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Explaining the Limited Effectiveness of Legalistic “Remedies” for Trust/Distrust

Publication ,  Journal Article
Sitkin, SB; Roth, NL
Published in: Organization Science
August 1993

Organizations frequently adopt formal rules, contracts, or other legalistic mechanisms when interpersonal trust is lacking. But recent research has shown such legalistic “remedies” for trust-related problems to be ineffective in restoring trust. To explain this apparent ineffectiveness, this paper outlines a theory that distinguishes two dimensions of trust—task-specific reliability and value congruence—and shows how legalistic mechanisms respond only to reliability concerns, while ignoring value-related concerns. Organizational responses to employees with HIV/AIDS are used as a case illustration that supports the theory's major propositions. The paper concludes with an agenda for future research.

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Published In

Organization Science

DOI

EISSN

1526-5455

ISSN

1047-7039

Publication Date

August 1993

Volume

4

Issue

3

Start / End Page

367 / 392

Publisher

Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS)

Related Subject Headings

  • Business & Management
  • 3507 Strategy, management and organisational behaviour
  • 3505 Human resources and industrial relations
  • 1505 Marketing
  • 1503 Business and Management
 

Citation

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Sitkin, S. B., & Roth, N. L. (1993). Explaining the Limited Effectiveness of Legalistic “Remedies” for Trust/Distrust. Organization Science, 4(3), 367–392. https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.4.3.367
Sitkin, Sim B., and Nancy L. Roth. “Explaining the Limited Effectiveness of Legalistic “Remedies” for Trust/Distrust.” Organization Science 4, no. 3 (August 1993): 367–92. https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.4.3.367.
Sitkin SB, Roth NL. Explaining the Limited Effectiveness of Legalistic “Remedies” for Trust/Distrust. Organization Science. 1993 Aug;4(3):367–92.
Sitkin, Sim B., and Nancy L. Roth. “Explaining the Limited Effectiveness of Legalistic “Remedies” for Trust/Distrust.” Organization Science, vol. 4, no. 3, Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS), Aug. 1993, pp. 367–92. Crossref, doi:10.1287/orsc.4.3.367.
Sitkin SB, Roth NL. Explaining the Limited Effectiveness of Legalistic “Remedies” for Trust/Distrust. Organization Science. Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS); 1993 Aug;4(3):367–392.

Published In

Organization Science

DOI

EISSN

1526-5455

ISSN

1047-7039

Publication Date

August 1993

Volume

4

Issue

3

Start / End Page

367 / 392

Publisher

Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS)

Related Subject Headings

  • Business & Management
  • 3507 Strategy, management and organisational behaviour
  • 3505 Human resources and industrial relations
  • 1505 Marketing
  • 1503 Business and Management