Trust within Interfirm Cooperation

Trust is seen as an important factor enabling interfirm cooperation. However, questions as to the concept and determinants of trust still remain to be answered. Therefore, the main purpose of this paper is to conceptualise trust within B-2-B relationships by differentiating between its objective and subjective dimensions and by identifying its determinants. In its conclusion, the paper presents a model that hypothesises the effects of the trustor’s and trustee’s characteristics on trust-development within cooperation, allowing companies to exert influence specifically on the establishment and maintenance of cooperative B-2-B relationships.