Harnessing mutuality: the social capital of club experience - a framework for examining social dynamics of community clubs

The study examines the relationship between club experience and the social capital of club patrons in order to address the simplistic view that community clubs are just liquor and gaming venues. It develops the Club Analytical Model to capture the multidimensional nature of the two constructs and to guide the interrogation and assessment of the relationship through correlation, regression, and thematic analysis. Based on the mixed methods design, data on club experience (patronisation of club facilities, participation in club services, and perception of club values) and social capital (structural interface, relational interface, and cognitive interface) was collected through a survey of club patrons, focus group discussions with club patrons and officials, and consultations with key club industry stakeholders. The findings were integrated using the conceptual tools of field, habitus, and capital, which enabled an in-depth exploration of the social world of community clubs. They reveal a strong and positive relationship between club experience and the social capital of club patrons, and this is generally evident in various club types and club activities. The relationship between club experience and the social capital of club patrons is moderated by admission status of club patrons and length of association with community clubs but not by gender, age, marital status, language, education, and employment of club patrons. The cohesive body of empirical evidence suggests that social dynamics go beyond participation in liquor and gaming services to harnessing social and psychological connections that exist between clubs and their patrons. The study makes significant conceptual and methodological advancements to the literature on mutuality by drawing attention to micro-processes and the pragmatic manner in which they can be studied in community clubs. Overall, the study has policy and practice implications for a range of stakeholders through the promotion of a better understanding of community clubs as a form of social enterprise that exist for the collective benefit of their members.