A Network Perspective on Interpersonal Trust Dynamics

Abstract

This chapter focuses on the possibilities to develop and repair interpersonal trust in an organizational context from a social network perspective. Trust violations have been argued to be one of the major difficulties that plague organizational life and challenge effective workplace relationships. It is therefore important and meaningful to investigate how trust develops and decays, and how it can be repaired. Despite a surge of research in recent years that investigates trust dynamics from psychological and behavioral perspectives, less is known about how trust dynamics may be influenced by the social context. Drawing upon a systematic literature review in which we found a set of network-related factors that (potentially) influence trust formation, we build a conceptual framework that summarizes how these factors affect trust and which aspects require further attention from researchers. Based on this framework, we provide a set of recommendations intended for managers and executives navigating the social trenches of organizations.