Social Relationship Networks: An Innovative Asset for High-Quality Social Development
Received date: 2025-10-27
Revised date: 2026-01-15
Online published: 2026-04-02
Copyright
The emergence of the information society has made two major limitations of traditional socio-economic increasingly evident: its emphasis on temporal and spatial dimensions while neglecting social relationships, and its focus on natural and economic capital while overlooking social capital. Using literature analysis and empirical evidence, this study examines the evolution of research from social capital theory to the practice of community construction and from social relationship network theory to the development living-circle planning. The results indicate the following: (1) The emergence of social capital theory reflects a renewed recognition of the importance of social communities. Trust mechanisms, participatory networks, and norms of reciprocity inherent in social capital contribute significantly to community construction and governance. Social relationship network theory focuses on connections and interactions among individuals and highlights the influence of network structure on individual behavior and decision making. Both social capital and social relationship networks operate at three levels: micro, meso, and macro. The interaction between these two dimensions continuously reshapes the social relationship system and constitutes an important form of “soft power” in the development of a high-quality society. (2) As innovative assets, social relationship networks derive their value from their capacity to transform social capital into innovation capital and to address uncertainties in innovation processes that formal markets or bureaucratic systems often struggle to manage, primarily through informal governance mechanisms. Innovation is therefore not merely a technical challenge but also a dynamic process involving the formation and evolution of social relationship networks. (3) The scarcity of social capital and the weakening of interpersonal relationships have resulted in significant social deficits and growing inequality. Strengthening interpersonal relationship networks, fostering supportive neighborhood mutual-assistance systems, cultivating a cohesive collective ethos, maintaining stable family lifestyles, and preserving a balanced relationship between market and family values are critical issues that must be addressed in the pursuit of high-quality social development in the new era of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Based on these findings, this study proposes several key pathways for reconstructing robust social relationship networks, including innovating institutional frameworks for network development, deepening the construction of resilient community commonwealths, optimizing the planning and design of urban social spaces, and strengthening social relationship networks through digital intelligence technologies. Finally, potential directions for future research in this field are outlined. Overall, this study proposes strategic goals, key tasks, and implementation pathways for reconstructing robust social relationship networks, offering both theoretical insights and practical guidance for high-quality social development.
Yishao Shi . Social Relationship Networks: An Innovative Asset for High-Quality Social Development[J]. Tropical Geography, 2026 , 46(4) : 573 -585 . DOI: 10.13284/j.cnki.rddl.20250741
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