Exploring Trust Ecology in a Public-Private Partnership for Agricultural Innovation in the United States Bioeconomy

Abstract

United States (US) federal agencies are endorsing public-private partnerships (PPPs) to link public institutions with industry to develop local supplies of biofuel and build a domestic bioeconomy. Although trust is a critical factor within effective PPPs, few studies have addressed the different types of trust needed to cultivate these partnerships. Employing a mixed-method design, we explore a PPP in the Southeast US through the lens of trust ecology. We describe how participants perceive trust types within different project spaces and how trust changed during the partnership. Our findings highlight the role that different interactive spaces can play in cultivating types of trust that accumulate in an additive fashion. We offer insights on process-design mechanisms and project management strategies that can bolster trust in PPPs.