TRUSTING PEOPLE YOU DON'T KNOW MORE THAN TRUSTING YOUR MANAGER - A PARADOX OR IS IT POSSIBLE TO EXPLAIN? LESSONS FROM CROSS-CULTURAL STUDIES ON TRUST

The main purpose of this paper has been to explore the results from two cross-cultural studies of trust; one about generalized trust on country level, and one about subordinate- manager trust on organizational level. The paper attempts to answer two questions: (1) How is the relationship between societal and interpersonal trust, and (2) does levels of subordinate trust in manager vary significantly across countries and cultures, and if so how is it possible to explain these variations. The study somewhat surprisingly revealed a negative relationship between scores on generalized trust and scores on interpersonal trust. In order to explain these results, it has been necessary to employ cross-cultural theories, as well as to critically evaluate the research methods used in the trust studies. The assumed explanation of the findings are believed to be the moderating effect of culture on manager-subordinate relationships. The cultural dimensions "Power Distance" and "Collectivism/Individualism" are believed to have the most profound impact on the trust relationship between subordinates and managers.