The effects of technical and social conditions on workplace trust

This paper investigates the extent to which the technical and social contexts of organizations independently affect levels of workplace trust. We argue that, in an organizational context, trust is not just a relationship between an individual subject (the truster) and an object (the trustee) but is subject to effects from the conditions of the work relationship itself. We describe the organizational context as comprising both a technical system of production (where work gets done through the specification of tasks) and a social system of work (where problems of effort, compliance, conformity and motivation are managed). We analyse the relationship between trust and these two aspects of workplace context (technical and social systems). We also operationalize this in terms of differences between industries,  occupational composition and human resource management practices. The model is tested using data drawn from the 1995 Australian Workplace Industrial Relations Survey. The results confirm that differences in industry, occupational composition and HRM practices all impact on levels of workplace trust. We review these results in terms of their implications for future research into the problem of analysing variation in trust at both the workplace and individual levels.

The impact of participative leadership on job performance and organizational citizenship behavior: distinguishing between the mediating effects of affective and cognitive trust

This study examines the mediating effects of cognitive trust and affective trust on the relationship between supervisors' participative leadership behavior and subordinate work outcomes, using data obtained from 247 dyads in a manufacturing organization located in mainland China. Structural equation modeling revealed that while affective trust fully mediated the relationships between participative leadership of supervisor and subordinate job performance and organizational citizenship behavior, cognitive trust had non-significant effects. These findings underscore the importance of interpersonal interactions between the supervisor and subordinate for engendering subordinate work outcomes. They also lend support to the exchange (relationship)-based explanation as to how trust enhances the response of subordinates to the participative leadership behavior of their immediate supervisor, given that affective trust involves a process of social exchange between both parties over an extended period of time. © 2014 © 2014 Taylor & Francis.

Participative leadership and the organizational commitment of civil servants in China: The mediating effects of trust in supervisor

The present study examines whether participative leadership engenders organizational commitment amongst Chinese civil servants and analyses the mechanisms by which it transmits its effects. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling revealed that there was a significant relationship between supervisor-level participative leadership and the affective and normative commitment of subordinates, but no relationship with continuance commitment. Affective trust was also identified as the mediator variable underlying the relationship between participative leadership and organizational commitment. We show that participative leadership of supervisors elicits higher levels of trust and leads subordinates to reciprocate through exhibiting higher levels of organizational commitment. Our study also reveals that Chinese civil servants who accept an unequal distribution of power between supervisors and subordinates typically exhibit lower levels of affective and normative commitment to the organization than those who do not. Our results provide greater support for the deepening of administrative reforms and the dissemination of participative leadership practices in China's new civil service system. © 2013 British Academy of Management.

Servant leadership, trust, and the organizational commitment of public sector employees in China

© 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd. So-called servant leaders strive selflessly and altruistically to assist others before themselves, work to develop their followers' greatest potential, and seek to benefit the wider community. This article examines the trust-based mechanisms by which servant leadership influences organizational commitment in the Chinese public sector, using data from a survey of civil servants. Quantitative analysis shows that servant leadership strongly influences affective and normative commitment, while having no impact on continuance commitment. Furthermore, we find that affective trust rather than cognitive trust is the mechanism by which servant leadership induces higher levels of commitment. Our findings suggest that in a time of decreasing confidence levels in public leaders, servant leadership behaviour may be used to re-establish trust and create legitimacy for the Chinese civil service.

Emergence of trust in interorganisational networks

The conditions under which trust emerges as a governance mechanism in interorganisational networks was examined. The findings indicate that interorganisational trust is fostered when network members identify with common goals, when there is high interpersonal trust between key individuals in the networks, and when norms favouring reciprocity and cooperation develop.

