Purpose -This paper seeks to examine the notion of trust as an enabler or restrictor to online engagement. The purpose of the inquiry is to improve knowledge acquisition within small businesses (SMEs) through engagement in an online network. Design/methodology/approach -The paper explains the outcomes from a three-year long Action Research (AR) study into online participation utilising a purpose built Information and Communication Technology (ICT) based networking tool. Findings -The paper finds that the overall notion of trust is deconstructed into component conditions, which are shown to represent conflicting priorities for individuals. These components are reconstructed to form a model that illustrates how trust needs to develop at the level of the individual for an online community to be formed. The paper provides an insight into the complexities of socio-technological engagements in an online environment.Research limitations/implications -The paper shows that the proposed model is context-specific and has not been subjected to testing for replicability within other settings. Practical implications -The model proposed in this paper is of use to Information System (IS) developers, helping to identify the reasons for participation or non-participation in online networks/communities. Originality/value -The paper builds upon existing theories, by applying an extended notion of trust incorporating interrelated individual factors, such as risk, interest, power and information utility, to the development of online communities.

If you would like to write for this, or any other Emerald publication, then please use our Emerald for Authors service information about how to choose which publication to write for and submission guidelines are available for all. Please visit www.emeraldinsight.com/authors for more information. About Emerald www.emeraldinsight.comEmerald is a global publisher linking research and practice to the benefit of society. The company manages a portfolio of more than 290 journals and over 2,350 books and book series volumes, as well as providing an extensive range of online products and additional customer resources and services.Emerald is both COUNTER 4 and TRANSFER compliant. The organization is a partner of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and also works with Portico and the LOCKSS initiative for digital archive preservation. AbstractPurpose -This paper aims to examine the development of trust during online collaboration. The purpose of the inquiry is to improve the understanding of individual trust development in longitudinal online collaboration teams. Design/methodology/approach -The paper reveals the conclusion of a longitudinal online collaboration case study of two student cohorts over a two-year period, where each cohort is in their first year, based on a previous trust research model. However, the study is conducted in a new context through the implementation of online collaboration tools. Data is collected using longitudinal surveys and in-depth interviews. Findings -The paper demonstrates that trust development in different online collaboration groups does not follow a particular pattern in this case study. This development is characterised by fluctuation and complexity. Trust development does not attain the ideal state discussed in previous research and trust development is different within each team. The paper provides insight into the complexities of trust development in an online collaboration environment and information system understanding.Research limitations/implications -The paper demonstrates the findings regarding development features are context-specific and have not been subjected to testing for replication within other settings. The authors intend this for future research. Practical implications -The observations will help team leaders to understand changes in trust. It will also aid system developers and designers to consider trust development features in future system design for online collaboration environment and tools. Originality/value -The paper builds upon a previous trust development model but applies it to the context of online collaboration using student groups to analyse the findings over time.

PurposeThe purpose this paper is to expand upon existing knowledge of this important topic by providing an expanded inventory of the causes and consequences of having enemies at work.Design/methodology/approachQualitative data were collected from 412 respondents using an internet‐based questionnaire with respondents spanning a wide range of occupations, industries and nationalities. Using a structured methodology for handling a large data sample of qualitative responses, emergent thematic categories are identified and explained by means of verbatim text.FindingsIt was found that several aspects of the work environment directly exacerbated or created negative relationships which, in turn, negatively impacted respondents' experiences of work. Findings illustrate some strongly held employee expectations of behaviour and felt‐obligations defining both formal and informal organisational roles.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings discussed here emanate only from data emphasising negative relationships at work. A study into other relational factors may provide interesting and important points of comparison as well as serving to overcome the inevitable bias towards the negative within this inquiry.Practical implicationsThe conclusions present a number of important challenges to employers and managers for anticipating and dealing with negative co‐worker relationships. Employees seek an equitable and reciprocal relationship with their organisations. An important lesson for management is that workers expect and depend upon their managers to provide support and assistance in overcoming negative workplace relationships.Originality/valueThe data, discussions and conclusions are derived from specific questions which have not previously been expressed in the literatures.

This article explores the situation whereby small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) communicate with the many agencies that attempt to provide information, training programmes and other initiatives. The problems encountered are explained in terms of Clegg’s (1989) (Circuits of Power’ model. By this means, it is demonstrated that systemic power is exerted on the basis of (resource dependency’, firstly by government (EU and national) and its selected agencies and subsequently by the agencies to the SMEs. As a result it provides a political and theoretical contribution that addresses the hegemonic effect of a knowledge management system. Within such a critical epistemology, it is almost inevitable that Habermasian notions of the (ideal speech situation’ are invoked. As the discussion on power relationships unravels, instances of (systematically distorted’ communication are uncovered (Habermas, 1968; 1971; 1979). The linkage between knowledge and power (Introna, 1997) is also used to demonstrate how prevailing attitudes amongst agencies damage communication with SMEs.

having friends at work is almost universally considered to be a "good thing". Friends are credited with enriching the work environment and providing support and sociability, yet relatively little is known about the effect upon day-today work practices. This paper examines the relationship between workplace friendships and the attitudes and behaviours affecting the functional work of those involved. a range of commonly held and often taken-for-granted aspects of organisational life, such as sharing information, completing tasks, and working within teams, are shown to be affected by differing degrees of friendships. Drawing upon qualitative data collected from 406 respondents, and using a structured methodology for handling a large qualitative dataset, themes are identified indicating both task and non-task oriented effects of workplace friendships.