The role of trust in customer relationships: asking the right questions

Abstract

Takes an in‐depth look at the meaning of trust in customer relationships by drawing from the economics and communications literatures, where researchers distinguish between concepts of trustworthiness and trusting behaviour. Develops a typology of trust based on whether a marketing entity is considered trustworthy and whether a behaviour can be considered trusting, and offers the managerial implications of ideas presented, along with six propositions for future research. The perspective presented here suggests that marketing researchers must first come to terms with the meaning of trust in customer relationships before they can begin to understand its role in more comprehensive, explanatory models of customer behaviour.

Citation

Cowles, D.L. (1997), "The role of trust in customer relationships: asking the right questions", Management Decision, Vol. 35 No. 4, pp. 273-282. https://doi.org/10.1108/00251749710169657