Groups as a means or an end? Social capital and the promotion of cooperation in Ghana
Article
Porter, G. and Lyon, F. 2006. Groups as a means or an end? Social capital and the promotion of cooperation in Ghana. Environment and Planning D: Society and Space. 24 (2), pp. 249-262. https://doi.org/10.1068/d0303
| Type | Article |
|---|---|
| Title | Groups as a means or an end? Social capital and the promotion of cooperation in Ghana |
| Authors | Porter, G. and Lyon, F. |
| Abstract | In the past two decades there has been a growing emphasis within the international development industry on promoting group activity. This paper charts how interpretation of the loose concept of social capital has shaped donor and NGO discourses on, and their preoccupation with, groups. Donors are using blueprints of group cooperation in an asocial and aspatial manner that ignores local specificities of place, space and cultural context. An empirical case is examined that demonstrates how donor discourse is reinterpreted, translated and even rejected by players at different spatial scales. The reasons for the continued donor preoccupation with groups in the face of local resistances are explored. |
| Research Group | Centre for Enterprise, Environment and Development Research (CEEDR) |
| Publisher | Pion |
| Journal | Environment and Planning D: Society and Space |
| ISSN | 0263-7758 |
| Electronic | 1472-3433 |
| Publication dates | |
| Online | Apr 2006 |
| Apr 2006 | |
| Publication process dates | |
| Accepted | 19 Nov 2005 |
| Deposited | 22 Feb 2016 |
| Output status | Published |
| Accepted author manuscript | File Access Level Open |
| Copyright Statement | This is an Author Accepted Manuscript version. The definitive final published article is available via SAGE journals at https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1068/d0303/ |
| Digital Object Identifier (DOI) | https://doi.org/10.1068/d0303 |
| Web of Science identifier | WOS:000237498300006 |
| Language | English |
Permalink -
https://repository.mdx.ac.uk/item/86227
Download files
Accepted author manuscript
| Porter_and_Lyon-Groups_as_a_means_or_an_ end-repository.pdf | ||
| File access level: Open | ||
230
total views60
total downloads2
views this month2
downloads this month
Export as
Related outputs
Developing sustainable entrepreneurial finance ecosystems in an emerging market context: the role of keystone actors in managing competing institutional logics
Elf, P., Owen, R., Lyon, F. and da Gama Torres, H. 2026. Developing sustainable entrepreneurial finance ecosystems in an emerging market context: the role of keystone actors in managing competing institutional logics. Venture Capital. 28 (2-3), pp. 333-358. https://doi.org/10.1080/13691066.2025.2496192Financing green innovation startups: a systematic literature review on early-stage SME funding
Mukherjee, A., Owen, R., Scott, J.M. and Lyon, F. 2026. Financing green innovation startups: a systematic literature review on early-stage SME funding. Venture Capital. 28 (2-3), pp. 149-175. https://doi.org/10.1080/13691066.2024.2410730Farmers as empowered intermediaries in nature markets?: Final report
Burnett, A. and Lyon, F. 2025. Farmers as empowered intermediaries in nature markets?: Final report. Centre for the Understanding of Sustainable Prosperity (CUSP).Key action areas for transforming the UK food system: insights from the Transforming UK Food Systems (TUKFS) Programme project portfolio
Bridle, S., Parsons, K., Poppy, G., Duncombe, T., Dicks, L., Doherty, B., Johnstone, A., Reynolds, C., Wagstaff, C., Lyon, F., Buckton, S., Dare, B., White, M., Yap, C., Shahrokni, R., Bhunnoo, R., Mitchell, H., Fazey, I., Moran, D., Turner, C., Beacham, J., Ingram, J., Jackson, P., Wells, R., Denby, K., Macmillan, T., Brunstrom, J. and Bryant, M. 2025. Key action areas for transforming the UK food system: insights from the Transforming UK Food Systems (TUKFS) Programme project portfolio. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 380 (1935). https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2024.0166Exploring social innovation for transforming food systems
Lyon, F., Doherty, B., Psarikidou, K., Vickers, I. and Kirtley, A. 2025. Exploring social innovation for transforming food systems. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 380 (1935). https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2024.0156Beyond novelty and growth: a virtue ethics enquiry into fashion entrepreneurs’ responsible and harmonising practices towards sustainability
