SummaryThis paper presents a theoretical and empirical analysis of the nature of trust at work. Use is made of the facet approach to generate a de®nitional framework of trust, and this is proposed as a theoretical basis for the analysis of the structural characteristics of trust. Hypotheses regarding the relations between the de®nitional framework and empirical observations were tested by applying Smallest Space Analysis to analyse data collected from a sample of 398 colliery workmen, using questionnaires developed on the basis of the faceted de®nition. The results demonstrate strong support for the de®nitional framework suggested for the concept of trust and its construct validity. The results also suggest a possible distinction workers make between trust and mistrust and, between the speci®cs of activities to do with the job itself versus managers in general.

PurposeTo investigate the initiation and development of effective business relationships, including knowledge transfer partnerships, with the primacy of trust as a key factor for collaborative development. Specifically, the aim was to explore Vangen and Huxham's (2003) notion of a “trust building loop” in the context of a Northern (UK) Business School and regional SMEs.Design/methodology/approachThe methodological approach employed was the “General Analytic Induction” for the interpretation of the data. This was used to develop theory inductively from 23 in‐depth interviews.FindingsThe results emphasized that trust, especially trust in individuals, is fundamental to collaborative settings, from both practitioners’ and academic points of view. The study identified barriers and drivers to initiating trust‐based relationships and a model of initiating collaboration was suggested.Practical implicationsThe benefits from the research were seen as facilitating the development of effective business relationships between local business schools and SMEs in their regions. This investigation provided pointers that might assist business schools to understand how to manage their relationships with this group of stakeholders (SMEs) to stimulate and improve engagement.Originality/valueThere has been minimal research works on building successful collaborations within the business schools context, which contributes to professional practice through collaboration between business schools and SMEs.

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Trust is a prominent determinant of effective interpersonal relationships, group process, and organizational development. However, for leaders and managers, trust building is often problematic. The aim of this article is to contribute to a growing understanding of the way in which individual managers can develop trust in organizations, particularly those defined by medium to high risk. The article presents a theoretical and empirical analysis of the nature of trust at work. Building on the results of an earlier study, use is made of the facet-theoretical approach to generate a definitional framework of trust, which focuses on the characteristics of the trusted person that contribute to the development of trust. Using items developed on the basis of a mapping sentence, hypotheses regarding the relations between the definitional framework and empirical observations were tested through smallest space analysis (SSA) of data collected from a sample of 398 bank and hospital employees. The results demonstrate strong support for the definitional system and show a clear association with results of prior research that identify perceptions of ability, integrity, fairness, and openness as key determinants of trust. The empirical structure clearly reflects the attitudinal nature of interpersonal trust at work and the items empirically distinguish distinct character-based components of trust.

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