Constructive Trusts Research Articles

Unpacking trust: The Italian validation of the Epistemic Trust, Mistrust, and Credulity Questionnaire (ETMCQ).

The construct of epistemic trust has received much consideration in recent psychological literature, even though mainly from a theoretical perspective. The overall aim of this study was to validate the first self-report measure of epistemic trust-the Epistemic Trust, Mistrust, and Credulity Questionnaire (ETMCQ)-in an Italian sample. Our primary goal was to test the factorial validity of the instrument, also exploring the influence of age, gender, and level of education on epistemic trust (Study 1, n = 843). Secondarily, we investigated the associations between epistemic trust, mistrust, credulity, and other aspects of psychological functioning, as well as with the presence of adverse childhood experiences in a smaller number of participants (Study 2, n = 445). Besides the ETMCQ, the survey included an ad hoc questionnaire investigating socio-demographic characteristics and self-report measures of reflective functioning, mentalized affectivity, traumatic experiences, attachment, and psychological symptoms. Statistical analysis showed a three-factor hierarchical structure similar to the model proposed in the original validation, with some differences that suggest an influence of cultural factors in determining individuals' epistemic stance. Our results corroborate previous theoretical contributions regarding the association between epistemic trust and psychological wellbeing, and between epistemic disruptions and higher levels of psychological suffering. Both Mistrust and Credulity were significantly related to the presence of childhood traumatic experiences, attachment avoidance and anxiety, lower levels of mentalization, lower abilities in emotional regulation, and higher levels of psychopathological symptoms. The ETMCQ represents an easily administered and time-effective tool. Its use could pave the way for interesting clinical and theoretical findings.

Effect of social trust on health information exchange in social network sites

Background: The purpose of this study is to conduct a systematic literature review of the role of social trust in health information exchange on social network sites (SNSs). In the light of the confusion and panic about health information leading to and during the worldwide lockdown, in an attempt to control the spread and symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Although the sharing of health information on SNS did not start during the COVID-19 lockdown, the concerns about health information interchange were highlighted during the lockdown. Objectives: This study investigates the nature of the association between health information exchange and social trust and how social trust has influenced health information exchange from 2005 to 2021. Method: In line with the purpose of the study, the researcher applied a systematic literature review to review conference articles, accredited journal articles and book chapters. The review process involved a rigorous procedure towards a definition of review protocol, extraction of articles, formulation of selection criteria and the review itself. Results: This study reveals a transactional interplay between the constructs of social trust (benevolence, integrity and competence) and social network site user roles (information seeker, information passer and information giver). Conclusion: In summary, the researcher argues that public health officials would benefit from setting up an SNS that proactively provides health information. The health information exchange experience should be designed in a way that takes into account how social trust can be used to moderate health information exchange in the SNS by different types.

Distribution of property at the termination of de facto unions (marriages by cohabitation/repute) in some African countries

Abstract Many African countries have ratified the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). Article 16(1) of CEDAW provides for, inter alia, the right to equality in a marriage. The drafting history of Article 16 of CEDAW shows that the delegates agreed that the whole provision was applicable to women whether or not they were married. In its General Recommendation No. 29 on Marriage and Family Relations, the CEDAW Committee provides interpretive guidance for states on Article 16 and, inter alia, highlights the economic hardships that women face at the termination of de facto unions or relationships (marriages by cohabitation) and urged state parties to protect the economic rights of women in such relationships. African countries have approached the issue of de facto relationships in different ways. These approaches have also determined the manner in which the economic rights of parties to these relationships are protected. In some countries such as Malawi and Tanzania, legislation recognizes such unions. In Kenya, although these unions are not recognized by legislation, they are recognized by courts. Courts have also recognized some economic rights of parties therein. In Seychelles, a ‘hybrid’ approach has been followed in terms of which these rights are protected in both legislation and case law. In Uganda, South Africa, Zambia, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Swaziland, and Rwanda, de facto unions are neither recognized in legislation nor in case law. However, courts have invoked principles from other branches of law such as the law of equity (constructive trusts and proprietary estoppel), partnerships and the right to property to protect the economic rights of the parties in these unions. In this article, the author demonstrates the approaches taken by courts in countries where de facto unions are not recognized by legislation (Uganda, South Africa, Zambia, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Namibia, Eswatini (Swaziland), and Rwanda) to protect the economic rights of the parties when these relationships are terminated.

