The Social Capital for Adriatic small pelagic fish value-enhancing: a network analysis

Fishing effort reduction forced by the new Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) designed to achieve sustainable stock levels has caused a fall-off in the incomes of fishermen and coastal communities. These events are particularly dramatic for the small pelagic fish market, which is characterized by low prices, a low level of consumption and poor market penetration. This paper evaluates the value of the social capital network as substance of relationships among the Adriatic small pelagic fish (Engraulis encrasicolus anchovies, Sardina pilchardus sardines and Scomber scombrus mackerel) supply chain actors; starting from the definition of each marketplace role and commercial flows, the paper defines the supply chain value-system and the possibility to enhance the fishery�s share value, according to increasing relationships. Applied approach of the value chain to different supply chains of the Adriatic fishery system made it possible to estimate value distribution among the phases of the chain and to understand the fishery firms� competitive position. Critical aspects causing fishing firms� low profitability were detected and analyzed through the Social Network Analysis (SNA). Five local small pelagic fishery systems (Manfredonia, Molfetta, Ancona, Martinsicuro and Chioggia) were studied. For each of them, small pelagic fish supply chains were defined with particular reference to the role of local fish marketplaces and operators involved. Analysis of production areas revealed profound differences both in structural aspects (fleet composition, vessels, type and structure of local fish markets, fish ranges and prices) and in the business relations and management of supply chain dealers.

[1]  W. Galston.  Trust: The Social Virtues and the Creation of Prosperity , 1996 .

[2]  Pierre Bourdieu,et al.  1. Le capital social. Notes provisoires , 2006 .

[3]  Thierry van Bastelaer,et al.  Understanding and measuring Social Capital , 2002 .

[4]  F. Fukuyama.  Trust: The Social Virtues and the Creation of Prosperity Penguin London , 1995 .

[5]  M. Shucksmith,et al.  Networking : Social capital and identities in European rural development , 2005 .

[6]  Giuseppe De Blasi,et al.  Capitale sociale e redditività della filiera della pesca in Puglia , 2011 .

[7]  J. Murdoch,et al.  Actor-Networks and the Evolution of Economic Forms: Combining Description and Explanation in Theories of Regulation, Flexible Specialization, and Networks , 1995 .

[8]  P. Bourdieu,et al.  Le capital social , 2012 .

[9]  M. Castells.  The rise of the network society , 1996 .

[10]  J. Coleman.  Foundations of Social Theory , 1990 .

[11]  Jonathan Murdoch,et al.  Networks — a new paradigm of rural development? , 2000 .

[12]  M. Porter.  From Competitive Advantage to Corporate Strategy , 1989 .

[13]  Mark S. Granovetter.  Economic Action and Social Structure: The Problem of Embeddedness , 1985, American Journal of Sociology.

[14]  R. Putnam.  Bowling Alone: America's Declining Social Capital , 1995, The City Reader.

[15]  J. Coleman,et al.  Social Capital in the Creation of Human Capital , 1988, American Journal of Sociology.

[16]  J. Petersen.  Making Democracy Work: Civic Tradition in Modern Italy , 1993 .

[17]  Terrill L. Frantz,et al.  Relating Network Topology to the Robustness of Centrality Measures , 2005 .

[18]  John Skvoretz,et al.  Node centrality in weighted networks: Generalizing degree and shortest paths , 2010, Soc. Networks.

[19]  Claudio Acciani,et al.  L’organizzazione dei sistemi di produzione secondo la teoria dei networks: il caso dell’Alto Salento , 2009 .