In an era defined by relentless digital transformation, the intricate web of managerial social capital has emerged as a pivotal strategic resource, enabling organizations to navigate the complexities of the digital economy and foster innovation. A comprehensive new study, integrating bibliometric analysis with systematic review methodologies, delves into the theoretical underpinnings, evolving trajectories, and practical implications of managerial social capital within these dynamic digital landscapes. The research underscores a significant shift from traditional, structure-centric views towards a deeper emphasis on cognitive and relational dimensions, highlighting how managers can leverage digital media to cultivate trust, psychological safety, and ultimately, drive employee innovation and strengthen organizational resilience. The accelerating pace of digital transformation necessitates a re-evaluation of traditional management paradigms. As businesses increasingly operate across blurred physical and virtual boundaries, with remote work becoming the norm, the efficacy of hierarchical control based solely on spatial proximity has diminished. This research posits that managerial social capital, defined as the relationships and networks that managers can mobilize for information, support, and resources, has become an indispensable informal governance mechanism. It not only facilitates the precise allocation of innovation resources but also, through established norms of reciprocity and reputation, encourages voluntary knowledge sharing, effectively addressing the "free-riding" problem inherent in open innovation models. The study, which meticulously adheres to PRISMA guidelines for systematic reviews and employs the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) for quality assurance, reveals that managerial social capital in digital contexts is undergoing a profound transformation. Prior research often linked affect-based and cognitive trust to prolonged face-to-face interactions. However, the digital realm introduces new pathways for trust formation, influenced by virtual interactions, digital reputation, and algorithmic assessments of credibility, leading to the emergence of "digital trust." This evolving landscape underscores the critical role of managerial social capital in projecting credibility, reshaping employee psychological contracts, and fostering cross-functional cognitive synergy. Digital tools, in this context, act as amplifiers, expanding the reach and modalities of social capital, but their true value is unlocked only when underpinned by robust social networks and trust. The Shifting Landscape of Managerial Social Capital The research traces the conceptual origins of social capital from its roots in sociology, with seminal contributions from Pierre Bourdieu, Robert Putnam, and James Coleman, who explored its individual, collective, and productive dimensions. In the management literature, the concept gained significant traction from the 1990s onwards, challenging the purely rational economic actor model. Mark Granovetter’s theory of embeddedness highlighted how managerial decisions are deeply rooted in social networks. Nahapiet and Ghoshal’s seminal work further propelled social capital into organizational science, emphasizing its role in reducing transaction costs and facilitating tacit knowledge transfer, thereby creating organizational advantage. The study meticulously details how managerial social capital, defined as the aggregate of tangible and latent resources managers can mobilize through their social networks, has evolved. It encompasses structural aspects (network size, density), relational attributes (trust, norms, belonging), and cognitive dimensions (shared language, vision). As digital transformation intensifies, research has moved beyond foundational entrepreneurial elements to explore individual entrepreneurial capital and enterprise-level dynamics. Keywords such as "regulatory role" and "risk capital" have gained prominence, indicating a shift towards a dynamic capabilities perspective, emphasizing how managers rapidly reconfigure networks in evolving environments. Digital Transformation and its Impact on Organizational Outcomes The core of the research focuses on how managerial social capital influences key organizational outcomes in the digital age, segmented into four critical areas: employee performance, organizational growth, employees’ psychological state, and the role of digital platforms. Managerial Social Capital and Employee Performance: In the digital economy, the link between managerial social capital and employee performance is a critical interdisciplinary focus. Structural and relational social capital in digital networks facilitate information sharing, collaboration, and innovation. Cognitive social capital, fostered through shared language, trust, and norms within digital environments, motivates employees towards common objectives. Research indicates that managerial social capital empowers human resource management practices, enhances employee performance, and strengthens their dynamic capabilities. Furthermore, the trust-building atmosphere fostered by social networks reduces transaction costs and promotes knowledge sharing, leading to improved team performance. Studies have shown that managers can enhance employee performance through high-quality leader-member exchange (LMX) relationships, built via social capital, which provide greater resources and support. Inclusive leadership, for instance, strengthens LMX, fostering employee innovation. In digital contexts, internal social media platforms can improve work performance by enhancing relational capital and promoting informal knowledge exchange. Enterprises successfully undergoing digital transformation often report significant improvements in performance metrics, including revenue growth and operational efficiency. Managerial Social