1. Development and Socio-cultural Context
Ákos Bodor – Zoltán Grünhut – Réka Horeczki
MTA KRTK RKI
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This study was supported by the OTKA (NK ) „New driving forces of spatial restructuring and regional development paths in Eastern Europe at the beginning of 21st century” and Jól-lét az információs társadalomban TÁMOP C-11/1/KONV research project.

2. Socio-cultural context
The role of socio-cultural factors are nowadays widely accepted in the economic literature and economic theories
These factors are considered as significant determinants of economic performance, and innovation.
Different authors use different notions/concepts to grab socio-economic factors:
social capital, informal institutions, proximity, innovative milieu….
Generally, empirical studies use a very limited sets of indicators to measure the socio-cultural factors of economic process:
trust, passive forms of civic participation (membership) or oftenly inadequate indicators (e.g. number of car accidents)

3. Research method
Our aim: to elaborate a sophisticated model and measurement tool for socio-cultural disparities in Europe
Database: European Social Survey (Round 6th, )
Cross-national survey (more than 50 000 respondents, 29 countries)
The survey measures beliefs, attitudes and behavior patterns of the respondents.
Method: Principal Component Analysis, Anova
Our dimensions:
Generalized trust
Institutional trust
Forms of political participation
Forms of civic participation
Relational capital
Tolerance
Happiness and life satisfaction
Evaluation of public issues
Personal freedom of choice over fate

4. Related questions
Generally speaking, would you say that most people can be trusted, or that you can’t be too careful in dealing with people?
Do you think that most people would try to take advantage of you if they got the chance, or would they try to be fair?
Would you say that most of the time people try to be helpful or that they are mostly looking out for themselves?

5. Related questions
Using this card, how often do you meet socially with friends, relatives or work colleagues?
How many people, if any, are there with whom you can discuss intimate and personal matters?

6. Relational capital
Generalized trust

7. Related questions
Gay men and lesbians should be free to live their own life as they wish
Important that the rights of minority groups are protected?

8. Tolerance
Generalized trust

9. Related questions
I feel I am free to decide for myself how to live my life.
In my daily life I get very little chance to show how capable I am.
When things go wrong in my life, it generally takes me a long time to get back to normal.

10. Personal freedom of choice over fate
Generalized trust