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Lawson, W D (2004) Trust and trustworthiness in professional-client relationships: Procurement of architect /engineer services by Texas municipalities, Unpublished PhD Thesis, , Texas Tech University.
- Type: Thesis
- Keywords: market; opportunism; trust; architects; client; consultant; professional
- ISBN/ISSN:
- URL: https://www.proquest.com/docview/305134402
- Abstract:
This dissertation explores the nature and role of trust and trustworthiness in professional-client relationships. As used in this study, 'professional' refers to consultants who are design professionals---architects, engineers and consultants in the related design disciplines---and 'client' refers to those persons or entities who retain their services. The major argument developed herein is that trust helps clients deal with marketplace uncertainties and risk, ultimately resulting in increased satisfaction and loyalty in the client-consultant relationship. Such trust derives from the client's beliefs about the trustworthiness of both the consulting firm (the organization) and the firm's representative (key contact person) within the context of a defined market exchange. Trust is grounded in the client's disposition to trust; however, the fact that the client's interests are encapsulated within the interests of the consultant to some extent is negatively related to trusting. Further, social institutions and external restraints which exist to curb consultant opportunism are not viewed as aspects of client-consultant trust.