Trust development across levels of analysis: An embedded-agency perspective

Abstract

This article advances a cross-level model of trust development. Drawing upon an embedded-agency perspective from institutional theory, we combine a top-down with a bottom-up approach, reflecting the inherent duality of trust in organisational settings. Specifically, we elaborate a reciprocal process that illustrates how organisational structures influence individuals’ trust and, at the same time, how individuals’ trust manifests in organisational structures. We discuss the theoretical implications of our cross-level model for the trust literature and propose important avenues for future research.