The Structure of Optimal Trust: Moral and Strategic Implications
Abstract
In this article we discuss trust in ethics and management as a qualified and conditional good, arguing that researchers should focus on optimal trust—a mixture of trust and distrust appropriate in most contexts, including business. Trust is an important part of strategic choice, and managers who develop optimal trust in relationships with stakeholders will improve firm performance. We offer a definition of optimal trust, develop propositions based on the definition, and include indicators managers might use to assess whether trust is optimal in relationships with various stakeholders.
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- Authors
- Wicks, A. C., Berman, S. L., & Jones, T. M.
- Affiliations
- University of Washington (US)
- Boston University (US)
- Venue
- The Academy of Management Review
- Publisher
- Academy of Management
- Published
- 1999-01
- Volume
- 24
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 99
- ISSN
- 0363-7425 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2010017040
- Cited by
- 785
- References
- 4
- Citations by year
- 2026: 9 · 2025: 16 · 2024: 18 · 2023: 19 · 2022: 17 · 2021: 29 · 2020: 26 · 2019: 52 · 2018: 12 · 2017: 38 · 2016: 26 · 2015: 33 · 2014: 38 · 2013: 42 · 2012: 42
- FWCI
- 77.09
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Academy of Management Review (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Decision Sciences › Information Systems and Management › Ethics in Business and Education
- Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management › Customer Service Quality and Loyalty
- Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Strategy and Management › Corporate Social Responsibility Reporting
- Keywords
- trust, distrust, strategic choice, stakeholder relations, firm performance, business ethics, trust indicators
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