THE ROLE OF TRUST AND WORK RELATIONSHIP SATISFACTION ON PROJECT OUTCOMES

Abstract

Purpose – In recent researches, the concept of trust in a project process appears to be the one of the most significant elements. A project process involves numerous actors with often clashing interests difficult to adjust during cooperation, but the leading aim is common to all - an accomplished project. This empirical research analyzes two dimensions of trust, according to Rousseau’s dimensions of trust (calculus-based and relational-based trust), in a relationship with the satisfaction with a work relationship in a project process and project outcomes, success or failure, to try to explore its mutual correlation and its predictors influence on project outputs. Methodology – A questionnaire was delivered through Survey Monkey platform on 750 e-mail addresses in Croatia with a response rate of 13.2% (99 respondents). A correlation analysis and multiple linear regression were used to analyze collected data. Findings – The results of an analysis revealed that trust is an essential factor in the project process, which leads to the satisfaction of players with the working relationships in a project process, and to the project’s success or failure. Further the results revealed that trust is perceived as a base operator in a project process. Trust deficit can point to significant issues even before the dawn of project process, so it is a prerequisite to bring together all targets, and clashed interests. Contribution – A trust in a project process is a complex construct which demands further debate, and this analysis is an attempt to add further scientific insight about the relevance of trust in a relationship among the participants, and at the same time provides an application design with the opportunity to foresee a behavior of stakeholders engaged in a process. A wise leader will gather on all components in an equation, trying to identify the most effective approach to carry out and execute the project with success.