Trust and distrust in interorganizational networks – the case of Norwegian child welfare and protection

Abstract

Trust remains one of the most frequently recurring concepts in the literature about interorganizational networks. The present paper combines different perspectives from this broad literature in the effort to develop a context-sensitive and multi-levelled analysis of the interorganizational networks surrounding child welfare and protection services in Norway. By focusing on perceptions of risk during networked interaction, the resulting analysis reveals a complex dynamic in which institutional and interpersonal factors interact and can produce both trust and distrust depending on the situation at hand. Consequently, the paper demonstrates the need for broad and eclectic approaches to the study of interorganizational trust.