Det sociala kapitalets samband med klusterföretags absorptionsförmåga

Sammanfattning: Title: The impact of social capital on the absorption capacity of cluster companies Seminar date: 2017-06-02 Course: FEKH19, Degree Project Undergraduate level, Business Administration, Undergraduate level, 15 University Credits Points (UPC) or ECTS-cr Authors: Adam Andersson, Daniel Rajala, Hama Jokel Supervisor: Nikos Macheridis Keywords: Cluster, absorption capacity, organizational learning, social capital and innovation Purpose: The purpose of the study is to investigate possible differences and similarities for the clusters Medicon Valley and Stockholm-Uppsala. The focus of the study lies in similarities and differences in the demonstrated strength of social capital and absorption, as well as in the connection between social capital and absorption capacity. Methodology: A comparative cross-sectional study using a web-based survey. Through the survey, the independent variable social capital and the dependent variable were measured on the basis of 13 questions. Data was analyzed by statistical tests to identify relationships and differences in strength in each variable. Theoretical perspective: Porters (1990) theory of cluster. Absorbability as a driving force behind organizations' innovative capacity as well as absorption capacity as a partitioning factor in innovative and less innovative clusters. Social capital in clusters as a driving force behind absorption ability. Empirical foundation: The Life Science industry is centered around clusters. Sweden's two largest Life Science clusters consist of Medicon Valley and Stockholm-Uppsala. Medicon Valley is one of Europe's strongest Life Science clusters, while Stockholm-Uppsala has lost a lot in innovation power. The study's data consists of 59 Life Science companies survey questions and a preparation and test of hypotheses. Conclusion: No differences in the strength of social capital have been identified. Social capital shows a statistically significant relationship to the absorption capacity in Medicon Valley, but no statistically significant relationship in Stockholm-Uppsala. Absorption capacity is stronger in Medicon Valley based on a parametric test, but based on a non-parametric test, no differences can be seen between the two clusters.