The workshop introduces social capital into the neoclassical economic paradigm. Social capital humanizes the economic person by allowing his or her actions to be influenced by relationships and a conscience. Social capital is widely accepted in most of the social sciences including sociology, political science, anthropology, human ecology, and education. The importance of social capital for economists is in its ability to model the effects of social relationships on the selection of trading partners, determining the level and terms of trade, altering the distribution of benefits, and redefining externalities as a function of relationships. In agricultural economics, social capital has application to the study of agribusiness, community development, formation of cooperatives, management of natural resources, international agricultural development, and functioning of markets.
Social capital has application across the discipline of agricultural economics.
It has specific application to the study and application of markets, management, outreach, environment and natural resource management, community and international development, and the functioning of cooperatives. This one-day workshop is designed to help participants better understand the dynamics of managing personnel diversity and the importance of enhancing workplace relationships. The conference's aim is to assemble a diverse group of individuals interested in learning how to handle people-related issues in the workplace as we prepare for the new millennium. The specific objectives are as follows. To assist us in our endeavors, a diversity consultant will be employed to provide a breadth of knowledge and experience in addressing workplace-related issues.