Applications and Research Gaps of Social Capital in Regional Economies, Enterprise Innovation, and Supply Chains: Focus on Graduates

This study examines the applications and research gaps of social capital in regional economies, enterprise innovation, and supply chains, with a focus on graduates' strategic roles in navigating globalized markets. By analyzing the multidimensional mechanisms of social capitaltrust, networks, and normsthe research highlights its critical function in enhancing economic efficiency and addressing the limitations of traditional economic models. In regional economies, dense knowledge-sharing networks (e.g., Silicon Valleys tech ecosystem) drive industrial cluster competitiveness, while enterprise innovation leverages cross-disciplinary collaborations to accelerate R&D outcomes, as evidenced by AI startups achieving 30% faster patent commercialization. In supply chains, trust-based partnerships reduce cross-border transaction costs by 1825%, exemplified by Sino-German electric vehicle alliances. The study identifies significant research gaps, including fragmented theoretical frameworks that isolate trust from network dynamics and unresolved endogeneity challenges in causal inference. For graduates, the findings emphasize the importance of cultivating adaptive social capital strategiesbalancing LinkedIn weak ties for information breadth and mentorship strong ties for career depthto thrive in sectors such as technology and green logistics. This research underscores the synergistic role of social capital in bridging regional, organizational, and global economic systems, while calling for integrated theoretical models and culturally nuanced studies to address existing gaps. Graduates are positioned as key actors in translating social capital into sustainable career and economic outcomes.