Explaining the Limited Effectiveness of Legalistic ‘Remedies’ for Trust/Distrust
Abstract
Organizations frequently adopt formal rules, contracts, or other legalistic mechanisms when interpersonal trust is lacking. But recent research has shown such legalistic “remedies” for trust-related problems to be ineffective in restoring trust. To explain this apparent ineffectiveness, this paper outlines a theory that distinguishes two dimensions of trust—task-specific reliability and value congruence—and shows how legalistic mechanisms respond only to reliability concerns, while ignoring value-related concerns. Organizational responses to employees with HIV/AIDS are used as a case illustration that supports the theory's major propositions. The paper concludes with an agenda for future research.
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Experiential knowledge about the vendor accumulated through past interaction is often strong enough to be a primary source of trust.
“The experiential knowledge about the vendor that has been accumulated through the past interaction process is often strong enough to be a primary source of trust (Sitkin and Roth 1993).”
From Trust, Satisfaction, and Online Repurchase Intention: The Moderating Role of Perceived Effectiveness of E-Commerce Institutional Mechanisms1 (2014) · cites this paper as Sitkin and Roth 1993
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- Authors
- Sitkin, S. B., & Roth, N. L.
- Affiliations
- The University of Texas at Austin (US)
- Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey (US)
- ORCID
- Sitkin, Sim B.
- Venue
- Organization Science
- Published
- 1993-08
- Volume
- 4
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 367-392
- ISSN
- 1047-7039 (ISSN-L)
- 1526-5455
- OpenAlex
- W2008519080
- Cited by
- 1,545
- References
- 3
- Citations by year
- 2026: 32 · 2025: 54 · 2024: 52 · 2023: 48 · 2022: 53 · 2021: 57 · 2020: 49 · 2019: 50 · 2018: 59 · 2017: 63 · 2016: 54 · 2015: 82 · 2014: 75 · 2013: 79 · 2012: 76
- FWCI
- 11.87
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Organization Science (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management › Job Satisfaction and Organizational Behavior
- Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management › Management and Organizational Studies
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Social Power and Status Dynamics
- Keywords
- interpersonal trust, distrust, value congruence, HIV/AIDS in the workplace, trust repair
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