Werner, A., Elf, P., Lyon, F. and Vickers, I. 2025. Beyond novelty and growth: a virtue ethics enquiry into fashion entrepreneurs’ responsible and harmonising practices towards sustainability. Journal of Business Ethics. 196 (4), pp. 845-861. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-024-05875-wPathways to good work: toolkit for community organisations (2nd ed)
Osbourne, L., Edwards, G., Wallis, E., Stumbitz, B., Lyon, F. and Vickers, I. 2024. Pathways to good work: toolkit for community organisations (2nd ed). Locality.Collective capabilities for organizational democracy: the case of mutual social enterprises
Vickers, I., Lyon, F. and Sepulveda Ramirez, L. 2024. Collective capabilities for organizational democracy: the case of mutual social enterprises. British Journal of Management. 36 (1), pp. 240-254. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8551.12840Working with the tensions of transdisciplinary research: a review and agenda for the future of knowledge co-production in the Anthropocene
Harris, F., Lyon, F., Sioen, G. and Ebi, K. 2024. Working with the tensions of transdisciplinary research: a review and agenda for the future of knowledge co-production in the Anthropocene. Global Sustainability. 7. https://doi.org/10.1017/sus.2024.11From “business as usual” to sustainable “purpose‐driven business”: Challenges facing the purpose ecosystem in the United Kingdom and Australia
Lyon, F., Stubbs, W., Dahlmann, F. and Edwards, M. 2024. From “business as usual” to sustainable “purpose‐driven business”: Challenges facing the purpose ecosystem in the United Kingdom and Australia. Business and Society Review. 130 (S1), pp. 198-221. https://doi.org/10.1111/basr.12341Scoping potential routes to UK civil unrest via the food system: results of a structured expert elicitation
Jones, A., Bridle, S., Denby, K., Bhunnoo, R., Morton, D., Stanbrough, L., Coupe, B., Pilley, V., Benton, T., Falloon, P., Matthews, T.K., Hasnain, S., Heslop-Harrison, J.S., Beard, S., Pierce, J., Pretty, J., Zurek, M., Johnstone, A., Smith, P., Gunn, N., Watson, M., Pope, E., Tzachor, A., Douglas, C., Reynolds, C., Ward, N., Fredenburgh, J., Pettinger, C., Quested, T., Cordero, J., Mitchell, C., Bewick, C., Brown, C., Brown, C., Burgess, P., Challinor, A., Cottrell, A., Crocker, T., George, T., Godfray, C.J., Hails, R.S., Ingram, J., Lang, T., Lyon, F., Lusher, S., MacMillan, T., Newton, S., Pearson, S., Pritchard, S., Sanders, D., Sanderson B.A., Steven, M., Trickett, A., Voysey, A., Watson, C., Whitby, D. and Whiteside, K. 2023. Scoping potential routes to UK civil unrest via the food system: results of a structured expert elicitation. Sustainability. 15 (20). https://doi.org/10.3390/su152014783Fostering sustainable practices: the case of micro and small designer fashion enterprises
Black, S., Burcikova, M., Williams, D., Rocamora, A., Lyon, F., Werner, A., Vickers, I., Elf, P., Eckert, C. and Crommentuijn-Marsh, P. 2023. Fostering sustainable practices: the case of micro and small designer fashion enterprises. in: Charter, M., Pan, B. and Black, S. (ed.) Accelerating Sustainability in Fashion, Clothing and Textiles London, UK Routledge. pp. 128-140Entrepreneur gatekeepers and adaptors of knowledge in emerging food processing clusters in Ghana
Ayakwah, A., Sepulveda, L. and Lyon, F. 2023. Entrepreneur gatekeepers and adaptors of knowledge in emerging food processing clusters in Ghana. International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business. 49 (2), pp. 306-328. https://doi.org/10.1504/ijesb.2023.132445Finance and funding for upscaling sustainable fashion
Lyon, F., Elf, P., Owen, R. and Werner, A. 2023. Finance and funding for upscaling sustainable fashion. in: Charter, M., Pan, B. and Black, S. (ed.) Accelerating Sustainability in Fashion, Clothing and Textiles London Taylor & Francis (Routledge).SME Financing for Biodiversity: Building Nature Measurement and Impacts into SME Financing (‘SME FinBio’)
Owen, R., Lyon, F., Burnett, A. and Lodh, S. 2022. SME Financing for Biodiversity: Building Nature Measurement and Impacts into SME Financing (‘SME FinBio’). Natural Environment Research Council (NERC).SME Finance for Biodiversity (‘FinBio’) in the UK - project summary
