Resilience or decline of informal networks? Examining the role of trust context in network societies: Examining the role of trust context in network societies

Sven Horak, Andreas Klein, David Ahlstrom, Xiaomei Li

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)

Abstract

The nature of informal networks in various societies, and particularly whether they recede or tend to persist over time, has long been a subject of discussion in international business studies. However, empirical research on trust in network-oriented societies, where individuals typically maintain somewhat different relationships with their in-group, out-group, and non-specified others, remains limited. Drawing on insights from informal network research and intergroup contact theory to model trust relationships in network societies, 882 respondents from three network societies – China, Russia, and South Korea – were surveyed, and confirmatory factor and path analyses applied. The results suggest that as network importance increases, both in-group trust and out-group trust also increase. Individuals who more commonly draw upon out-group trust ties attach less importance to in-group trust ties. Increases in non-specific trust, however, are associated with increases in both in-group and out-group trust, pointing towards the boundary spanning function of non-specific trust. Consequently, rather than finding a clear indication of whether informal networks persist or recede, ambivalent trust relationships were observed. This calls for a reexamination of the conventional ‘either/or’ perspective on the nature of informal networks. This network heterogeneity can be attributed to individuals, especially in developing network societies, utilizing a ‘both/and’ approach to trust and networking, and yielding more economic opportunities.

Original languageEnglish
Article number102301
Number of pages13
JournalInternational Business Review
Volume33
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Aug 2024

Keywords

  • Context
  • In-group
  • Informal networks
  • Multiplicity
  • Network society
  • Out-group
  • Trust

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