Distrust in corporate communications: does it matter?

Abstract

Purpose

This study provides much needed empirical data to conceptualise organisational distrust in communications' scholarship. A limited understanding of distrust has implications for corporate communication scholars and practitioners as, ultimately, efforts to rebuild trust and reduce distrust in organisations and corporations may be hindered if we do not truly understand the complexity and nature of the concepts we are trying to repair.

Design/methodology/approach

A repeated single-criterion card-sort method was utilised in this study to allow the sample of 40 respondents to identify the terms they associate with organisational trust and distrust.

Findings

From the current study's findings, it is proposed that there is support for organisational distrust to be considered and studied as a separate and distinct concept to organisational trust within the corporate communications and public relations literature. The current study's findings do not neatly reflect all the items included in existing scales for organisational distrust, and accordingly this suggests that further research into distrust as a concept is warranted.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the literature by presenting a proposed conceptualisation of organisational distrust and providing further evidence for organisational distrust and organisational trust to be studied as related but separate concepts. Developing a more comprehensive conceptualisation of organisational trust and distrust is important for both communication scholars and practitioners as it allows for a more accurate understanding of relationship quality between stakeholders and organisations.

Citation

Tyquin, E., Mehta, A. and Bradley, L. (2021), "Distrust in corporate communications: does it matter?", Corporate Communications: An International Journal, Vol. 26 No. 1, pp. 40-54. https://doi.org/10.1108/CCIJ-01-2020-0016