1.7 Organizational capacity: The Social Capital Assessment Tool (SCAT)
Purpose
The SCAT aims to measure “social capital”—that is, the benefits and resources that individuals access through their social networks, connections, and relationships. The tool provides an organizational profile to help users identify and map relationships and networks within communities, both formal and informal. It also assesses internal organizational characteristics that may hinder or promote the building of social capital. By using the SCAT, stakeholders can gain a comprehensive understanding of the social capital within their communities or organizations, leading to more informed decision-making and effective interventions.
The SCAT is intended to be administered to members of communities and organizations. This includes leaders, members of community groups, organizational staff, and other stakeholders who can provide insights into the social networks and relationships within their community or organization.
The results of the SCAT can be used by a variety of stakeholders, including:
Community leaders and members: Identifying strengths and areas for improvement in social networks and relationships can help foster stronger, more resilient communities.
Organizational leaders and staff: Understanding internal dynamics and characteristics that affect social capital within an organization can help users implement strategies to build and enhance social capital.
Development practitioners: Designing and implementing development projects that leverage and build social capital can ensure more sustainable and impactful outcomes.
Researchers: Studying the role of social capital in community and organizational development can contribute to the broader understanding of social capital dynamics.
The SCAT has been used by different World Bank partners and various sectors, particularly in development and community-building contexts. Organizations such as nonprofits, government agencies, and community groups have utilized the SCAT to understand and enhance social capital within communities. The World Bank and other international development organizations have used it to inform project planning, implementation, and evaluation, ensuring that social capital considerations are integrated into development initiatives.
Description
The Social Capital Assessment Tool (SCAT) was developed by Krishna and Shrader (1999) at the World Bank. It was created within the context of understanding and improving social capital, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, although it can also be applied in wealthier settings.
The SCAT is composed of a five-part assessment that includes both quantitative and qualitative measures. It uses a combination of interview questions and Likert-type questions to gather data on various dimensions of social capital. The SCAT includes questions that assess:
Leadership Quality: Questions may focus on the structure, function, and inclusivity of leadership within the organization or community.
Participation Levels: Questions might address the extent of member participation in activities and decision-making processes.
Organizational Culture: Questions could explore the norms, values, and behaviors that characterize the organization or community.
SCAT results are analyzed by compiling responses to generate an organizational profile. This profile helps identify strengths and areas for improvement in social capital within the community or organization. Scores on various dimensions are used to map out the network’s capacity for providing support and resources.
Details on how thoroughly the SCAT has been tested and with what size samples are not explicitly provided. Therefore, specific reliability and validity data for SCAT from Krishna and Shrader’s (1999) original work cannot be discussed. However, the tool’s inclusion in the World Bank’s library collection and its application in diverse settings indicate that it has undergone significant practical application and testing.
Access
The complete explanation document and five-part assessment are available within the World Bank’s library collection. Alternatively, the World Bank publication link (https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/221161468741319675/pdf/multi0page.pdf) might offer access to the SCAT or additional information on obtaining it.
References
Grootaert, C., & Van Bastelaer, T. (Eds.). (2002). Understanding and measuring social capital: A multidisciplinary tool for practitioners (Vol. 1). World Bank Publications.
Krishna, A., & Shrader, E. (1999, June). Social capital assessment tool. In Conference on social capital and poverty reduction (Vol. 2224). The World Bank.
