Do Chinese subordinates trust their German supervisors? A model of inter-cultural trust development

Abstract In this qualitative study based on 95 interviews with Chinese subordinates and their German supervisors, we inductively develop a model which advances theoretical understanding by showing how inter-cultural trust development in hierarchical relationships is the result of six distinct elements: subordinate trustor’s cultural profile (cosmopolitans, hybrids, culturally bounds), psychological mechanisms operating within trustor (role expectations accommodation), contextual moderators (e.g., country context, time spent foreign culture, third-party influencers), together influence forms presumptive trust, relational trust) dynamics breakdown repair) relationship phases over (initial contact, continuation, disillusionment, separation, acculturation). Our findings challenge assumption that differences low levels initial highlight strong role subordinate’s can have trajectory relationships. highlights operates as variform universal, following combined universalistic-particularistic paradigm cross-cultural management, both generalizable etic dynamics, well specific manifestations.