The effect of quality, security and privacy factors on trust and intention to use e-government services

In keeping abreast with the digitized and automated world today, governments of developing and developed nations must provide appropriate e-government services to assure confidence and effective and efficient usage among their citizens. The quality, security, and privacy of current e-government implementation have been impairing the trust and participation of users, in Jordan especially. Hence, this study examined the impacts of quality, security and privacy of e-government services on the intention to use e-government services among Jordanian citizens. Questionnaires were used to gather data, and questionnaire items covered the constructs of quality factors (information quality, system quality, and service quality), perceived security, and perceived privacy as independent variables, and the constructs of trust and intention to use as dependent variables. The study samples comprised academics in Jordanian public universities. The universities were selected using stratified sampling method, while the respondents were chosen using simple random sampling method - 212 respondents were selected. SPSS Version 18 and PLS Version 3.3.6 were used in data analyses and hypotheses testing. Results affirmed a positive and significant link between information quality, system quality, service quality, perceived security, perceived privacy and trust in e-government services, and a positive and significant link between trust in e-government services on intention to use. In e-government services implementation, Jordanian government should take into account the quality factors (information quality, system quality, and service quality), perceived privacy, and perceived security, to increase trust of the citizens and consequently their intention to use the e-government services.

The Remedial Constructive Trust Approach in the Hong Kong Law of Proprietary Estoppel

The Remedial Constructive Trust Approach in the Hong Kong Law of Proprietary Estoppel

The use of ‘ecommerce’ and ‘social commerce in emerging markets’: Omani female millennials’ experiences

Commercial social media (social commerce in emerging market) have increasingly been used in many emerging markets as an evolutionary form of ecommerce. While this trend has recently been examined from an e-vender's perspective, little is known about how customers, specifically female millennials, perceive of their shopping experiences with commercial social media in relation to ecommerce. Thus, this study explores the underlying motivations for using one e-retailing type over the other. We consider the social constructs of trust, customer service quality and web design in the study. Drawing data from 20 in-depth interviews with young Omani women, the study revealed that ecommerce is most preferred to commercial social media. It highlights the role of unethical marketing practices; unsystematic delivery costs; unprofessional customer service quality; underdeveloped local market and uneasiness of commercial social media in influencing the decision-making of the customers to shift to ecommerce. The study further points to the intersection between product's price, quality and information in building trust; the role of professionalism, responsiveness and empathy in enhancing customer service quality; the importance of product quality and variety in the local market; and the easy navigation and online payment of e-retailing platforms. The study bears implications on enhancing the features and services of commercial social media. It also calls for transforming the local market to meet the customers’ needs.

Technology for reducing distracted driving in developing countries: the level of usage and intention to use in Indonesia

Distracted driving is a major cause of car crashes. Considering the dangers of distracted driving, efforts to develop prevention and/or reduction technology are underway. The purpose of this study is to observe the level of usage of distracted-driving-reduction technology in Indonesia and model the intention to use this technology on the technology acceptance model (TAM).The participants in this study included 418 Indonesian drivers (217 males, 201 females, mean age = 30.96 years), who volunteered to fill out an online questionnaire that the researcher developed, based on the TAM. The questionnaire comprised constructs including subjective norm, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and intention to use, as well as the additional constructs of trust in technology and personal innovativeness. Participants used a five-point Likert scale to record their responses.The results showed the level of respondents' use of distracted-driving-reduction technology as 88.52%. The most frequently used technology for this purpose was Bluetooth-enabled audio systems. The factors that significantly influenced the intention to use distracted-driving-reduction technology were the subjective norm, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and personal innovativeness. The paper also discusses the implications of the results.

