Does Wal-Mart reduce social capital?
- UNCG Author/Contributor (non-UNCG co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
- Charles J. Courtmanche, Assistant Professor (Creator)
- Institution
- The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG )
- Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/
Abstract: Social capital has attracted increasing attention in recent years. We use county-level and individual survey data to study how Wal-Mart affects social capital. Estimates using several proxies for social capital—such as club membership, religious activity, time with friends, and other measures—do not support the thesis that "Wal-Mart destroys communities" by reducing social capital. We measure exposure to Wal-Mart two ways: Wal-Marts per 10,000 residents and Wal-Marts per 10,000 residents aggregated over the years since 1979 to capture a more cumulative "Wal-Mart Effect." We find that the coefficients on Wal-Mart‘s presence are statistically insignificant in most specifications.
Does Wal-Mart reduce social capital?
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Created on 8/25/2010
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Additional Information
- Publication
- Public Choice, 2009, 138(1): 109-136.
- Language: English
- Date: 2009
- Keywords
- Wal-Mart, Social capital, Community, Retail