The afore-mentioned literature has particularly addressed the scope of social capital, ranging from the macro level of state-civil society relations to the micro-institutional level; as well as its form and identifiable relationships. To paint a clearer picture a short elaboration of the scope of social networks within the study area may be relevant. As portrayed, the structural form of social capital can be identified with relation to scope; ranging from macro to micro levels.304
Macro level Governmental and Non - Governmental structures are identifiable, with the arms of government, state organisations and political parties forming the governmental apparatus as well as civil society organisations of national character - NGO’s, religious congregation and voluntary organisations occupying the Non Governmental sphere.
Meso level Governmental organs representing national apparatus are made up of the regional state organs structured in the form of coordinating councils as well as political party representation. The lower meso division makes up district level representation in the form of district assemblies, political party representation with unit committees making up micro level representation. Non-governmental structures at this level comprise regional representation of
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the above mentioned bodies, often less broadly structured, NGO’s and religious bodies as well as regional branches of voluntary groups and associations. The lower level meso representation encompasses district based NGO’s, local branches of religious bodies as well as local groups of like groups –drawing on structures from the national and regional levels. The cognitive divide comprises macro-meso level interaction of kinship and traditional structures as well as social clubs with clan and village groups making up the meso-micro divide; the tail unit of networking being at the household/family level.
Micro level networking is predominantly community based. The non-governmental divide comprises community organisation, religious bodies as well as associational activities based on economic engagements or traditional association comprising groups of individuals, with limited presence of NGOs and formal service organisations. Particularly for economic engagements, community level interaction experiences more lateral linkages than vertical interaction from community to district levels. Although vertical interaction has been partly fostered through formal service and development organisations, the strength of vertical linkages as well as their sustainability leaves much to be desired.
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study of micro engagements places importance on the ability to source credit through skills and training acquired as well as source technological input on information relevant for enhancing micro economic growth. Thus, the context for the research further draws on the study in using the indicated indices to identify potential capacities of community trader and farmer groups which could be supported in the development of their structural form in achieving micro enterprise growth.
The target group within the context of the research will comprise groups of individuals engaged in economic activities at the micro level identifying themselves with like- associational bodies at the meso level with an analysis being made of the value and strength of structures supporting external linkages in networking processes. Here, the existing social networks between meso-micro level groups will be assessed, using the structural indicators and relevant cognitive indicators.
The core of the study, in this vein, seeks to examine how the worth of roles and precedents incorporated with trust in peer relationships within the research area could influence enterprise growth through engagements in more vertical linkages amongst selected groups.
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For cocoa farmers as among the selected, the form of role sharing and precedents set in associational activity and peer trust relations will be evaluated in the degree to which they are present and the sets of interaction they generate in supporting group effort for agricultural output to increase capabilities and asset. Within identified trader associational activity, the mentioned indices will be drawn on in examining their contribution to the smooth flow of produce in increasing livelihood capacities within the community.
Figure 3.1: Operational Framework
Roles, Rules, Precedents, Trust, Reciprocity, Norms,
Social networks Values and Beliefs
Governmental/Non- Governmental Kinship/Social clubs Traditional Structures
Source: Authors' construct
Social Capital Formal networks Bridging/ Linking Informal networks Bonding Structural Cognitive Social networks
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The operational framework below represents a breakdown of structural and cognitive dimensions of the concept across the macro- micro periphery, with a breakdown of civil engagements along both dimensions.
Bordering on the operational frame with further reference to the civil society macro- micro framework afore depicted,306 focusing on the networks view demands further elaboration on units of analysis. This is with the objective of identifying micro-meso level activities possessing the capacity to harness resources as well as the realisation of opportunities to transcend divides and create the needed space to strengthen clusters for enterprise development within the study context.
In the aforementioned, roles, rules and precedents have been identified as core elements of social capital within formal networks as well as trust andnorms, as key indicesmaking up the
informal part. In addition to the existing body of literature which focuses on trust, norms and networks in the definition of social capital, the research aims at exploring the value of these selected indicators of social capital as an addition to existing research in the enhancement of economic activity within the study location.
Albeit focus on structural indicators of the concept, a watertight separation of structural and cognitive indicators, is not the end aim of the research as indicated throughout the theoretical framework. The existence of social norms relevant for the study and their effects on network linkages beyond the community will thus be taken into account. Focus being on the role of formal networks in the promotion of entrepreneurship, greater emphasis will be laid on the value of roles,rules, precedents and networks, as well as an inclusion of the relevant informal network indices such as trust and norms. Using the indicators mentioned, interviews will be conducted with the view towards assessing the regular pattern of economic activity and linkage gaps in enterprise locally. In applying the concept in the bid to increase economic potential, the theoretical frame will dwell on the previously cited definitions in taking into consideration the processes that produce social capital in its structured form.