Sports sponsorship as a communication tool used in corporate reputation management: A case study of Kenya Commercial Bank

This study aimed at determining the image stakeholders have towards KCB as a sports sponsor. Corporate image is defined by the constructs of good feeling, trust, admiration and respect, as informed by Fombrun and Gardberg’s RepTrakTM Pulse tool. A case study design was used in order to gain in-depth information about KCB. This study was premised on Stakeholder Theory as it focuses on the impact of a company’s activities on stakeholders, whereby these activities may result in a positive or a negative view of the company. Purposive sampling was used to select participants. This study was conducted in Nairobi County, and participants in this study were external stakeholders of KCB. Respondents included 10 players from KCB Rugby Football Club, 10 supporters (fans), 10 KCB agents and 15 KCB clients. A quantitative method of collecting data was used. Data was generated using a Likert-type scale questionnaire informed by RepTrakTM Pulse. Findings from this study revealed that KCB’s reputational capital is enhanced because it sponsored sports. Most of the respondents took a neutral stance on the statements informing the constructs of good feeling, trust, admiration, and respect. A small percentage of the respondents expressed disagreement with the statements, while a considerable percentage were positive and agreed with the statements. KCB’s corporate image is favourable as stakeholders have a good feeling towards it, trust and admire and respect it on account of sponsoring sports.

Exploring Patients’ Trust from a New Perspective. A Text-Analysis Study

ABSTRACT The concept of trust has been extensively studied within the field of medicine. Yet, a list of factors that clearly influence patients’ trust is still under debate. Moreover, the methodological approaches found in literature have been reported to be lacking in their assessments and measurements of trust relationships in the medical field although trust between a patient and medical provider has been proven to increase adherence and improve health outcomes. Hence, adding data to this debate and exploring a reliable method to explore the construct of trust is relevant. This study collects new evidence of the most salient indicators of patient trust by using a narrative approach and highlighting the potential of this method in collecting indicators that could be used to build training that aims to increase patients’ trust. We used the Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count software for text analysis to examine the spontaneous narrations of episodes of trust and distrust within the doctor-patient relationship with a sample of 82 adult patients. Results demonstrate the role of the emotional aspects of the doctor-patient relationship. Data highlights the importance of doctors’ benevolence toward patients, and positive emotions seem to be deeply connected with any experience of trust, which leads patients to feel more secure. Methods are presented to use these insights to construct mechanisms that establish medical trust and allow providers to implement effective interventions.

How will multifaceted trust impact domestic travel during the COVID-19 pandemic and subjective well-being? A comparison between Korea and the US

This study examines the impact of extended tourist trust constructs on domestic travel experiences, subjective well-being, and future travel intention in the pandemic. Data was obtained through a survey conducted on 1181 Korean and American domestic tourists. The results show that policy trust and destination trust have positive effects on travel frequency and satisfaction. Moreover, interactional trust positively impacted travel satisfaction. While both travel frequency and travel satisfaction have positive impacts on subjective well-being of travelers, travel satisfaction has a stronger impact on subjective well-being than travel frequency. However, certain relationships were influenced by national backgrounds (U·S vs. Korea).

Halal-Friendly Attributes and Muslims’ Visit Intention: Exploring the Roles of Perceived Value and Destination Trust

Halal tourism is pushed by the growth of the Muslim population worldwide. This present study aimed to examine the association between constructs of halal-friendly attributes, perceived value, destination trust, and visit intention and investigate the mediation effect of perceived value and destination trust in Muslims’ visit intention. The SOR (stimulus–organism–response) model was employed, and halal-friendly attributes were investigated as a stimulus that impacts Muslims’ perceived value and destination trust (organism) and leads to visit intention (response). These data were gathered from a sample of 307 Muslims. This study examined the proposed conceptual framework via PLS-SEM. The findings of this present study reveal the impact of halal-friendly attributes on perceived value and destination trust and the mediating role of perceived value and destination trust in the relationship between environmental factors (i.e., halal-friendly attributes) and visit intention in a non-Islamic country. This study’s original contribution is that it explores the antecedents of environmental factors by examining the extended S–O–R model in a halal.

