I empirically test the role of trust in strategic alliances by using survey data from 67 German small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Empirical findings indicate that high trust levels are a good predictor of alliance success. This result is encouraging, as it suggests that well-performing...

Paul Vlaar contends that strategic alliances and other forms of cooperation, such as buyer-supplier relationships, joint ventures and offshoring initiatives, increasingly stand at the basis of competitive advantage. Although contracts and trust play a crucial role in such relationships, prior...