The process of trust creation between SMEs and their consulting accountants

Abstract: Trust in business relationships is a subject which is not widely discussed. Research explaining the process of how to create trust between SME´s and their consulting accountant is hard to find, as articles discussing the trust creation. The purpose of this dissertation is to explain the process of trust creation in this specific business relationship, by indentifying the affecting factors and their significance. Trust and coagency between agent and principal should optimize working conditions. A model was developed based on trust related research. The empirical studies are based on the factors and variables, which should in theory, impinge on the process of trust creation. These factors and variables are then empirically studied through interviews, and analysed to generate a simply view of the trust creation process, to indentify the affecting factors, from the SME’s perspective. The dissertation has a deductive approach, and is carried out with a qualitative method. The interviews conducted for this dissertation are qualitative and semi-structured, and the empirical study is limited to entrepreneurial firms in the information technology industry. The method of approach was deductive, and the empirical studies are qualitatively carried out. The interviews were conducted in a semi-structured manner to indentify the affecting factors in the trust creation process. The research was limited to SMEs in the south region of Sweden. The results show that several theoretical factors only have minor implication or none at all. Furthermore factors which SMEs perceived as most important could be added to the model. The three factors, competence, availability and contact are crucial to create and maintain trust. Also, without trust, there is no propensity to collaborate.