Exploring Linking Social Capital in Economic Development

Linking social capital is a concept suitable for the study of the nature, extent and economic impact of social interactions with politicians or officials. By reviewing the development of the concept and its application in economic development, this paper aims to gain insight into the usefulness of the concept of linking social capital in economic development studies where political system is internalized. The appropriateness of the concept is reviewed through an in-depth analysis of main theoretical contributions and papers selected from Thomson Reuters’ Web of Science Core Collection. Studies that conceptualize linking social capital as shaped by political institutions are rare. Lack of consensus on the definition and measurement of linking social capital limited its usefulness. The paper concludes with a call for clarity in the definition of the concept à la Bourdieu and for further studies that explore the economic impact of social capital under different political environments