Measuring Distance Learning System Adoption in a Greek University during the Pandemic Using the UTAUT Model, Trust in Government, Perceived University Efficiency and Coronavirus Fear

The COVID-19 pandemic has led most universities around the world using e-learning services as an alternative to their curricula. These distance learning tools can help universities expand and enhance their curricula with flexible learning techniques. In order to measure distance learning systems adoption in the University of Macedonia, a Greek university in the city of Thessaloniki, an extended version of the UTAUT model is introduced by using the constructs of Trust in Government regarding the management of the pandemic, Perceived University Efficiency on issues regarding distance learning provision and Corona Fear. To analyze the proposed model, an online survey of 471 university students was conducted. Data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares. The findings revealed that students’ attitudes toward University Efficiency affect key variables of the proposed model, such as Performance Expectancy, Effort Expectancy, Social Influence, Facilitation Conditions and Use Behavior. Additionally, Trust in Government affects Perceived University Efficiency, and Use Behavior and Corona Fear affects University Efficiency and Trust in the Government in the management of pandemic issues. In contradiction with other research, Corona Fear has no moderating effects. University efficiency, Trust in Government and Corona Fear, because of the effects that they have on key variables, may have important managerial implications when considering the adoption of distance learning systems during the pandemic and in general.

Quality perception of accounting firm customers

PurposeThis study aims to verify the dimensions of perceived quality of services which influence the satisfaction of accounting firm clients and verifies whether customer satisfaction influences loyalty and word-of-mouth recommendations.Design/methodology/approachA model is proposed and tested using a survey of 292 accounting firm clients; structural equation modeling and partial least squares are used for data analysis.FindingsThe constructs of internal policies, personal relationships and trust influence the satisfaction of accounting firm clients which directly influences word-of-mouth recommendations and customer loyalty; however, the constructs of physical aspects and problem solving have no influence on satisfaction.Research limitations/implicationsThe main contribution to the accounting field is an identification of the aspects in which firms should invest to deliver quality to clients. The development of internal policies, personal relationships and trust can lead to more satisfied clients, resulting in loyalty and word-of-mouth recommendations. These are novel results within the literature and can guide accounting firms toward better performance.Originality/valueThis study is justified by the fact that accounting firms must adapt to the new environment and the new requirements of the accounting field and look for solutions that follow the progress of financial and managerial accounting, primarily with regard to service quality, satisfaction, loyalty and word-of-mouth recommendations. We also introduce a new scale to reveal novelties which cannot be observed using traditional service quality scales. This is another important contribution to the quality of accounting services.

Improving interprofessional communication: Conceptualizing, operationalizing and testing a healthcare improvisation communication workshop

BackgroundCommunication errors are a leading cause of adverse events in the acute and ambulatory healthcare setting. We now understand that communication within and across professions and patients is a complex achievement with numerous barriers, including cultural, educational, and structural hurdles. Improvisation has been identified as an approach with great potential to develop communication skills for multi-disciplinary healthcare students. ObjectiveWe report on the interdisciplinary conceptualization, operationalization, and effectiveness testing of a novel educational healthcare improvisation communication workshop. DesignProspective pre-post test experimental. SettingUniversity of California, Irvine. ParticipantsTotal of 158 nursing, medicine, and population health students. MethodsWe conceptualized improvisation through the constructs of presence, trust, and acceptance to develop workshop activities, then used the Kirkpatrick Learning Framework to test the workshop's feasibility, learning outcomes, and preliminary behavior changes. ResultsParticipants rated the feasibility of the workshop highly. Pre-post workshop effectiveness testing showed significant increases in communication and collaboration competencies. Qualitative data suggested workshop activities were powerful learning modality because they were premised by introducing their conceptual underpinning and providing tangible examples via the video and debrief. Qualitative data also suggested preliminary behavior changes post workshop. ConclusionsWe have developed and tested a communication teaching modality with strong conceptual grounding and empirical evidence of its efficacy in engaging healthcare students in collaborative communication, with documented evidence of learning that health educators can use in their courses. Future research is needed (and currently underway) to generate the evidence that the workshop can be adopted and sustained within a multi-school curriculum, which includes testing the feasibility of cross-school curriculum logistics (i.e. cross-listing the course to meet different school registrar policies, teaching workload sharing across faculty, etc.), as well as continued effectiveness testing.

