On the Trustee’s Side: Trust As Relational Capital - Trust Theory: A Socio-Cognitive and Computational Model - page 291

In this paragraph we have introduced in the dependence network (that establishes, objectively
or subjectively, how each agent can potentially depend on other agents to solve its own tasks)
the trust relationships (that introduce an additional dimension, again evaluated both objectively
and subjectively, in a potential partner selection for achieving tasks). In general, we can say
that the introduction of trust relationships reduces the set of potential partners for each agent
and for each task, with respect to the situation with the dependence relationships alone: more
formally OPN SPN T . Even if exceptions are possible: may be an agent

trusts other agents on a specific task with respect to whom he really depends on.
From the comparison between OUTC(Ag i ,

OPN T , and SPN > >

τ k ), SUTC(Ag i , τ k ), OTC(Ag i , τ k ), STC(Ag i , τ k ),

τ k ) a set of interesting actions and decisions are taken from the agents (we will see
in the next paragraph).

and ST(Ag i ,

10.3 Dynamics of Relational Capital
What has not been considered enough in organization theory is the fact that the relational
capital is peculiar in its being crucially based on beliefs: again, what makes relationships
become a capital is not simply the structure of the networks (who 'sees' whom and how
clearly) but the evaluations and the levels of trust which characterize the links in the networks
(who trusts whom and how much). Since trust is based on beliefs - including, as we said, the
believed dependence (who needs whom) - it should be clear that relational capital is a form
of capital, which can be manipulated by manipulating beliefs .
Thanks to a structural theory of what kind of beliefs are involved, it is possible not only to
answer some very important questions about agents' power in networks, but also to understand
the dynamical aspects of relational capital. In addition, it is possible to study what a difference
between trustee's beliefs and others' expectations of him implies in terms of both reactive and
strategic actions performed by the trustee.

10.3.1 Increasing, Decreasing and Transferring
As far as the dynamic aspects of this kind of capital are concerned, it is possible to make
hypotheses on how it can increase or how it can be wasted, depending on how each of the basic
beliefs involved in trust might be manipulated. In general, starting from the analysis of the
previous paragraph, we can see how matching the different terms we have different interesting
situations.
First of all, even if OTC(Ag i , τ k ) is a relevant factor for the agent Ag i (it shows in absolute

terms how the trustworthiness of Ag i is recognized), in fact the really important thing for
an agent cumulating trust capital is OUTC(Ag i , τ k ) that indicates not only the trustworthiness

cumulated in the dependent agents, but also the number of possible other concurrent agents
on that offered task. So, for example, it may be more important to have competence on tasks
which are not highly required, but with a low number of concurrents, than viceversa.
Again it is interesting to consider the SUTC(Ag i ,

τ k ) factor (in which a relevant role is played
by the beliefs of the involved trustee) and its relationships with OUTC(Ag i , τ k ), SPN T (Ag j ,g jk ),

and OPN T (Ag j ,g jk ) factors. As we have seen in the previous paragraph, these factors are
constituted by the beliefs of trustee or trustor, so it can be interesting to analyze the different
situations matching them and evaluating the consequences of their coherence or incoherence.