Smart development of organizational trust: dilemmas and paradoxes

Abstract

This paper discusses the “smart” development of organizational trust, which is based on the recognition of the complexity of social organizational environment, its non-linearity and inherent tensions. The development of trust can be regarded from four different perspectives: puzzle, dilemma, trade-off and paradox. The tensions surrounding the development of organizational trust can be addressed based on three different ways of thinking stemming from the key streams of moral philosophy: ends-based thinking or utilitarianism (“do whatever produces the greatest good for the greatest number”), rule-based or deontological thinking (“follow the principle that you want everyone else to follow”) and care-based thinking (“do to others what you would like them to do to you”). The paper claims that “smart” development of organizational trust should undertake the paradox management perspective and be based on the combination of rule- and care-based thinking.