Where most businesses are concerned with getting their partners and customers to trust them, this book explores the concept of authentic trust, which is about a business trusting its customers. Different types of trust are shown to lead to very different business cultures, with major implications for development and innovation. Particular attention is given to the notion of public accountability and how it can inhibit trust and communication.

Where other books on trust try to establish business arguments for developing trust, we argue that much business practice sets economic drivers over against commitments between people, so that to make decisions based on trust requires a radical revision of current practices. The book is both timely and relevant to the loss of trust in major corporations and public institutions, and examines the available strategies for regaining it.

“Very often in business we do not even consider trust to be an option, let alone a serious choice. But when we do, trust becomes the basis for useful cooperation and in doing so opens up extensive and rewarding possibilities for the way individuals and organisations function and for the way business is carried out.”

“Trust and Mistrust” by Aidan Ward and John Smith, principal consultants in Antelope Projects, was published by John Wiley in 2003.