The dance of trust in high risk multi-partner collaborations : an exploration of the antecedents of trust in cross-sector R&D projects

This paper explores the dance of trust in cross-sector R&D collaborations, and does so by drawing on a multi-method study (involving qualitative research, case studies and a survey of project leaders) of the Australian Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) Program. R&D collaborations formed under this Program involve two main types of risk, venture or performance-related and relational, and these are problematic given power, information and risk impact asymmetries among the partners. Within the CRCs these risks are addressed through formalisation, employing the “right people”, and through relationship building. Trust (theorised following Sako as a multi-dimensional construct) is central to these processes. Where trust is formed among CRC participants, and is reinforced over repeated interactions, then relational and performance risks cease to become a major concern for CRC managers. In the CRCs, trust is formed and sustained as a multi-level process. Engagement and relationship commitment is achieved at an organizational level, and partner reputation, credible commitments and the institutional context are important factors here. At the project level, trust, in conjunction with a task focus, leads to a positive collaboration experience and this is associated with positive project outcomes. Within CRC projects, capabilities for communication and cross-sector management are important for the formation and maintenance of trust. The paper concludes by discussing the managerial implications of the study’s findings and by identifying areas for further research and conceptual development.

Building trust in cross-sector R&D collaborations : the role of credible commitments

This paper reports selected findings from a study of one form of cross-boundary relationship: cross-sector R&D collaboration under the Australian Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) Programme. The study sought to explain project partners’ collaboration experience using a theoretical model which was empirically tested with a survey of CRC project leaders. It was hypothesised (H1) that the higher the level of relational trust (measured, following Sako, in terms of contractual, competence, and goodwill trust) amongst the partners in a collaborative project team, the more positive would be the partners’ experience of the project. The construct of credible commitments (the making of pledges, or the economic equivalent of the taking of hostages, which bind partners to a relationship) was posed in the model as an antecedent of relational trust. Accordingly it was hypothesised (H2) that the more that credible commitments are made by the project partners, the higher would be the level of relational trust between them. Data from the achieved sample (n = 156, 51% response rate) were analysed using PLS Graph. The results of the analysis provided support for hypothesis 1 but not for hypothesis 2. It was concluded that this latter finding could be due to the specific context of the study (cross-sector R&D collaborations under the CRC Programme differ markedly from inter-firm strategic alliances), or it could be due to the complex nature of credible commitments which was not adequately captured by our measure of this construct. Further research is required in this area to clarify the nature credible commitments, and the circumstances under which they contribute to a spiral of rising trust, in different cross-boundary contexts.

The soft systems approach to understanding trust in alliances in Australia

Alliances are complex projects with high levels of risk and uncertainty. Despite the pain share and gain share commercial arrangement in alliances, Trust is still an issue between the Alliancing Leadership Team (ALT) and Alliancing Management Team relationship (AMT). Although the concept and components of trust have been discussed by various researchers, the characteristic of trust under different situations has not been tested within the procurement research domain. Based on semi-structured interviews with the members of the ALT and AMT of an alliance project in Australia the underlying trust based relationships between the AMT and ALT were investigated using the Soft Systems Methodology (SSM). Results demonstrate that cognitive, affect, system and cognitive-affect based trust are mediated by common good, needs, sharing, breach temptation and mishap situations. This research demonstrates that the adversarial culture of the Australian construction industry cannot be changed by the implementation of trust principles alone. The culture of suspicion dominating the ideological view of the construction industry requires organizational learning between alliance parties to execute appropriate behaviours, aligned with the alliancing philosophy, to effectively achieve ideal collaboration.

Revisiting the mediating role of trust in transformational leadership effects: Do different types of trust make a difference?

This study examines the mediating effects of cognitive and affective trust on the relationship between follower perceptions of transformational leadership behavior and their work outcomes. Using data obtained from 318 supervisor-subordinate dyads from a manufacturing organization located in mainland China, structural equation modeling results revealed that affective trust fully mediated the relationships between transformational leadership and the work outcomes of followers, including their affective organizational commitment, organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs), and job performance. In contrast, cognitive trust negatively mediated the relationship between transformational leadership and follower job performance, and had insignificant effects on their affective organizational commitment and organizational citizenship behaviors. These findings highlight the importance of affective trust as a mechanism which translates transformational leadership into positive work outcomes for the organization. © 2012 Elsevier Inc.

