A pragmatist approach to assessing social relations within the uncertainty of an emerging inter-organisational field

Interpersonal connections, when well-managed, can be a source of value for organisations. In evaluating interactions and relationships the concept of social capital has been used to understand social phenomena and to contribute to inter-organisational development and value creation. Despite this fundamental role, social capital still lacks the capacity to embrace the complexity and dynamism of social relations. We suggest a pragmatic approach can see social dynamics as the basis for creating realities through a complex system of interpretations and reflexions in an iterative interplay of actions and consequences for creating new meanings. We propose a pragmatism perspective as a possible avenue to explore social dynamics in the inter-organisational field by means of flexibility and anticipation of social capital. We conclude by offering an example of how a pragmatist view of social capital in the context of high technologies can expand the understanding of social relations in inter-organisational development