SHOPPING AMENITIES, SOCIAL INTERACTION AND SOCIAL CAPITAL: A CASE STUDY OF TWO RESIDENTIAL NEW TOWNS IN SINGAPORE

Abstract

Arguably, shops play a social role in enhancing community ties by providing an aim and a place for interaction. Additionally, there are notions that shops of a larger cluster size can provide a better social function by meeting a greater diversity of needs and the feasible provision of public spaces. However, literature has shown that suburban malls lack the social function neighbourhood shops can provided. Therefore, this study aims to draw relationships between the frequencies of utilization of HDB shops and suburban malls, their corresponding interaction and the social capital index of respondents of a survey questionnaire. Additionally, the study also intended to show the varying extent to which HDB shops and suburban malls have in providing a social function to residents. As a result, two new towns were selected, Bishan with a larger cluster of HDB shops, and Punggol with a lesser extent. The findings of the survey suggest that respondents from Bishan more likely uses and interacts more at HDB shops and have a higher social capital index than Punggol respondents, supporting the argument. The study provides evidence that is a connection between frequenting HDB shops, its corresponding social interaction and social capital index, being derived simultaneously in respondents in both Bishan and Punggol. Furthermore, there is evidence that larger clusters of HDB shops has a significant social role, but not small clusters through a comparison between Bishan and Punggol. Moreover, the study also shows that suburban malls lack the social function HDB shops have.