Rise in level of trust and trustworthiness with trust building measures : A mathematical model

Purpose The aim of this paper is to develop a model for presenting level of trust and analyzing the contribution of various trust-building measures undertaken by an organization. Design/methodology/approach The conceptual framework for the model is based on previous research and the concept of trust and its implications in business environment. This model includes various stages of trust measured against time and trust building measures (TBM). This trust model relates the trustee’s position with the trustor at any point in time and describes its impact on trustee’s position in terms of trustworthiness (sum of “trust deficit” and “trust gain”). 10;Vectors and linear Algebra equations are used to construct the model supplemented with an example from real-life business environment for better understanding of the model. 10. Findings A trust framework, elaborating level of trust between two parties is explained with the help of a mathematical model. The model includes various stages of trust measured against time and TBM. Research limitations/implications In the practical application of the model, the authors adopted an existing scale to measure trust levels, which can have its limitations and shortcomings. It is however suggested to choose as specific scale for the industry as possible. Practical implications The model can be applied in any situation, person or environment specially to determine the current situation of organizational trust in business which can be helpful in making decisions. Originality/value The concept of making trust a part of strategy and a tool for decision-making is novel and applicable in all sectors and situations. By providing a real-time view of the level of trust and impact of TBM will help predict future levels of trust and make it an essential part of decision-making process.