Both experimental and ethnographic studies show that reciprocal exchanges (in which actors unilaterally provide benefits to each other without formal agreements) produce stronger trust than negotiated exchanges secured by binding agreements. We develop the theoretical role of risk and uncertainty as causal mechanisms that potentially explain these results, and then test their effects in two laboratory experiments that vary risk and uncertainty within negotiated and reciprocal forms of exchange. We increase risk in negotiated exchanges by making agreements nonbinding and decrease (...) uncertainty in reciprocal exchanges by having actors communicate their intentions. Our findings support three main theoretical conclusions. (1) Increasing risk in negotiated exchange produces levels of trust comparable to those in reciprocal exchange only if the partner's trustworthiness is near-absolute. (2) Decreasing uncertainty in reciprocal exchange either increases or decreases trust, depending on network structure. (3) Even when reciprocal and negotiated exchanges produce comparable levels of trust, their trust differs in kind, with reciprocal exchange partners developing trust that is more resilient and affect-based. (shrink)

Technology transfer is an essential source of technological innovation for enterprises, which is conducive to the market transformation of patent achievements and the commercial application of new technologies. Building upon social capital theory, all data analyses were performed using SPSS 22.0 and Amos software with the multiple linear regression method. The study explores the mechanism of policy perception to obtain the technical resources needed for enterprise development through boundary-spanning behavior, with a moderating effect of inter-organizational trust and technological potential gap. (...) The study uses survey data from 125 enterprise teams of 42 technology-based enterprises in China. The results show that policy perceived usefulness and usability significantly promote technology transfer performance and boundary-spanning behavior plays a mediating role between them. Speaking of the influencing factors of technology transfer, technological potential gap significantly moderates the relationship between boundary-spanning and technology transfer performance. In contrast, inter-organizational trust positively moderates the relationship between boundary-spanning and technology transfer performance. The research provides theoretical reference and guidance for enterprises on using policy perception better to improve technology transfer performance in the institutional environment. It also helps inspire enterprises to better deal with the cooperative relationship between relevant stakeholders and achieve win-win cooperation. (shrink)

Trust is a fundamental aspect of the moral treatment of stakeholders within the organization-stakeholder relationship. Stakeholders trust the organization to return benefit or protections from harm commensurate with their contributions or stakes. However, in many situations, the firm holds greater power than the stakeholder and therefore cannot necessarily be trusted to return the aforementioned duty to the stakeholder. Stakeholders must therefore rely on the trustworthiness of the organization to fulfill obligations in accordance to Phillips' principle of fairness (Business Ethics Quarterly (...) 7(1), 1997, 51-66), particularly where low-power stakeholders may not be fully consenting (Van Buren III, Business Ethics Quarterly 11(3), 2001, 481-499). The construct of organizational trustworthiness developed herewith is presented as a possible solution to the problem of unfairness in organizationstakeholder relations. While organizational trustworthiness does not create an ethical obligation where none existed before, stakeholders who lack power wiU likely be treated fairly when organizational trustworthiness is present. (shrink)

This paper summarises the author 's doctoral research on the development of interpersonal/interorganisational trust in relationships between expatriate and Russian staff working in east‐west enterprises in Russia. There is strong evidence from a variety of researchers to suggest that in order for western businesses investing in Russia to succeed, the dif.cult process of building trust needs to be understood and managed since in the Russian business climate western standards and norms of ethical business have not yet been established. According to (...) research.ndings, western investors doing business in Russia and the long‐term, personal trust that characterises family and friend relationships more congenial and more productive than formal, arm's‐length contacts and contracts. In such a context, it becomes important to identify what creates and destroys trust in the post‐Soviet business environment. This paper describes the causal factors leading to trust or lack of trust in relationships within western‐invested strategic alliances in Russia. The key relationship under consideration is the one between expatriate western staff and managers seconded to the venture on the one hand, and their local Russian staff, counterparts and superiors on the other. (shrink)

In recent years, two topics have made prominent debuts in the management literature—“virtual” corporations and trust within and among organizations. These two themes are related in that trust is important to the success of the virtual corporation. This article argues that confidence in the development of virtual corporations may be premature because of what we call the Virtual Corporation Paradox. This paradox can be succinctly stated: the short-term, transient deal-making on which the efficiency of the virtual corporation rests greatly impedes (...) the development of the mutually trusting and cooperative relationships on which its success depends. We examine both economic and sociological explanations for the emergence of trust in similar situations and find both deficient. We conclude that the success of virtual corporations will ultimately depend on an ethics-based form of corporate “character” that allows firms to develop trusting relationships without the usual safeguards or social norms. (shrink)