Capital and Organizational Growth: Managerial social capital is instrumental in driving organizational growth by facilitating structural transformation, resource acquisition, and cultural development. In the digital context, organizational agility is paramount, and managerial social capital acts as a crucial bridge, leveraging network resources to support digital leadership and foster synergy between digital strategy and organizational agility. Managers, positioned at the center of information exchange systems, gain easier access to scarce resources and critical information through their networks. This allows them to discern market demands and industry trends, and in the digital realm, to efficiently identify and integrate talent, technological tools, and data resources. This enhances information processing efficiency and decision-making rigor. Internally, managers can use social platforms to assemble cross-functional teams, driving innovation through the integration of heterogeneous knowledge. Culturally, managers shape shared values and foster collaboration, contributing to a positive organizational culture that enhances adaptability and sustained growth. Managerial Social Capital and Employees’ Psychological State: Managerial social capital profoundly influences employee cognition and behavior by fostering trust, psychological safety, and psychological accessibility, thereby reducing psychological transaction costs. Trust, as a core element of social capital, originates from the goodwill embedded in relational networks. Building strong relational networks with employees cultivates affect-based trust, minimizing defensive behaviors and the need for extensive supervision. Social capital also enhances psychological safety, encouraging employees to express themselves authentically and engage more fully in their work. Managers can embed corporate social responsibility into operations, strengthening employees’ sense of work meaning, self-esteem, and self-efficacy. In the digital era, "e-leadership" plays a crucial role in building trust in non-face-to-face communication, utilizing ICT tools to convey trust and foster identification. Managerial Social Capital and Digital Platforms: Digital technologies have fundamentally altered value creation, compelling managers to leverage digital platforms for co-creation and digital transformation. While traditional methods relied on strong ties, digital platforms emphasize weak ties and global networks, highlighting the dynamic value of managerial social capital. Managers can access diverse information and resources, breaking free from information silos. Digital platforms allow for more scalable and replicable accumulation and utilization of social capital. In terms of structure, network connectivity transcends geographical limits. In the relational dimension, digital reputation systems and algorithmic frameworks reinforce trust. Cognitively, standardized platform interfaces and collaborative tools deepen shared language and values. Managers can dynamically build and adjust social networks on digital platforms, enhancing corporate competitiveness. Managerial social capital positively influences business model innovation and the capacity enhancement of SMEs. For resource-constrained SMEs, digital platforms overcome traditional limitations and enhance managerial capabilities. The study notes that platform type moderates the efficiency of social capital conversion, with modular platforms favoring structural capital and content-based platforms prioritizing cognitive capital. However, challenges such as the digital divide, platform monopolization, and the devaluation of social capital due to rapid technological iteration persist. Research Limitations and Future Directions Despite the comprehensive nature of the review, the study acknowledges certain limitations. The reliance on the Web of Science Core Collection may have led to the omission of relevant studies from other databases. The specific keyword choice of "manager" might have excluded research using alternative terminology for similar relational phenomena. Furthermore, the bibliometric analysis primarily focused on macro-level trends, rather than quantifying empirical relationships. Looking ahead, the research identifies several key avenues for future inquiry. The transition from interpersonal trust to "digital trust," predicated on data transparency and algorithmic reliability, requires deeper exploration. How managers balance traditional dynamics with algorithmic logic and cultivate new trust paradigms mediated by data is a critical area. The study also calls for a focus on micro-interactions and emotional labor within intertwined physical-virtual networks, examining managers’ virtual identity construction, online self-presentation, and the resulting emotional labor. The cross-boundary orchestration of social capital within digital ecosystems, where managers act as "boundary spanners," and the psychological impact of this restructuring on managers, such as role conflicts and evolving professional identity, are also highlighted. Finally, the sustainable management of social capital under digital surveillance is crucial. Future research should investigate the harms of digitalization, refine studies on the dual nature of social capital, and explore how managers can leverage their social capital to enhance employee psychological resilience and build digital trust, fostering a people-centered, sustainable digital workplace ecosystem. This research ultimately provides a foundational understanding for both scholars and practitioners seeking to optimize managerial social capital in the ongoing digital transformation, thereby strengthening organizational resilience and boosting innovation performance. Post navigation The Relationship Between Physical Exercise and Depression Among College Students: The Chain Mediating Role of Self-Efficacy and Self-Identity
