2016/09/08 by Peter Oomsels, Marloes Callens, Jolien Vanschoenwinkel +1 · 2 citations
Social Sciences · #Nonprofit Sector and Volunteering #Public Policy and Administration Research #Social Capital and Networks
paper · doi:10.1177/0095399716667973
openalex publication_date 2016/09/08 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/25
This contribution explores the functional and dysfunctional roles of interorganizational trust and distrust in the public sector. We construct a conceptual framework and analyze 59 qualitative interviews with key informants in Flemish executive and judiciary public sector organizations. Results indicate that the combination of “trust as rule” and “distrust as reasonable exception” is functional for interorganizational interactions, whereas “trust as dogma” or “distrust as rule” gives rise to dysfunctionalities in interorganizational interactions. The study provides empirical evidence that challenges the “positive bias” toward trust in extant research, and suggests a more balanced perspective on roles of interorganizational trust and distrust.