Do self-help groups possess the dimensions of social capital? Empirical evidence from India

PurposeThe present study examines the relational, structural and cognitive dimensions of social capital developed within members of self-help groups (SHGs) in India.Design/methodology/approachThe study has used multistage random sampling to collect 1,285 samples covering 4 districts such as Sundargarh, Mayurbhanj, Koraput and Rayagada in Odisha. Structure equation modeling (SEM) is used in hypothesis formulation and data analysis.FindingsThe result highlighted that relational, structural and cognitive social capital are significant to social capital formation among the participants of SHGs. However, structural social capital has the highest impact compared with others in building social capital.Practical implicationsPolicy professionals, development agencies and government departments must use social capital as a catalyzing agent for the successful implementation of welfare schemes in rural areas.Originality/valueThe paper adds valuable contributions in advancing the theory of social capital. Additionally, marginalized households fail to uplift their socioeconomic conditions in developing nations due to a lack of social capital; hence, its measurement is critical.Peer reviewThe peer-review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-10-2023-0804.