Interorganizational cooperation: the structural aspect of nurturing trust

Purpose – Interorganizational cooperation (IOC) is like harnessing a swan, a crab, and a pike to a single wagon and still expecting it to go. One issue that appears significant under such conditions is building trust and inscribing it into the structure of IOC. The purpose of this study is to explore the relationships between trust and IOC structure. Design/methodology/approach – Trust‐structure relationships are studied by drawing upon a case study of complex and effective IOC in The Early Childhood Center in Israel. Findings – The analysis reveals several structural factors that support the building and maintenance of trust: choice of contribution, involvement in decision making, committee configuration, IOC culture, the director's role, and the representatives' high‐ranking positions and professional background. Research limitations/implications – Three conditions help to inscribe trust into IOC structure: Low risk and minor expectations from the IOC, a leader willing to share information throughout the IOC structure, and high positions and professional representatives. Originality/value – The study contributes to IOC literature by highlighting the fact that trust between organizations cannot depend on the goodwill of particular people, but must have an organizational structure to enable and support it.