The Law at an Intersection: A Meeting of Attribution, Criminal Law, and the Constructive Trust

The principles of corporate attribution have always been a complex area of law, rife with uncertainty and controversy. The recent Supreme Court's decision in Crown Prosecution Service v Aquila Advisory Ltd is notable for clarifying the scope of the principle as articulated in its previous decision of Bilta (UK) Ltd v Nazir. This time, however, the Supreme Court was confronted with an issue that was hitherto unaddressed by previous courts: whether proprietary rights to which a principal would otherwise be entitled against his fiduciary could be asserted in the face of confiscation orders obtained by the Crown Prosecution Service against the fiduciary under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002. This article argues that the reasoning and outcome in this significant decision are unsatisfactory.

Investigating the Impact of the Social Media Branding on Purchase Intention in the African Context

Start-ups play an important role in providing job opportunities and promoting economic development. Social media enables start-ups to reach customers at a more affordable cost than traditional channels. The present study aims to explore the possibility of using social media for African start-ups as a marketing and branding tool and to investigate the effects of social media branding on African consumers’ purchase behaviours. Multiple studies were conducted. First, two case studies of African start-ups were made to obtain feasible business models of social media branding. Then, a qualitative pilot study was conducted to explore the consensus map of social media branding from the consumers’ perspective. Finally, a model was established and verified by employing a quantitative approach. Six constructs of trust, interaction, social support, information sharing, brand relationship, and brand engagement are identified. Among them, trust plays a crucial role in the context of African markets. By using SEM testing, the present study reveals that brand relationship and brand engagement act as mediators between social media branding factors and consumers’ purchase intentions. In Africa, the idea of branding via social media is appealing for start-ups due to the emergence and growth of various social media platforms. The present study provides an overall view of social media branding for African start-ups, including business models, consumer engagement, and consumer experience. The insights and suggestions will be beneficial for African start-ups and will contribute to the African business literature.

The impact of organizational justice and trust on knowledge sharing behaviour

The spread of knowledge sharing provides advantages to organizations in developing new solutions to problems along with a broader informational infrastructure. For this reason, it is important to know the factors affecting the knowledge sharing behaviour of individuals. The study examined the impact of employees’ perceptions of organizational justice and trust on knowledge sharing behaviour. The theories of organizational justice, organizational trust and knowledge sharing behavior constitute the methodological framework of the research. Within the scope of the study, data were collected from 421 participants (68 managers and 353 employees) working in public and private sectors in Bartin province (Turkey), using survey method. Within the scope of the study, organizational justice is divided into four sub-dimensions (procedural, distributive, interpersonal, and informational), and the construct of trust includes two sub-dimensions – trust in the manager and in the organization as a whole. As a result of the study, while no significant relationship was found between procedural justice, distributive justice and knowledge sharing, it was found between interpersonal justice, informational justice and knowledge sharing. In addition, a positive and significant relationship was found between trust in the manager, trust in the organization and knowledge sharing behaviour. According to the findings, it is seen that organizational trust has an important role in the exhibition of knowledge sharing behaviour; as the level of trust in organizations increases, knowledge sharing behaviour is positively affected. At the same time, informational and interpersonal justice dimensions affect knowledge sharing behaviour more than distributive and procedural justice. It is emerging that organizations should give more importance to justice’s informational and interpersonal dimensions.

