The Dark Side of Trustworthiness Perception and Its Effects on the Diffusion of Creative Ideas Within Organizations

Abstract

This study examined the dark side of trustworthiness perceptions and how it affects the diffusion of creative ideas. In this age of constant change and high levels of global financial uncertainties, the resolve to trust, be perceived as trustworthy and share creative ideas is greatly needed. However, a high trustworthiness perception of managers could expose employees to betrayal and deception. Therefore, a snowball non-probability sampling technique was employed to identify 30 participants who engaged in in-depth interviews. The results showed that manager’s ability to facilitate the diffusion of creative ideas is dependent upon the manager’s supportive nature and capabilities, ability to apply creative efforts, innovative evidence, and reputation, fear mitigation, and employee empowerment, listening and open communication. The results showed that false perceptions of old practices and fixation on a multiplicity of creative ideas have negative effects on the diffusion of creative ideas. The fulfillment of promises, openness to change and flexible control has significant impacts on integrity. This study, therefore, contributes to the widely discussed Integrative Model of Organizational Trust by extending the trustworthiness theoretical underpinning. This study further highlights a framework that organizations and policy makers ought to consider in order to facilitate the diffusion of creative ideas.