Table 1 Trust management in inter-organisational collaboration

Initiating the trust-building loop

Forming expectations

Involves gaining clarity on central members, their roles & status and reaching an agreement on the collaboration’s aims and purpose.

Managing risk

Involves understanding the aims and agendas of partners, ensuring the ability to enact the collaborative agenda and that future collaborative gains are shared. Ensuring that collaborative gains can be obtained, for example by aiming for realistic (initially modest) but successful outcomes.

Sustaining the trust-building loop

Managing dynamics

Involves dealing with changes in purpose, membership, the structure of the collaboration, and external factors (government policies, funding).

Managing power imbalances

Involves ensuring shared power, understanding changes in the balance of power, and dealing with perceptions of power inequality.

Nurturing collaborative relationships

Involves continuous management efforts to sustain trust: paying attention to the management of communication, power imbalances, recognition of partner’s contribution, common ownership, commitment to the collaboration, re-negotiation of aims & agendas