Organizational factors related to the confidence of workers in working with residents with dementia or depression in aged care facilities

OBJECTIVES: There has been limited research examining how organizational factors are associated with the level of confidence of residential aged care staff in managing both residents' depression and the behavioural and psychological symptoms of residents with dementia (BPSD). This study investigated this issue. METHOD: A cross-sectional study design was employed. In total, 255 aged care staff (131 senior staff, 124 junior staff) from 21 residential care facilities participated in the study. All staff completed measures of self-efficacy in managing BPSD as well as confidence in working with older people with depression. They also completed measures of organizational climate (autonomy, cohesion, trust, pressure, support, recognition, fairness and encouragement of innovation) and measures of workplace experience (job role, number of years working in aged care facilities), job stress and satisfaction, and knowledge of depression. RESULTS: The results demonstrated that autonomy, trust, support, and job stress were associated with confidence in managing BPSD, while the factors related to confidence in managing depression were autonomy, support, job stress, job satisfaction, and knowledge of depression. CONCLUSION: These findings highlight that organizational climate factors need to be addressed in order to increase staff confidence in managing BPSD and depression. In particular, the findings demonstrate the importance of fostering organizational environments in which autonomy is promoted and there is support and cooperation among aged care staff. Attention to these factors is likely to increase the confidence of staff as they carry out their carer role.

Organizational climate and self-efficacy as predictors of staff strain in caring for dementia residents: a mediation model

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: To date, no research has investigated how the organizational climate of aged care influences the self-efficacy of staff in caring for residents with dementia, or, how self-efficacy is associated with the strain experienced by staff. This study sought to investigate the extent to which the self-efficacy of aged care staff mediates the association between organizational climate variables (such as autonomy, trusting and supportive workplace relations, and the recognition of competence and ability, and perceptions of workplace pressure) and staff strain. DESIGN AND METHODS: A cross-sectional survey design was implemented in which 255 residential aged care staff recruited across aged care facilities in Melbourne, Australia. Staff completed self-report measures of organizational climate, self-efficacy, and strains in caring for residents with dementia. RESULTS: Indirect effects analyses using bootstrapping indicated that self-efficacy of staff mediated the association between the organizational climate variables of autonomy, trust, support, pressure, and staff strain. IMPLICATIONS: The findings of this study emphasize that the aged care sector needs to target organizational climate variables that enhance the self-efficacy of staff, and that this in turn, can help ameliorate the strain experienced by staff caring for residents experiencing dementia.

The impact of characteristics of nurses' relationships with their supervisor, engagement and trust, on performance behaviours and intent to quit.

AIMS: The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of characteristics of nurses' relationship quality with their manager on engagement and trust, onto in-role or discretionary behaviours and intent to quit. BACKGROUND: Nurses having a good relationship with their manager are seen as important, yet the mechanisms of how such relationships are beneficial, or which aspects of the relationship are important, is less clear. Two possible mechanisms are through the nurse being more engaged in work, or through building their trust in their employer. In turn, engagement and trust may impact in-role and discretionary behaviours as well as staff retention. DESIGN: Cross-sectional. METHOD: An online survey in 2013 of 459 nurses across Australia. RESULTS: Structural analyses indicated that the affect dimension of relationship quality was negatively related to engagement, whereas contribution and respect were positively related to engagement. The affect and respect aspects were positively related to trust. Engagement positively related to discretionary and in-role behaviours. Engagement and trust were negatively related to quit intention, as was the loyalty dimension of the nurses' relationship with their supervisor. However, perceptions of variability in their team's relationship quality with their leader was negatively related to trust and positively related to intent to quit. CONCLUSIONS: Nurse managers with a nuanced understanding of social exchange at work are likely to maintain more engaged, well-performing and stable nursing teams. In particular, a willingness by the supervisor to come to their nurses' defence and having a consistent standard of relationship quality across their nurses is likely to improve nurse retention.

Trust in B2C e-commerce : the New Zealand Maori internet shopper

This chapter identifies relevant factors of Maori trust in terms of encouraging online shopping of B2C e-commerce by Maori in New Zealand. The concepts of trust, risk and reputation are used to explore the uptake of Internet shopping in a B2C context by Maori, a minority-but significant-racial group, in New Zealand. Reputation and adoption of e-commerce in Maori culture emanates from family and tribe, typically by word of mouth. This chapter suggests that specific cultures like the Maori have different elements in their trust of e-commerce, which needs to be addressed to encourage broader use.