Conclusions

Abstract

In this chapter we conclude our study by contributing to a model of inter-organizational trust within bi-directional dyads based on the findings of this study. The participants agreed that technology trust mechanisms (also known as technology trust) by and large exist in e-commerce technologies and applications. Technology trust is defined as “the subjective probability by which an organization believes that the underlying technology infrastructure and control mechanisms are capable of facilitating inter-organizational transactions according to its confident expectations” (Ratnasingam and Pavlou, 2002, 2003). However, what is more important is the need to develop trading partner relationships that will form cohesive (win-win) trading partner relationships. Most of the participants agreed that developing trust is a gradual process and can be challenging because of differing personalities and expectations, the lack of a physical presence, varied standards used within each organization, and the changing external e-commerce environment. The rest of the chapter is organized as follows. The next section presents and discusses the model of inter-organizational trust within bi-directional dyads. Then we discuss the contributions to theory and practice, leading to the limitations of the study and recommendations for future research.