14. Managing Public Trust in Turkey

This chapter provides an overview of the meaning of trust, studies on trust, and trustworthy behaviors from a cultural point of view. Turkish culture studies have largely explored the dynamics of inter-personal trust, intra-organizational trust, inter-organizational trust, and cross-cultural differences of trust. In Turkey, the main characteristics of trust manifest the individual level. At the intra-organizational level, trust toward an organization increases desirable individual attitudes, behaviors, and performance. Informal and private relationships create the foundation for inter-organizational trust. From the cross-cultural perspective, attitudes and antecedents of trust differ in Turkish culture. This chapter also discusses the origins of public trust and trustworthiness in both individuals and organizations, comparing Turkey to other countries.