The Emergence and Development of Inter-Organizational Relationships in the Wine Industry: Moderating Roles of Trust and Distrust in ICT Use

Recent developments in information and communication technology (ICT) have facilitated integration along supply chains. Besides technological advancement and governmental support, Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) still face significant challenges when integrating into global supply chains. In a study of SMEs operating in the Macedonian and American wine industries, we investigate the importance of the moderating roles of trust and distrust on ICT use. Specifically, we identify seven factors – information sharing, collaboration, trust, distrust, contractual bonds, social bonds, and environmental uncertainty – of inter-organizational relationships, and explore their impact on ICT use in the artisanoriented and disintegrated wine industry from a cross-cultural perspective. These insights about the moderating roles of trust and distrust of the wine industry have important implications for managers involved in managing dyadic buyer-supplier relationships.