Skip to main content
Log in

Relational capital wealth in an organizational context

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Knowledge Management Research & Practice

Abstract

This paper introduces a new relational capital framework providing a relationships typology between significant agents in an organizational context and offers an integrated approach to understand relationships as a key element of organizations. Some theoretical contributions in literature on strategy and organization are considered. Following this trend, our paper proposes a general relationships classification considering the four essential relationship properties and shows that these are fundamental for the development and existence of K-events during organizational activities. Based on the elements of K-events during a relationship between significant agents, we propose that the quality of any relationship, at any level of analysis, relies on the development and measurement of certain combinations of variables that are embedded in four different categories. This study explicitly shows some possible theoretical segmentation criteria or theoretical dichotomies for analyzing the concept of relationship between agents. For theorists, it provides a conceptual base for the relationships typology, and for practitioners it identifies key elements for optimal value exchanges.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Figure 1

Source Carrillo (2002, p. 385).

Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4
Figure 5
Figure 6
Figure 7

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Borgatti S and Foster P (2003) The network paradigm in organizational research: a review and typology. Journal of Management 29(6), 991–1013.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Buchanan M (2002) Nexus: Small Worlds and the Groundbreaking Science of Networks. Perseus Publishing, Cambridge, MA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carrillo FJ (2002) Capital systems: implications for a global knowledge agenda. Journal of Knowledge Management 6(4), 379–399.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Castro G, López P and Navas J (2004) The role of corporate reputation in developing relational capital. Journal of Intellectual Capital 5(4), 575–585.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clercq D and Sapienza HJ (2006) Effects of relational capital and commitment on venture capitalists’ perception of portfolio company performance. Journal of Business Venturing 21(3), 326–347.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Collins J and Hitt M (2006) Leveraging tacit knowledge in alliances: the importance of using relational capabilities to build and leverage relational capital. Journal of Engineering and Technology Management 23, 147–167.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cousins P, Handfield R, Lawson B and Petersen K (2006) Creating supply chain relational capital: the impact of formal and informal socialization processes. Journal of Operations Management 24, 851–863.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Crosby L, Evans K and Cowles D (1990) Relationship quality in services selling: an interpersonal influence perspective. The Journal of Marketing 54(3), 68–81.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Delerue-Vidot H (2006) Opportunism and unilateral commitment: the moderating effect of relational capital. Management Decision 44(6), 737–751.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dhanaraj C, Lyles M, Steensma K and Tihanyi L (2004) Managing tacit and explicit knowledge transfer in IJVs: the role of relational embeddedness and the impact on performance. Journal of International Business Studies 35(5), 428–442.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Doty H and Glick W (1994) Typologies as a unique form of theory building: toward improved understanding and modeling. The Academy of Management Review 19(2), 230–251.

    Google Scholar 

  • Inkpen A and Tsang E (2005) Social capital, networks, and knowledge transfer. Academy of Management Review 30(1), 146–165.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson W (1999) An integrative taxonomy of intellectual capital: measuring the stock and flow of intellectual capital components in the firm. International Journal of Technology Management 18, 562–575.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kale P, Singh H and Perlmutter H (2000) Learning and protection of proprietary assets in strategic alliance: building relational capital. Strategic Management Journal 21, 217–237.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kilduff M and Tsai W (2007) Social Networks and Organizations. Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks, CA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lages C, Lages C and Lages L (2005) The RELQUAL scale: a measure of relationship quality in export market ventures. Journal of Business Research 58, 1040–1048.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lambooy J (2004) The transmission of knowledge, emerging networks, and the role of universities: an evolutionary approach. European Planning Studies 12(5), 643–657.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McFadyen M and Cannella A (2004) Social capital and knowledge creation: diminishing returns of the number and strength of exchange relationships. Academy of Management Journal 47(5), 735–746.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moran P (2005) Structural vs relational embeddedness: social capital and managerial performance. Strategic Management Journal 26, 1129–1151.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nahapiet J and Ghoshal S (1998) Social capital, intellectual capital, and the organizational advantage. The Academy of Management Review 23(2), 242–266.

    Google Scholar 

  • Naudé P and Buttle F (2000) Assessing relationship quality. Industrial Marketing Management 29, 351–361.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nieves J and Osorio J (2013) The role of social networks in knowledge creation. Knowledge Management Research and Practice 11(1), 62–77.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oddou G, Osland J and Blakeney R (2009) Repatriating knowledge: variables influencing the “transfer” process. Journal of International Business Studies 40, 181–199.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rosenthal E (1997) Social networks and team performance. Team Performance Management 3(4), 288–294.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sarkar MB, Echambadi R, Cavusgil T, Preet S and Aulakh P (2001) The influence of complementarity, compatibility, and relationship capital on alliance performance. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science 29(4), 358–373.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Scott J (2009) Social Network AnalysisA Handbook, 2nd edn. Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks, CA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shin M, Holden T and Schmidt R (2001) From knowledge theory to management practice: towards an integrated approach. Information Processing and Management 37, 335–355.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Simon H (1991) Bounded rationality and organizational learning. Organization Science 2(1), Special Issue: Organizational Learning: Papers in Honor of (and by) James G. March, 125–134.

  • Storbacka K, Strandvik T and Grönroos C (1994) Managing customer relationships for profit: the dynamics of relationship quality. International Journal of Service Industry Management 5(5), 21–38.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vasileiadou E (2012) Research teams as complex systems: implications for knowledge management. Knowledge Management Research and Practice 10(2), 118–127.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wasserman S and Faust K (2009) Structural Analysis in the Social Science – Social Networks AnalysisMethods and Applications. Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks, CA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilson D and Jantrania S (1994) Understanding the value of a relationship. Australian Marketing Journal 2(1), 55–66.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zaragoza-Saez P and Claver-Cortes E (2011) Relational capital inside multinationals. Knowledge Management Research and Practice 9(4), 293–304.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Angel Eustorgio Rivera.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Rivera, A.E., Carrillo, F.J. Relational capital wealth in an organizational context. Knowl Manage Res Pract 14, 434–444 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41275-016-0004-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/s41275-016-0004-z

Keywords

Navigation