Communication and the associated information exchanges are key drivers of the development of relationships and of the trust embedded withinthem. This paper considers the development of business relationships in terms of the continuing co-evolution of trust and information exchangeand the issues associated with researching these processes. The interconnections of trust and information exchange are examined in a survey ofbusiness relationships involving information exchange (n=355). Analysis of variance shows few, if any, of the aspects of the standardconceptualizations of information exchange are associated with increased levels of trust. It is information exchange norms that have the greatest(positive) association with the level of trust. These norms emerge as part of the long term co-production of the relationship itself. This hasimportant managerial implications. We conclude there are few managerial actions involving managing communication that can ?manufacture?trust and improve or develop relationships in the short term. The paper concludes with a discussion of alternative ways of envisagingcommunication and relationship management and the nature and future of research into the evolution of business relationships.
