On the Evolution of Trust, Distrust, and Formal Coordination and Control in Interorganizational Relationships

Abstract

In this article, the authors discuss the evolution of trust, distrust, and formal coordination and control in interorganizational relationships. They suggest that the degrees to which managers trust and distrust their partners during initial stages of cooperation leave strong imprints on the development of these relationships in later stages of collaboration. This derives from the impact of trust and distrust on (a) formal coordination and control, (b) interorganizational performance, and (c) the interpretations that managers attribute to the behavior of their partners. Collectively, the authors' arguments give rise to a conceptual framework that indicates that there is a high propensity for interorganizational relationships to develop along vicious or virtuous cycles. By integrating and reconciling previous work on the trust-control nexus and by emphasizing the dynamics associated with it, the article contributes to a more comprehensive and refined understanding of the evolution of interorganizational cooperation.