Operationalisation of Trust in Business Networks Dealing with Complex Products and Food Products

Until today no tool exists which allows adequate measurement of trust and its antecedents in food-networks. The application of existing tools is not really appropriate, since studies concerning the operationalisation of trust show that the antecedents influencing trustworthiness differ depending on the considered industry and the number of trust dimensions. Therefore the goal of this paper is to develop a new measurement tool (including operationalisation and antecedents) of trust in food networks based on the use of qualitative and quantitative empirical methods. First of all, the present literature on operationalisation of trust will be tested concerning what can be used in business networks. Further to this, existing studies will be surveyed to determine if the specification of the construct trust was formative or reflective and what would be the correct design of a study for business networks dealing with complex products. Finally, the results from the interviews with experts from food-networks about antecedents of trust are summarized to specify the measurement tool of trust.