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Kaloga Dissertation Manuscript 2017.pdf (3.46 MB)

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The Role of Social Capital in Cooperative Groups: A Mixed-Methods Study of Women’s Collective Savings Groups in Conakry, Guinea

Kaloga, Marissa Elaine Prinz
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1492716052272483

Abstract Details

2017, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Social Work.
Financial inclusion programs have seen remarkable growth throughout the last two decades, with continued annual growth of up to 15% predicted for micro-credit along in the Sub-Saharan African region over the next three years. However, as private investment funds begin to dominate microfinance funding streams, there is debate about the benefits of microcredit for the population most targeted with these funds: women in the Global South. One aspect of this debate concerns the need for social capital, resources embedded in social networks, for the success of microcredit lending. While its necessity is acknowledged, the way that social capital is created, structured, and employed in women’s groups is not adequately understood. By better understanding these aspects of social capital, microcredit programs can be better designed, and the ethical implications of expanding microfinance services can be better understood. Employing a mixed methodology of qualitative interviewing and social network analysis, this study explores the phenomenon of social capital across a diverse sample of 12 women’s collective financial groups, including both informal savings clubs and micro-credit groups located in the West African urban capital of Conakry, Guinea. A multi-dimensional model of social capital developed by the World Bank was modified for use with this research population and included six domains: Access to Resources, Trust, Communication, Cooperation, Social Cohesion, and Empowerment. In depth qualitative interviews with 84 members of collective finance groups were analyzed to answer the question: What are Guinean women’s experiences as members of collective financial groups? Upon developing an understanding of the groups, this study then asked: How is social capital structured in the groups, and how do the social capital networks of collective financial groups function? Sociometric network analysis examined a global measure of social capital as well as analysis of each of six domains in the multidimensional model. A third phase of analysis combined characteristic features of the social capital networks with the qualitative transcripts to answer the question: How do the experiences of participants at characteristic structural locations within a social capital network differ? Qualitative analysis yielded a typology of collaborative financial groups as well as a set of principles in groups that supported solidarity. Djamakourou, a Guinean concept related to the promotion of social relationships, emerged as foundational to participants’ ability to create and sustain the groups. Results of social network analyses show that social capital in Guinean women’s groups is built from the inside out, relying on strong relationships between a core set of group members. Characteristic positions and accompanying perspectives within social capital networks were produced from combined qualitative and social network analysis. These results provide a contextualized perspective of individual members, illustrating the heterogeneity of experiences within the groups. This study provides new insights into the way social capital is created and used in women’s collaborative financial groups, and can inform future microfinance interventions as well as address the ethical implications of expanding these services across Sub-Saharan Africa.
Mo Yee Lee, PhD (Committee Chair)
Sharvari Karandikar, PhD (Committee Member)
Keith Warren, PhD (Committee Member)
345 p.
African Studies; Social Work; Womens Studies
Financial Inclusion; Africa; Guinea; ROSCA; Social Capital; Djamakourou; Social Network Analysis; Qualitative Interviewing; Mixed Methods; Microcredit; Microfinance; Women; Gender; Feminism; Social Development; Social Work

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Kaloga, M. E. P. (2017). The Role of Social Capital in Cooperative Groups: A Mixed-Methods Study of Women’s Collective Savings Groups in Conakry, Guinea [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1492716052272483

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Kaloga, Marissa. The Role of Social Capital in Cooperative Groups: A Mixed-Methods Study of Women’s Collective Savings Groups in Conakry, Guinea . 2017. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1492716052272483.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Kaloga, Marissa. "The Role of Social Capital in Cooperative Groups: A Mixed-Methods Study of Women’s Collective Savings Groups in Conakry, Guinea ." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2017. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1492716052272483

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1492716052272483
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© 2017, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.