Identity-based Trust in Organizations: An Enquiry

Research has noted different answers to the question, “On what basis do individuals predicate trust in other organisational members”? Zucker (1986) points out the role of various institutionalization mechanisms in the production of trust. Burt and Knez (1995) focus on the role of social structures as contributors to the development and diffusion of trust among organisational members. Kramer (2001) highlights how an individual’s identification with an organisation enhances propensity to trust others in the organisation and willingness to engage in acts of trust when interacting with members. This paper explores the conceptual context of identity-based forms of trust associated with perceived hedonic consequences. The paper contributes to answering the question, “Why people join organisations or associations”? The author suggests that empirical research is required to validate the theoretical formulations on identity-based trust in the context of organisations.