Owen, R., Lyon, F., Burnett, A. and Suman, L. 2022. SME Finance for Biodiversity (‘FinBio’) in the UK - project summary. Natural Environment Research Council (NERC).Public service mutuals: transforming how services are delivered through social enterprise and democratic governance
Vickers, I., Lyon, F., Sepulveda Ramirez, L. and Brennan, G. 2022. Public service mutuals: transforming how services are delivered through social enterprise and democratic governance. Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).Rural social enterprise: contributions, challenges and support needs
Vickers, I., Owen, R., Lyon, F. and Darko, E. 2022. Rural social enterprise: contributions, challenges and support needs. Newcastle, UK Newcastle University.Social innovation for biodiversity: A literature review and research challenges
Ziegler, R., Balzac-Arroyo, J., Hölsgens, R., Holzgreve, S., Lyon, F., Spangenberg, J. and Thapa, P. 2022. Social innovation for biodiversity: A literature review and research challenges. Ecological Economics. 193, pp. 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2021.107336Pathways to good work: toolkit for community organisations
Osbourne, L., Wallis, E., Stumbitz, B., Lyon, F. and Vickers, I. 2021. Pathways to good work: toolkit for community organisations. Locality.'Good work' and community business - identifying pathways to good practice during Covid-19 and beyond
Stumbitz, B., Vickers, I., Lyon, F., Osbourne, L. and Wallis, E. 2021. 'Good work' and community business - identifying pathways to good practice during Covid-19 and beyond. London, UK Locality.Social Enterprise: Market Trends 2019
Owen, R., Lyon, F., Vickers, I. and Gottschalk, S. 2021. Social Enterprise: Market Trends 2019. London DCMS.Financing Cleantech SME innovation: Setting an agenda
Owen, R., Brennan, G., Lyon, F. and Harrer, T. 2021. Financing Cleantech SME innovation: Setting an agenda. IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management. 68 (4), pp. 1168-1172. https://doi.org/10.1109/TEM.2020.3005702Social enterprises and their ecosystems in Europe
Stumbitz, B., Vickers, I. and Lyon, F. 2019. Social enterprises and their ecosystems in Europe. Luxembourg European Union. https://doi.org/10.2767/330252Returning to drive small business exports: diaspora entrepreneurs in Ghana's fruit processing clusters
Ayakwah, A., Sepulveda Ramirez, L. and Lyon, F. 2020. Returning to drive small business exports: diaspora entrepreneurs in Ghana's fruit processing clusters. International Journal of Management and Enterprise Development. 19 (3), pp. 273-291. https://doi.org/10.1504/ijmed.2020.108714Educating at scale for sustainable development and social enterprise growth: the impact of online learning and a massive open online course (MOOC)
Calvo, S., Lyon, F., Morales, A. and Wade, J. 2020. Educating at scale for sustainable development and social enterprise growth: the impact of online learning and a massive open online course (MOOC). Sustainability. 12 (8). https://doi.org/10.3390/su12083247Implementing democratic governance and ownership: the interplay of structure and culture in public service social enterprises
Sepulveda Ramirez, L., Lyon, F. and Vickers, I. 2020. Implementing democratic governance and ownership: the interplay of structure and culture in public service social enterprises. Voluntas: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations. 31 (3), pp. 627-641. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11266-020-00201-0Early stage investing in green SMEs: the case of the UK
Owen, R., Lehner, O., Lyon, F. and Brennan, G. 2020. Early stage investing in green SMEs: the case of the UK. ACRN Journal of Finance and Risk Perspectives. 8 (1), pp. 163-182. https://doi.org/10.35944/jofrp.2019.8.1.011Financing social enterprises and the demand for social investment
Lyon, F. and Owen, R. 2019. Financing social enterprises and the demand for social investment. Strategic Change. 28 (1), pp. 47-57. https://doi.org/10.1002/jsc.2245Trust in food supplies: assuring quality, sustainability, price and availability
Naslund, N. and Lyon, F. 2018. Trust in food supplies: assuring quality, sustainability, price and availability. in: Searle, R., Nienaber, A. and Sitkin, S. (ed.) The Routledge Companion of Trust Routledge. pp. 438-452Social entrepreneurship: Entrepreneurship and social value creation
