Interpersonal trust in organisations: an empirical investigation of workplace outcomes in two countries

Abstract

This research hypothesised that particular workplace behavioural outcomes can be explained by interpersonal trust, considering the traditional perspectives on trust as a social glue lowering transaction costs. We employed an approach of distinguishing three trust objects, namely, trust in peers, trust in the supervisor, and trust in top management. Survey data on interpersonal trust, affective commitment (AC), intention to turnover (ITT), job satisfaction (JS) and job performance (JP) was collected from professionals working in Turkey (N = 134) and the USA (N = 150). Data were analysed using partial least square based structural equation modelling. Findings in general suggested a normative point of view of trust, and discussions from comparative cultural contexts were given. Evidence shows that AC was positively associated with trust in peers and trust in top management in both countries. JS was explained by trust in supervisors in the US sample, whereas trust in top management predicted JS in the Turkey sample. ITT, due to its economic-grained nature, did not associate with any of the trust variables, implying the distinction between social exchange and economic exchange. JP and trust were inversely associated in the samples from both countries, revealing a team effect and contradicting the initial hypothesis. Practical implications were discussed.