Trust, Calculativeness, and Relationships: A Special Issue 20 Years after Williamson (1993a)

Abstract

This article addresses the relationship between trust and calculativeness. It summarizes the arguments put forward by Oliver Williamson in 1993 and the debate that followed in the two decades afterwards. This includes a citation analysis of 432 articles from Web of Science indices. The article then introduces and discusses the five contributions to the Journal of Trust Research Special Issue on this topic. Overall, the debate points to pivotal issues for the conceptualization and empirical study of trust, especially the experience of Knightian uncertainty and the variety of bases for human relationships and interactions.

Keywords: trust, calculation, uncertainty, relationships, Oliver E. Williamson

JEL Classification: A12, D23, D80, M00, Z00