Outdoor Recreationists’ Perceptions of Risk, Agency Trust, and Visitor Capacities During the COVID-19 Pandemic

For nearly a century in the United States, visitor capacities have served as a means of preserving resources and the visitor experience on public lands. The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in increased interest in implementing visitor capacities that could potentially limit use on public lands, suggesting a need to understand public support for their use in a timely manner. Risk and trust have been used in previous research concerning support for natural resource and outdoor recreation decision-making. Research in this realm includes investigation at the intersection of outdoor recreation and public health, specific to chronic wasting disease. Following this previous research, this study utilizes the constructs of risk and trust to examine support for visitor capacities that could potentially limit use during the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, this theory-driven research relies on the cultural theory of risk and social trust theory. Using structural equation modeling and a sample of avid outdoor enthusiasts, we examine how well 1) perceived individual risk, 2) perceived community risk, 3) trust in public health agencies, and 4) trust in public land agencies predict support for visitor capacities that could potentially limit use. An email-distributed online survey was available for 48 hours beginning on April 30, 2020—during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. Measurement of perceived risk and trust followed previous research relating to outdoor recreation and public health. Results indicate that outdoor enthusiasts are concerned about their individual and community health and reported higher levels of trust in data coming directly from public health agencies as opposed to state or federal land management agencies. Additionally, perceived individual risk and perceived community risk were significant predictors of support for visitor capacities. These findings can be used to improve the effectiveness of messaging intended to connect perceived risk to the management of parks and protected areas, thus providing credibility to management actions implemented during the pandemic. Additional implications from this research include the need for additional research examining support for management actions that could potentially limit use on public lands, the multidimensionality of trust in outdoor recreation, and individual risk in frontcountry outdoor recreation settings.

Blockchain in education: the influence of trust on adoption and implementation

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the influence of trust on adopting and implementing blockchain technology in higher education institutions (HEIs) in Brazil. Design/methodology/approach This study uses an exploratory qualitative approach to understand the construct of trust in the context of the educational sector. Data were collected through semistructured questionnaires and online interviews. Findings The research identified that, for most potential blockchain users, trust positively influences the HEIs, because benefits such as secure data sharing and transaction transparency could optimize the daily routine and avoid fraud in academic documents, providing a cooperative and reliable working environment. In addition, the results suggest that trust is needed to overcome challenges related to issues such as costs and privacy. Research limitations/implications This study contributes to the advances in the emerging literature on blockchain in the educational sector as a system with the potential to generate trust, as well as the literature on the technology acceptance models. Practical implications For HEI managers and practitioners, this study highlights the need for a greater understanding of the influence of trust in the relationships between HEIs and other stakeholders. Social implications This work shows that adopting blockchain technologies would allow users to build social relationships of trust in a cooperative work environment and develop trusted behavior by sharing data securely and transparently. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is one of the first studies on the adoption and implementation of blockchain in the education sector in Brazil.

Mediation Model of Factors Affecting Continuous Use of M-government Services of Abu Dhabi Smart City

This paper presents a development of mediation model using SEM-AMOS software. Themodel hypothesized that the directrelationship is between the quality and public value constructs with continuous intention to use M-government services. While, the mediatorconstructs to the direct relationship are trust and satisfaction constructs. Thedata used to develop and testing this model was gathered through questionnaire survey from 231 valid responses from Abu Dhabismart city residents using the police department M-services. The development of the model was conducted in two stages where at first stage it involved confirmatory factor analysis and the second stage involved path analysis. The analysis on the model found that quality construct has significant direct relationship with trust and user satisfaction constructs, but it does not have significant direct relationship with continuous to use construct. Similarly, the public value construct has significant direct relationship with trust and user satisfaction constructs, but it does not have significant direct relationshipwith continuous intention to use construct. Thus, both the user satisfaction and trust constructs havea full mediation effect with the direct relationship of public value and quality construct with continuous intention to use construct of M-government services. Thus, it can be concluded that the relationship of public value and quality constructs with continuous to use construct is fully mediated by both trust and satisfaction constructs in M-government services. The findings from this study assists the government for continuous usage of M-government services that contributes to the sustainability of smartcity.