WEBINAR: Mariam Chakhvadze: Social Capital in the digital Age: Vocational Education and Training System in Georgia

This presentation aims at contributing to the research about the impact of the digitalization on  business models. Intensive introduction of information and communication technologies in public  services changes the interaction between various actors and created new forms of networking (Jafari,  Moharami, 2019). Digitalization of the social capital enabled to link together the communities that  otherwise would be confronted with the risk of being disconnected (Circular Conversation, 2020). The  new constellations demonstrate the relevance of conceptualizing digital social capital and analyze its  influence over the navigation towards more resilient economic transition.  

In Georgia the modernization of the vocational education and training (VET) system has a reversal role.  The VET design has direct impact on the competitiveness and internationalization of the small and  medium-sized enterprises, which play a significant role in Georgia’s economy, but because of their  concentration mostly in low value – added activities demonstrate relatively weak contribution to the  country’s wealth (OECD, Improving SME Policy in Georgia). To unlock the potential of digitalization  SMES in Georgia need to become more competitive, expand their access to the international markets  through reconceptualizing their business models, which is impossible without skillful human resources,  as well as comprehensive entrepreneurial culture. Such transformation can be accomplished by the  non-traditional co-production (Sorentino, Sicilia & Howlett, 2018) based reform of the VET  architecture. In the following presentation I will discuss the opportunity to unlock these pathways and  also analyze the process of bridging social capital building.