Trust in the Taiwanese Context

Trust has been defined as the mutual and exchange of confidence between parties, established through expectations of good intentions and reasonable competence and with the expectation that no party will exploit the vulnerabilities of the other. It has been described as the glue that holds and smooths the process of societal functions, such as the development of interpersonal or economic relationships. Research has demonstrated the impact of culture and societal norms on the formulation, development and maintenance of trust. For example, research has demonstrated the impact of Confucianism, as well as the importance of the concept of guanxi, on the construction of trust in East Asian countries. This chapter will first introduce and discuss the cultural influences of Confucianism and guanxi, along with their impact on the formulation, development and maintenance of trust in Taiwan. Furthermore, this chapter will illustrate how trust is manifested in general, as well as trust in specific relationships and referent points in Taiwan. Finally, this chapter will discuss the implications and applications of trust research in a cross-cultural context.