation towards Sustainable Development”, in World Sustainable Development Outlook 2023, Vol. 19, pp. 29–42 (London, UK: WASD).