Public Trust in Business

Provides much-needed thinking on the topic of public trust in business, blending current academic research with conclusions for future practice.

Jared D. Harris (Edited by), Brian Moriarty (Edited by), Andrew C. Wicks (Edited by)

9781107023871, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 3 July 2014

377 pages, 10 b/w illus. 12 tables
23.5 x 15.6 x 2.4 cm, 0.67 kg

'Business has enormous potential to help solve the world's toughest problems. The relationships that companies have with stakeholders, including the public, can maximize or limit their capacity for positive social impact and financial success. Trust is absolutely critical for achieving these kinds of results. This book provides important insights for business leaders seeking to meet this challenge.' R. Edward Freeman, Elis and Signe Olsson Professor of Business Administration, Darden School of Business, University of Virginia

Public trust in business is one of the most important but least understood issues for business leaders, public officials, employees, NGOs and other key stakeholders. This book provides much-needed thinking on the topic. Drawing on the expertise of an international array of experts from academic disciplines including business, sociology, political science and philosophy, it explores long-term strategies for building and maintaining public trust in business. The authors look to new ways of moving forward, by carefully blending the latest academic research with conclusions for future research and practice. They address core drivers of public trust, how to manage it effectively, the consequences of low public trust, and how best to address trust challenges and repair trust when it has been lost. This is a must-read for business practitioners, policy makers and students taking courses in corporate social responsibility or business ethics.

Preface: discovering new territory in public trust in business
Acknowledgements
1. Public trust in business: what's the problem and why does it matter? Andrew C. Wicks, Brian T. Moriarty and Jared D. Harris
Part I. Trusting the Institution of Business: 2. The economic crisis of 2008, trust in government, and generalized trust Eric M. Uslaner
3. Too big to trust? Managing stakeholder trust in the post-bailout economy Deepak Malhotra
4. At the crossroads of trust and distrust: skepticism and ambivalence towards business Robert Bies
5. Public trust in business and its determinants Kirsten Martin, Michael Pirson and Bidhan L. Parmar
6. The role of public, relational and organizational trust in economic affairs Karen S. Cook and Oliver Schilke
Part II. Public Trust and Business Organizations: 7. Public trust and trust in particular firm-stakeholder interactions: a theoretical model and implications for management Jared D. Harris and Andrew C. Wicks
8. Creating more trusting and trustworthy organizations: exploring the foundations and benefits of presumptive trust Roderick Kramer
9. Building trust through reputation management Paul Argenti
10. Can trust flourish where institutionalized distrust reigns? Reinhard Bachmann and Edeltraud Hanappi-Egger
11. Roles of third parties in trust repair: lessons from high tech alliances for public trust Rosalinde Klein Woolthuis, Bart Nooteboom and Gjalt de Jong
12. The repair of public trust following controllable or uncontrollable organizational failures: a conceptual framework Laura Poppo and Donald J. Schepker
13. Conclusion: towards a better understanding of public trust in business Jared D. Harris, Andrew C. Wicks and Brian T. Moriarty
Index.

Subject Areas: Business ethics & social responsibility [KJG], Business & management [KJ]