Managers assessment of thin and thick trust: The importance of benevolence in interbank relations

摘要

This qualitative interview study investigates managers' ongoing relationships in inter-organisational banks, examining how they assess trust in their counterparts and how they decide if the relationship should continue. In normal times, formal information can assess thin trust the ability and integrity of their counterparts. In times of impending crisis, senior bank managers rely on the evaluation of thick personal trust: benevolence. To be a trustworthy party in a financial crisis, benevolence must be established between counterpart banks before the crisis. Benevolence is a redundant component of trust in normal times, but extremely important during a crisis. Lack of benevolence established in normal times may, in fact, be at least partially responsible for the fragility of interfirm agreements and alliances.