Techniques used within the context of the research will thus seek to examine the significance of these indices in the network abilities of traders and farmers in their participation in occupational groups as well as the ability of these indices to impact on group function and structure.
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See framework in chapter 2. Figure on macro –micro breakdown portraying micro structures of groups of individuals under structural, non-governmental divide
3.3.2.1 Indicators of structured networks
The analysis will thus consider the existence of afore - mentioned indicators at the micro level and explore the value and contribution of such in supporting external linkages. The processes and elements identified in group formation at the micro level will be assessed, through an analysis of the chosen elements in the study area on farmers and traders within the cocoa, fruit and vegetable farming and trading activities. Here, focus will be laid on the value and effects of identified elements within groups in building and sustaining wider periphery meso relations in economic engagements.
Indicators of precedents, roles and rules
Precedents and rules set, as well as roles elaborated on before are vital in the regulation of networking processes within structured networks. Members of formal networks, (associations and groups) rely on the formal and regulated nature of proceedings as a basis to reduce risks in interaction processes. The part played by precedents, however, can be two-tongued. In groups and associations particularly at the meso levels, it may well be that rigid rules and set roles leaves little room for flexibility which could result in a downside where positive results are expected from networking processes aimed at being beneficial to micro level entrepreneurs. Characteristics of such indicators thus tend to largely determine the possibility of tapping resources within the given network.
Within cocoa farmer groups in the study area, identification will be made of set precedents guiding organisational processes. Interrogations will focus on procedures for membership, the form in which membership dues are paid and their regularity, as well as the leadership structure within the group. Attention will be laid in this regard on identifying precedents set for the election of group leaders. Roles assigned leadership as well as roles of individual members will be taken into account in assessing group performance and cohesion. The regularity and procedures for group meetings and modes set for sourcing resources as well as the procedures for channelling resources to group use will be considered. Here, an analysis is made of the role played by this set of indicators and its effects where these groups are expected to thrive to positively impact on individual efforts.
In vegetable farming these indices will be assessed bordering on their significance in enhancing produce capacities. The presence of procedures set holding the association as well as roles drawn up for association members will be identified.
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The function of key members in accessing information and resources for improved farming techniques and engineering the initiation of methods for preservation and processing of perishable produce such as tomato will be weighed.
For fruit farming activities, associational engagements in enhancing the processes of agricultural produce will be considered. Here, the existence of dealings within associational activity determining the execution of actions supporting orange cultivation will be delved into. In this vein, the responsibilities assigned members in associational engagement towards expanding individual orange farming activities as well as sourcing agricultural inputs for crop cultivation will value consideration.
In determining the outcome of the presence of regulated procedures on fruit trader associational engagements, the essence of precedents set within peer organisational activities will warrant an examination of the worth of the element in the movement of produce. Being fast perishable in nature, the assignments accorded peers and their execution in supporting the regulation of expedient fruit sale, particularly in larger quantities beyond the community will be assessed. Guidelines to the effect of identifying the form of regulations within which the sale of vegetables afford the execution of tasks in accessing price information for regulated produce flow will be exposed. Likewise, efforts at grouping the vegetable trading community within the research area will be assessed in terms of systems established in their organising practices for rapid distribution and sale of produce. The function of representative peers scheduled with the task of engaging in efforts such as the effective transportation of produce to selling points will be examined towards exposing how the sale of vegetables such as okro, tomato and garden eggs are regulated in supporting individual trading activities. For essential commodity traders, the worth of rules in organisational activity will be exposed. Regulations set in assigning members to support engagements for fostering needed relations with retailers from neighbouring communities as well as identifying new market openings for the purchase of goods and the form within which such procedures are executed will be taken into account. Equally, procedures established towards organising members collectively for their purchasing activities will be verified.
Indicators of networks
In the form of relationships, networks are seen as making up an integral part of formal structures. In supporting the purports of Woolcock and Putnam, LYON307 reiterates more concretely on field experience, relating the building up of confidence in working relations to
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continued transaction amongst actors. His study portrays networking relations amongst tomato sellers in the Brong Ahafo region of the country being reliant on peer contacts. Between the micro and meso levels, network processes amongst entrepreneurs takes a multi variant form.
Drawing on these purports, recognition is made of the relationships between farmers and traders ranging from general interaction in their general daily activities to more specific forms of interaction such as seeking credit facilities, access to marketing as well as the acquisition of material and equipment needed to enhance their activities. The essence in confidence building on transactions depicted by Lyon draws reference for the study in that albeit the differences in relationships, with their ability to thrive being based on the successes or failures of transactions and honouring of agreements, cooperation with association and group members forms the bedrock for network successes and is a sin qua non in supporting the external linkage process to be measured.
