The structure of optimal trust: Moral and strategic implications

In this article we discuss trust in ethics and management as a qualified an d conditional good, arguing that researchers should focus on optimal trust- a: mixture of trust and distrust appropriate in most contexts, including bu siness. Trust is an important part of strategic choice, and managers who de velop optimal trust in relationships with stakeholders will improve firm pe rformance. We offer a: definition of optimal trust, develop propositions ba sed on the definition, and include indicators managers might use to assess whether trust is optimal in relationships with various stakeholders.