Using i* to Analyze Trust-Building Strategies for Organizations under Coopetition

Trust is a prerequisite for simultaneous cooperation and competition because trust must exist for rivals to partner. It is a multilevel and evolutionary phenomenon that is comprised of three main phases: calculation, mutual understanding, and bonding. Trust influences conduct of actors under coopetition by regulating their competitive and cooperative behaviors. For example, in coopetitive relationships, trust can be the basis for choosing among opportunistic or altruistic actions. This paper outlines research into the strategic modeling of trust in coopetitive relationships using i*. We propose an approach for developing a Trust Matrix from an i* Strategic Rationale (SR) diagram. A Trust Matrix can be used to assess the perceived trustworthiness of each actor from the perspective of other actors in a coopetitive relationship. It can also be used in conjunction with its corresponding i* SR diagram to generate new trust-building strategies. An illustrative example of a case study from the literature is used to explain this approach.

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