Haugh, H., Lyon, F. and Doherty, B. 2018. Social entrepreneurship: Entrepreneurship and social value creation. in: Backburn, R., De Clercq, D. and Heinonen, J. (ed.) The SAGE Handbook of Small Business and Entrepreneurship Sage. pp. 125-142Enabling investment for the transition to a low carbon economy: government policy to finance early stage green innovation
Owen, R., Brennan, G. and Lyon, F. 2018. Enabling investment for the transition to a low carbon economy: government policy to finance early stage green innovation. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability. 31, pp. 137-145. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cosust.2018.03.004Maternity protection in formal and informal economy workplaces: The case of Ghana
Stumbitz, B., Lewis, S., Kyei, A. and Lyon, F. 2018. Maternity protection in formal and informal economy workplaces: The case of Ghana. World Development. 110, pp. 373-384. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2018.06.007'Social enterprise spin-outs': an institutional analysis of their emergence and potential
Sepulveda Ramirez, L., Lyon, F. and Vickers, I. 2018. 'Social enterprise spin-outs': an institutional analysis of their emergence and potential. Technology Analysis and Strategic Management. 30 (8), pp. 967-979. https://doi.org/10.1080/09537325.2018.1431391Competitive or cooperative relationships in clusters: a comparative study of two internationalising agro-processing clusters in Ghana
Ayakwah, A., Sepulveda Ramirez, L. and Lyon, F. 2018. Competitive or cooperative relationships in clusters: a comparative study of two internationalising agro-processing clusters in Ghana. Critical Perspectives on International Business. 14 (2/3), pp. 230-251. https://doi.org/10.1108/cpoib-12-2016-0063Public service innovation and multiple institutional logics: the case of hybrid social enterprise providers of health and wellbeing
Vickers, I., Lyon, F., Sepulveda Ramirez, L. and McMullin, C. 2017. Public service innovation and multiple institutional logics: the case of hybrid social enterprise providers of health and wellbeing. Research Policy. 46 (10), pp. 1755-1768. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2017.08.003Indicators for sustainable prosperity? - Challenges and potentials for indicator use in political processes
Jones, A., Mair, S., Ward, J., Druckman, A., Lyon, F., Christie, I. and Hafner, S. 2016. Indicators for sustainable prosperity? - Challenges and potentials for indicator use in political processes. Guildford: University of Surrey Centre for the Understanding of Sustainable Prosperity (CUSP).Understanding sustainable prosperity — Towards a transdisciplinary research agenda
Jackson, T., Burningham, K., Catney, P., Christie, I., Davies, W., Doherty, B., Druckman, A., Hammond, M., Hayward, B., Jones, A., Lyon, F., Molho, N., Oakley, K., Seaford, C. and Victor, P. 2016. Understanding sustainable prosperity — Towards a transdisciplinary research agenda. Centre for the Understanding of Sustainable Prosperity (CUSP).Spinning with substance? The creation of new third sector organisations from public services
Miller, R. and Lyon, F. 2016. Spinning with substance? The creation of new third sector organisations from public services. in: Rees, J. and Mullins, D. (ed.) The Third Sector in Public Services: Developments, innovation and challenges Policy Press. pp. 87-106Lending to social ventures: existing demand for finance and the potential roles of social investment
Lyon, F. 2016. Lending to social ventures: existing demand for finance and the potential roles of social investment. in: Lehner, O. (ed.) Routledge Handbook of Social and Sustainable Finance Routledge. pp. 177-188Pushing enterprise and entrepreneurship in the delivery of rural public services: the case of education and health services
Lyon, F. 2016. Pushing enterprise and entrepreneurship in the delivery of rural public services: the case of education and health services. in: Liddle, J. (ed.) New Perspectives on Research, Policy & Practice in Public Entrepreneurship Emerald Publishing Limited. pp. 195-212Access and non-probability sampling in qualitative research on trust
Lyon, F. 2015. Access and non-probability sampling in qualitative research on trust. in: Lyon, F., Mollering, G. and Saunders, M. (ed.) Handbook of Research Methods on Trust: Second Edition Edward Elgar Publishing . pp. 109-117Towards a ‘long view’: historical perspectives on the scaling and replication of social ventures
