An improved trust model in agent-mediated E-commerce

Trust is a fundamental issue in multiagent systems, especially in agent-mediated e-commence. The trust model plays an important role in determining who and how to interact in open and dynamic environments. To this end, many trust models have been developed. Based on the confidence–reputation model proposed by other researchers, an improved trust model is discussed. The original model was enhanced in two aspects: (1) when evaluating the trustworthiness of target agents, the reliability of the witness itself is taken into account and further aggregated by Dempster-Shafer evidence theory and (2) the ontological property of trust is considered, which implies that trust can be calculated more precisely. A case study is provided to show the effectiveness of the improved model.

Trust and the social capital necessary for pedagogical reform

Part of the program of educational reform and the change in pedagogy from rote top down instruction to group based and more creative forms of  pedagogy relies on teachers adequately engaging with accepting, and  trusting the reforms and the way subjectivity is reformulated in the  classroom. My essential argument is that if we want to know how Malaysian educational reform will work and what its chances of success are we must focus as much on the issue of trust as we do on pedagogy. The reasons for this are two fold. First, the success of pedagogical reform and the pick up of new forms of pedagogy in the classroom relies on forms of social interaction and aspects of social capital that are different from the types of relationships that characterize a traditional educational setting. Second, a failure to  understand the important social capital that is both a precursor to  pedagogical reform as well as an outcome of it is a failure to understand  both how pedagogical reform can work and what its implications are. If this thesis is correct then we need to focus our research agendas on an area  that is not as well researched. We need to look at the social capital  preconditions for effective teaching and in particular the issue of trust in our  teaching. This paper is an attempt to map out the theoretical issues that  need further elaboration through research.

Managers' trust, reliance on control mechanisms and performance of subordinates

Many organisational scholars claim that interpersonal trust between managers and subordinates will bring about a number of positive organisational outcomes including enhanced job performance in subordinates. Recent management accounting literature implies that the trust's positive effect on performance is achieved by using trust-based controls such as 'social control'. While the former indicates a direct positive relationship between trust and performance, the latter indicates an indirect positive relationship between trust and performance through controls. Whether the trust's relationship with performance is direct or indirect is particularly important issue for management accountants because of the possible implications of the nature of the relationship for the design and exercise of management control in organisations.

Trust in mono-ethnic and mixed-ethnic association in Penang

Investigation into trust has become a topical issue in current social science research. This is, in large part, a result of a perception that trust in institutions has declined markedly in the past two decades. This paper investigates trust in some of Penang's civil associations as a way of measuring the health of social capital in Penang. It focuses on issues of trust and diversity since both are critical issues in Malaysian society in general and civil associations in particular. We began our analysis expecting higher forms of trust among members in the mono-ethnic associations, based on the power of bonding. However, findings from this study tend to suggest that rather than leading to lesser trust and infectiveness, involvement in mixed-ethnic associations have in fact generated higher trust among their members. These findings reveal an interesting corrective to more pessimistic view on the relationship between trust and diversity. Data from this study also provide important insight into how bridging between different people in associations marked by diversity can accentuate trust over and above the levels found in associations were bonding between like types is the dominant characteristic. The data also indicate that for both, mono-ethnic and mixed-ethnic associations, it is the extent of members' involvements in their associations that form trust and not vice versa.

Downside beta and the cross-sectional determinants of listed property trust returns

This study examines the importance of downside beta when seeking to explain variations in listed property trust (LPT) returns in Australia between 1993 and 2005. The results reveal that downside beta outperforms conventional beta and provides higher explanatory power to the cross-sectional LPT return variations. The results also indicate that investors only require a premium for downside risk. However, the explanatory power of downside beta has diminished once the co-kurtosis of LPTs is controlled. Interestingly, the results also reveal that by itself downside beta is unable to fully explain returns in line with strong evidence for momentum and book-to-market ratio. The findings provide additional insights for investors and real estate analysts into the pricing of LPTs.

The role of trust in nurturing compliance : a study of accused tax avoiders

Why an institution’s rules and regulations are obeyed or disobeyed is an important question for regulatory agencies. This paper discusses the findings of an empirical study that shows that the use of threat and legal coercion as a regulatory tool—in addition to being more expensive to implement — can sometimes be ineffective in gaining compliance. Using survey data collected from 2,292 taxpayers accused of tax avoidance, it will be demonstrated that variables such as trust need to be considered when managing noncompliance. If regulators are seen to be acting fairly, people will trust the motives of that authority, and will defer to their decisions voluntarily. This paper therefore argues that to shape desired behavior, regulators will need to move beyond motivation linked purely to deterrence. Strategies directed at reducing levels of distrust between the two sides may prove particularly effective in gaining voluntary compliance with an organization’s rules and regulations.

Model for fostering trust and building relationships in China's construction industry

Trust is an underlying psychological condition that can cause cooperation or risk-taking. Trust is considered as a predominant feature and a central mechanism in business transactions, especially among Chinese. Trust-based relationships create advantages in conducting business such as lowering cost, shortening duration, and improving performance. Indispensable conditions for trust to arise are relationships and risks. Different risks surface as a result of different levels of relationships. Sustained trust is therefore fostered by various means to counterbalance those risks. In order to assess the links between distinct trust-related features, a model is constructed and tested through a questionnaire survey in China. The findings generally support the model in terms of explaining the dominant relationships, inherent risks, and trust-fostering tools. It is recommended that firms adopt the refined model and utilize successful practices verified in this paper to foster trust and relationships and in turn secure project success.

Constructing a framework for building relationships and trust in project organisations : two case studies of building projects in China

A framework is constructed that can be used to foster trust and build relationships in construction project organizations in China. The research method was based on in-depth study of two building projects in China and data were collected via face-to-face interviews. The results show that as the project progresses, the dominant relationship within each stage deepens. The deepening relationship gives rise to different types of inherent risks such as a partner's self-interest seeking behaviour and opportunistic actions. To counterbalance these risks, trust fostering tools must be employed such as careful selection and effective management of partners. The framework for fostering trust and building relationship developed in the study suggests that (1) relationship deepens from shallow dependence to deep interdependence as the project progresses; (2) different relationships bring about distinct inherent risks; and (3) different trust-fostering tools counterbalance specific inherent risks. This framework could aid in reducing adversarial relationships by suggesting ways to foster trustworthy relationships.

Risk and trust in cross-sector R & D projects

The Cooperative Research Centres are hybrid organizations at the leading edge of change in Australia's research culture and are key elements in the new knowledge infrastructure contributing to technological innovation. The paper presents findings from a qualitative study of CRC managers' perceptions and management of downside risk in commercially-focused R&D projects. CRC managers deal with both performance risks (arising from uncertainties about achieving goals) and relational risks (arising from collaborative relationships). They do so through formalisation, the selection of people with desirable characteristics, and the building of relationships. Underlying these risk mitigation strategies is the formation of trust (a willingness to rely on a partner in whom one has confidence), and this occurs at both interorganizational and project levels.