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The Role of Social Capital in the Start-Up of Non-profit Organisations: The Case of Fondazione Welfare Ambrosiano
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 January 2026
Abstract
This article investigates how a start-up foundation can build its organisational social capital, meaning a network of strategic partnerships with other organisations based on trust relationships, in order to fulfil its mission. Based on a case study analysis of Fondazione Welfare Ambrosiano—an Italian foundation created in partnership with private organisations and local public institutions—we explored whether and how some characteristics of the social capital of the foundation’s members contributed to the organisational social capital. By applying Nahapiet and Ghoshal’s (Acad Manag Rev 23(2):242–266, 1998) social capital framework, we discovered that the social capital configuration of the founders and staff, linked to some characteristics of the foundation, had driven the development of the organisational social capital. Our paper contributes to an understanding of what constitutes the best configuration of social capital to allow a start-up foundation to take off.
Résumé
Cet article étudie comment une jeune fondation peut constituer son capital social – un réseau de partenariats stratégiques avec d’autres organisations – à partir de relations de confiance pour remplir sa mission. S’appuyant sur une analyse d’étude de cas de la Fondazione Welfare Ambrosiano – une fondation italienne créée en partenariat avec des organisations privées et les institutions publiques locales –, nous avons examiné si et comment certaines caractéristiques du capital social des membres de la fondation a contribué au capital social de l’organisation. En appliquant le cadre du capital social (1998) de Nahpiet et de Ghoshal, nous avons découvert que la configuration du capital social des fondateurs et du personnel, liée à certaines caractéristiques de la fondation, avait déterminé le développement du capital social. Notre article contribue à une meilleure compréhension de ce qui constitue la meilleure configuration du capital social pour permettre à une jeune fondation de décoller.
Zusammenfassung
Dieser Beitrag untersucht, wie eine neu gegründete Stiftung ihr organisatorisches Sozialkapital aufbauen kann, d. h. ein Netzwerk strategischer Partnerschaften mit anderen Organisationen beruhend auf einem Vertrauensverhältnis, um ihre Mission zu erfüllen. Anhand einer Fallstudienanalyse der Fondazione Welfare Ambrosiano - einer italienischen Stiftung, die gemeinsam mit privaten Organisationen und lokalen öffentlichen Einrichtungen gegründet wurde - erforschten wir, ob und wie einige Merkmale des sozialen Kapitals der Stiftungsmitglieder zum organisatorischen Sozialkapital beitrugen. Unter Anwendung des Rahmenwerks zum sozialen Kapital von Nahapiet und Ghoshal (1998) stellten wir fest, dass die Konfiguration des sozialen Kapitals der Gründer und Mitarbeiter, die mit einigen Merkmalen der Stiftung verknüpft war, die Entwicklung des organisatorischen Sozialkapitals vorantrieben. Unsere Abhandlung trägt zu dem Verständnis darüber bei, wie das soziale Kapital am besten konfiguriert wird, um einer neu gegründeten Stiftung zu einem guten Start zu verhelfen.
Resumen
El presente artículo investiga cómo una fundación que comienza puede crear su capital social organizativo, es decir, una red de asociaciones estratégicas con otras organizaciones basadas en relaciones de confianza, con el fin de cumplir con su misión. Basándose en el análisis de un estudio de caso de la Fondazione Welfare Ambrosiano - una fundación italiana creada en asociación con organizaciones privadas e instituciones públicas locales - exploramos si y cómo algunas características del capital social de los miembros de la fundación contribuyeron al capital social organizativo. Mediante la aplicación del marco del capital social de Nathapiet y Ghoshal (1998), descubrimos que la configuración del capital social de los fundadores y del personal, asociada a algunas características de la fundación, habían impulsado el desarrollo del capital social organizativo. Nuestro documento contribuye a una comprensión de qué constituye la mejor configuración del capital social para permitir despegar a una fundación que comienza.
摘要
本论文考察了创业基金如何为了实现自己的使命而为其组织机构积累社会资本,也就是在信托的基础上和其他组织机构共同搭建一个战略合伙网络。根据对Fondazione Welfare Ambrosiano进行的案例分析,Fondazione Welfare Ambrosiano是意大利一家 通过与私人机构和本地公共机构合伙而建立的基金,我们探讨了基金会成员的社会资本的特点是否会影响以及会如何影响组织机构的社会资本。通过利用Nahapiet 和 Ghoshal’s (1998) 的社会资本框架, 我们发现, 基金会的那些和发起人以及员工的社会资本的配置有关的特征是组织机构社会资本发展的动力。我们的论文有助于帮助理解创业基金起飞所需的最佳社会资本配置。
要約
本論文では、財団の設立がどのように組織社会の資本を構築するかを調査する。その業務を遂行するには、信頼関係に基づいた他組織との戦略的提携ネットワークが必要である。民間団体と地方公共機関 とのパートナーシップで構築されたイタリア財団のアンブロシアーノ福祉財団の事例解析に基づいて、財団のメンバーにおける社会資本の特性がどのように組織の社会資本に貢献しているかを調査する。ナハピエットとゴシャル(1998)の社会資本論を適用すると、設立者、スタッフ、財団の特性に関連する社会的資本構成が組織的な社会資本の進展を導くことがわかった。本論文は、財団設立を認める社会資本における最適な構築に対する理解に貢献する。
ملخص
تبحث هذه المقالة كيف يمكن لمؤسسة جديدة أن تبني رأس مال إجتماعي تنظيمي، هذا يعني شبكة من الشراكات الإستراتيجية مع منظمات أخرى على أساس علاقات الثقة، من أجل إنجاز مهمتها. إستنادا” إلى تحليل دراسة حالة
الرعاية (Ambrosiano Fondazione)- مؤسسة إيطالية تم إنشاؤها بالشراكة مع مؤسسات القطاع الخاص والمؤسسات العامة المحلية - فحصنا إذا كان وكيف أن بعض خصائص رأس المال الإجتماعي لأعضاء المؤسسة ساهمت في رأس المال الإجتماعي التنظيمي. من خلال تطبيق (Nahapiet) و (Ghoshal) 1998إطار عمل رأس مال إجتماعي، إكتشفنا أن تكوين رأس المال الإجتماعي من المؤسسين والموظفين، وترتبط بعض الخصائص من المؤسسة، قد تسببت في طرد تنمية رأس المال الإجتماعي التنظيمي. يساهم بحثنا في فهم ما يشكل أفضل تكوين لرأس المال الإجتماعي للسماح للمؤسسة الجديدة أن تصبح ناجحة.
Information
- Type
- Original Paper
- Information
- Voluntas: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations , Volume 27 , Issue 3 , June 2016 , pp. 1195 - 1217
- Copyright
- Copyright © International Society for Third-Sector Research and The Johns Hopkins University 2015
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