The Role of Social Capital in the Transdanubian Winery Networks

Wineries are currently going through a dynamic transformation as globalization challenges all firms' strategies. Companies form cooperation from strategic alliances through networks of suppliers till clusters to gain competitive advantages, which can facilitate their market penetration and corporate growth. But what are those factors of social capital that encourages wine-makers to cooperate, to participate in a network? How can regional identity, culture, trust and the connectedness of economic players encourage them? The objective of the research is to measure the role of social capital in network or cluster formation. Statistical examination of eight different wine regions in Transdanubia, covering up 179 wineries who are active members of a network or a cluster proves that there is a positive correlation between regional identity and likeliness of joining or even forming a network. Intercompany cooperation tend to develop faster in regions where economic players share common values, norms and show deep regional identity between their members