A systematic review on social currency: a one-decade perspective

Abstract

In consumer finance, certain experiences are recognized in international markets in the use of complementary and social currencies, due to their effects on social inclusion and the reduction of capital accumulation in a globalized economy. In this context, the article aims to review ten years of scientific production of social currency in the Scopus and Web of Science databases. In order to achieve the proposed objective, a systematic literature review was carried out, covering three stages: (1) planning the review, (2) conducting the review and (3) presentation of the final report. As a result of the content analysis of the textual corpus ( n = 67), we now have an up-to-date overview of the literature, through (1) descriptive analysis, (2) bibliographic coupling analysis and (3) word analysis. In addition, as a main contribution, the following were identified: (1) a typology, formed by three classes, which capture contexts of the use of social currency; (2) a methodological framework; and (3) suggestions for the development of future research. In general, the results show that social currency can serve as a complementary currency to the solidarity economy, since the potential of this currency is not disconnected from objectives and normative standards. It is also known that social currency lends itself to emergency use, as it helps to minimize the anxieties of the excluded. However, for many markets, social currency remains a topic far removed from the reality of the underprivileged population. The findings also show the advances made in research focused on social currency, especially considering the contexts in which it is used.