Trust matters in cooperative agreements but does the nature of the partner also matter?

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the role of trust in cooperative agreements. Trust affects a firm's agreements in different ways, depending on the nature of the partner (firm or research organization) and according to the stage in the evolution of the agreement. An in-depth look at different components of trust (initial or ongoing) and at different contexts (at the beginning or during the implementation process) suggests that trust has a different influence on alliance success. Results show the influence of trust on the success achieved in the relationship. However, when considering the nature of the partner, the average levels of trust and success are different, as is the influence of trust on success.