Social Capital at Work: A Case of Adapting a Norwegian Cooperation Model in Russia

Abstract

The paper examines a process of adapting a Norwegian cooperation model by the local industry in the Russian North. We found that the Russian way to build cooperation, far differently from the Norwegian practice, was characterized by intertwined personal and organizational ties, and by mixed political and business agendas. The empirical case was analyzed with help of a framework combining theories of social capital and Scandinavian institutionalism. On the base of this analysis, we challenge the established view of Russia as a country with low cooperation capacity and provide suggestions on how the Russian cooperation experience can be valuable in the West.

Global development in the Arctic: international cooperation for the future

“…Even in those areas, some progress is discernible. For example, there are some indications of local involvement and bottom-up initiatives in the development of the regional supply industry for the oil and gas sector in the Russian North (e.g., Mineev and Bourmistrov, 2015). Another interesting example is the ecosystem of innovative companies within health care and IT in the city of Oulu in Northern Finland.…”