Factors influencing participation and interaction within trader groups based on which communication for trading processes can be enhanced will be considered.
For fruit trader groups, the ability to build confidence among peers in occupational clusters with the fostering of transactions amongst them creates the bridge for development of outward linkages. In distribution of the orange fruit across the community, relations built through conduct in dealings amongst individual actors serves to draw in retailers and buyers acting as a backbone in maintaining lucrative livelihood from the activity. The networking engagements in this form will be exposed for this purpose. Forms of arrangements in vegetable trader collective engagements structured towards linking individual community vegetable business to external market systems represent a modus through which enhanced produce distribution can be achieved. Structures of networks supporting these linkages will be observed in the bid to weigh their influence in supporting such modes of linkage towards increasing gains from produce trade.
In essential commodity trading where community individuals are expected to engage in frequent interaction with retailers and wholesalers in external markets, systems set up to increase the flow of sets of connections cannot be underplayed. Here factors affecting network arrangements which facilitate active engagements with outside markets will be observed, examining their effects on such engagements.
Contextually within farmer groups, processes allowing for interaction supporting the building of capacities for produce engagements will be measured. In cocoa farming, the set of
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arrangements allowing for individual farmers to connect towards addressing cultivation issues will be assessed, as well as the sets of factors which influence their presence. Likewise for fruit farmers the commitments of orange fruit cultivators towards supporting their activities in an organised form, through enhanced relations will be taken into account, addressing the features which influence its presence. Vegetable farming cultivated in smaller quantities in comparison to fruit and cocoa, the form of engagements for individuals within the occupation towards developing cultivation capacities will be measured using the set of indices selected to determine network presence and function.
For these selected sets of engagements, concentration will be laid on participatory forms of members within group meetings and activities based on their regularity, considering economic, social and personal reasons which influence or deter member participation. The existence of member’s individual participation in networks beyond the communal periphery for occupational and societal reasons will be considered in the recognition of such processes influencing on the interactive build of occupational communal groups in external networking attempts. The analysis is designed with the expectation of deducing the strength of networks drawn from participation supporting cocoa, fruit and vegetable farmers, as well as fruit, vegetable and essential commodity traders. Invariably, this would support harnessing information related to the existence of current external linkages and resources as well as their ability through existing networks to identify bottlenecks faced in achieving optimum linkages. 3.3.2.2 Indicators of unstructured networks
In fostering the accumulation of collective goods and cooperation, the study further seeks to explore the value of the selected indicators in informal networks which have a major bearing on linkages formation in structured networks.
The exploration of a rural community particularly raises the relevance of identifying the presence and strength of identified cognitive elements fostering interactive processes in group formation.
Indicators of trust
Generally, where there is the lack of effective legal mechanisms, and particularly as indicated by GRANOVETTER 308 in support of Putnam’s prepositions; in instances where agents are not willing to rely on norms or institutional arrangements alone, trust plays a vital role, where agents are able to establish relationships based on confidence. Drawing on the types of trust
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provided by PUTNAM309 mentioned in the chapter afore, the study seeks to explore the degree to which the ‘trust of familiars’ aids interaction and networking. Based on the analysis made in the previous chapter on the value of thin trust, a further narrowing down will be made in weighing the presence and influence of the indice on the research area. The effects and outcomes produced by trust at the level of local entrepreneurs and role played by’ thin trust’
in terms of the trust of familiars in individual group relations are assessed in the consideration on the outcome of trust based relations within occupational groups. Within this framework, discussions will be based on the identification of trust of members in leadership in their execution of roles, upholding association goals, and trust among members allowing free flow of interaction for membership in groups to thrive, as well as trust supporting information sharing and enhancing individual support within groups.
For farming engagements, the position of trust relations amongst peers will be reflected on in its role towards harnessing group cooperation in membership support as well as collectiveness in harnessing resources resulting from affiliations in memberships. In cocoa farming engagements, the worth of trust based relations in supporting peer engagements will be assessed. Its role in enhancing group and leadership performance through degrees of trust placed in leadership, as well as that ensuing in membership relations which ultimately enhance cultivation capacities will be examined. Similarly, interactions with fruit farmers will have the objective of identifying thin trust through the presence of the element amongst members supporting the strengthening of relations in seeking cultivation strategies, as well as flow of information among members in farming practice ideas.
For vegetable farming activities, the indice will be examined in relation to its worth in peers supporting each other through built relations in cultivation activities. Instances such as in the urgent need for assistance to convey and store produce in glut periods, as well as the degree of trust placed in selected leaders within associational activities in working at accessing resource