Blundel, R. and Lyon, F. 2015. Towards a ‘long view’: historical perspectives on the scaling and replication of social ventures. Journal of Social Entrepreneurship. 6 (1), pp. 80-102. https://doi.org/10.1080/19420676.2014.954258Opening access to administrative data for evaluating public services: The case of the Justice Data Lab
Lyon, F., Gyateng, T., Pritchard, D., Vaze, P., Vickers, I. and Webb, N. 2015. Opening access to administrative data for evaluating public services: The case of the Justice Data Lab. Evaluation. 21 (2), pp. 232-247. https://doi.org/10.1177/1356389015577507Social enterprise and innovation in third sector organizations
Chew, C. and Lyon, F. 2013. Social enterprise and innovation in third sector organizations. in: Osborne, S. and Browne, L. (ed.) Handbook of Innovation and Change in Public Sector Services. Edward Elgar Publishing . pp. 420-431Process of social innovation in mutual organisations: the case of social enterprises leaving the public sector
Lyon, F., Sepulveda Ramirez, L., Vickers, I., McMullin, C. and Gregory, D. 2013. Process of social innovation in mutual organisations: the case of social enterprises leaving the public sector. in: Social frontiers: the next edge of social innovation research NESTA.Financing social ventures and the demand for social investment
Lyon, F. and Owen, R. 2014. Financing social ventures and the demand for social investment. Third Sector Research Centre, University of Birmingham.Researching trust in tourism: methodological issues and associated concerns
Saunders, M., Lyon, F. and Mollering, G. 2014. Researching trust in tourism: methodological issues and associated concerns. in: Nunkoo, R. and Smith, S. (ed.) Trust, Tourism Development and Planning Routledge. pp. 168-180Social enterprises as hybrid organizations: a review and research agenda
Doherty, B., Haugh, H. and Lyon, F. 2014. Social enterprises as hybrid organizations: a review and research agenda. International Journal of Management Reviews. 16 (4), pp. 417-436. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijmr.12028Social impact measurement and non-profit organisations: compliance, resistance, and promotion
Arvidson, M. and Lyon, F. 2014. Social impact measurement and non-profit organisations: compliance, resistance, and promotion. Voluntas: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations. 25 (4), pp. 869-886. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11266-013-9373-6Beyond green niches? Growth strategies of environmentally-motivated social enterprises
Vickers, I. and Lyon, F. 2014. Beyond green niches? Growth strategies of environmentally-motivated social enterprises. International Small Business Journal. 32 (4), pp. 449-470. https://doi.org/10.1177/0266242612457700‘We don’t deal with courts’: cooperation and alternative institutions shaping exporting relationships of small and medium-sized enterprises in Ghana
Amoako, I. and Lyon, F. 2014. ‘We don’t deal with courts’: cooperation and alternative institutions shaping exporting relationships of small and medium-sized enterprises in Ghana. International Small Business Journal. 32 (2), pp. 117-139. https://doi.org/10.1177/0266242613484778Gender balance in the governance of social enterprise
Lyon, F. and Humbert, A. 2013. Gender balance in the governance of social enterprise. Third Sector Research Centre, University of Birmingham.Changing funding realities for charities and social enterprises: responses to the big society agenda and austerity in the East of England
Sepulveda Ramirez, L., Lyon, F. and Stevenson, N. 2011. Changing funding realities for charities and social enterprises: responses to the big society agenda and austerity in the East of England. Institue for Small Business and Entrepreneurship.Transdisciplinary environmental research: Building trust across professional cultures
Harris, F. and Lyon, F. 2013. Transdisciplinary environmental research: Building trust across professional cultures. Environmental Science & Policy. 31, pp. 109-119. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2013.02.006Valuing the social? The nature and controversies of measuring social return on investment (SROI)
Arvidson, M., Lyon, F., McKay, S. and Moro, D. 2013. Valuing the social? The nature and controversies of measuring social return on investment (SROI). Voluntary Sector Review. 4 (1), pp. 3-18. https://doi.org/10.1332/204080513X661554