A Framework and Model for Understanding the Creation and Sources of Trust

With the advent of the internet and rise of less personal, face to face interaction in online commerce, as well as increasing reports of fraud and security breaches, trust has become a critical part of conducting business in the digital economy. This paper develops a framework and model for understanding and building trust by combining some landmark research on the creation and production of trust with the dimensions of trust identified in the literature: ability, benevolence and integrity. By combining these dimensions in a matrix with the types of trust production based on characteristics, process and institutions, the paper develops a robust 3 x 3 matrix which to categorize and understand trust production and sources of trust. This framework can help researchers, practitioners and consumers understand trust creation and assist businesses in developing a comprehensive strategy for managing trust.