Mayer et al: "An Integrative Model of Organizational Trust"

Mayer, Roger C., James H. Davis and F. David Schoorman. “An Integrative Model of Organizational Trust.” The Academy of Management Review 20.3 1995: 709-734. JSTOR. Web. 29 Mar. 2016. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/258792>

Mayer et al examine the nature of trust in dyadic relationships, stating that it is “a willingness to be vulnerable to another party,” that involves ability, benevolence, and integrity of the trustee as well as the trustor’s propensity to trust and the context of the relationship (726).  Mayer et al differentiate trust from cooperation,  confidence, and predictability by noting that these three concepts are similar but none necessarily require or assume risk and vulnerability as trust does (712-714). Mayer et al state that integrity—following principles the trustor supports—may be most important early on in the relationship and that perceptions of benevolence may grow over time (722). The authors take care to note that risk-taking behaviors do not necessarily involve trust, the way trust necessarily involves a willingness to take risks (725). The authors identify the challenge of measuring “willingness” so that trust itself can be measured (729).