Trust under Pressure

This book challenges the current thinking on trust largely based on studies in stable contexts, by presenting new empirical studies of trust and trust building in a number of less stable, less institutionalized settings. These contexts are gaining in prominence given the globalization and virtualization of organizational relations, development of high velocity markets, and the growing importance of intangible resources.

The empirical studies presented in this book have been conducted by scholars with a wide variety of disciplinary backgrounds, employing insights from a diverse range of fields including organization theory, knowledge management, sociology, psychology, economics, management, human resources management and communication sciences. Data from twelve different countries, including Eastern and Western European countries, Mexico, Tanzania and Western European countries is analysed, illustrating relations within and between organizations and nations. These organizations exist in environments that can be typified as uncertain because institutional, taken-for-granted or rational bases for control and trust are lacking. Several fresh insights into how trust is built and sustained in uncertain circumstances are presented, and relevant yet challenging directions for future research are proposed.

This accessible and interdisciplinary book will appeal to a wide-ranging audience encompassing academics from a number of fields focussing on trust. It will also be warmly welcomed by business and management practitioners, particularly those confronted with developments that create uncertainty.