Literature suggests that trust is critical for a wide variety of social relationships to develop and for economies to grow, since transaction costs are low in instances of mutual trust. For example, interpersonal trust enhances collaboration, mutual supportiveness and shared norms and values, and represents a ‘synthetic force within society’. Additionally, interpersonal trust allows high tolerance of uncertainty and risk-taking, which should be important for entrepreneurship.  

At the same time, institutional trust has been found to have a significant impact on economic development and economic growth. Therefore, it is important to explore different aspects of trust in relation to entrepreneurship. 

This special issue seeks to compile papers that can contribute to the development of an exciting new research agenda geared towards the assessment of trust in entrepreneurship. 

We welcome research papers that offer valuable new insights or present new approaches to any of the topics listed below. Papers that are either conceptually or empirically based, employ a range of methodological approaches and offer an international dimension with valuable cross country/cross-sectoral comparisons are also encouraged. Case studies in any of the topics below may also be submitted. 

Subject Coverage 

Suitable topics include but are not limited to:

• Relationships among different types of trust (interpersonal, institutional), trust dimensions and approaches to measuring trust in entrepreneurial contexts
• Inter-organisational and intra-organisational trust (horizontal and vertical dimensions) and their effects on young firm operations and entrepreneurial activities
• Trust issues in developed versus developing countries and their effects on entrepreneurship
• The effects of trust on the level of entrepreneurship at micro and macro levels
• The role of trust in innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship development
• Sources for trust for entrepreneurship
• Ways to build trust in entrepreneurial outsourcing relationships and the importance of trust for international entrepreneurship

 Notes for Prospective Authors 

Submitted papers should not have been previously published nor be currently under consideration for publication elsewhere. (N.B. Conference papers may only be submitted if the paper was not originally copyrighted and if it has been completely re-written). 

All papers are refereed through a peer review process. A guide for authors, sample copies and other relevant information for submitting papers are available on the Author Guidelines page. 

Important Dates 

Deadline for expression of interest (abstract and authors' full contact information): 30 October, 2012 

Deadline for invited full papers: 30 January, 2013  

Editors and Notes 

You may send one copy in the form of an MS Word file attached to an email (details in Author Guidelines) to the following:

Prof. Mai Thi Thanh Thai
HEC Montréal
Department of International Business
3000, chemin de la Côte-Sainte-Catherine
Montréal (Québec), H3T 2A7
Canada
Tel: +1-514-340-1069
Email: [log in to unmask]

Prof. Ekaterina Turkina
HEC Montréal
Department of International Business
3000, chemin de la Côte-Sainte-Catherine
Montréal (Québec), H3T 2A7
Canada
Tel: +1-514-340-731
Email: [log in to unmask]

Please include the following sentence at the beginning of your email: This email concerns the special issue on “The Value of Trust in Entrepreneurship” edited by Professors Mai Thi Thanh Thai and Ekaterina Turkina for the “International Journal of Business and Globalisation”