Facework: creating trust in systems, institutions and organisations

There is a dearth of concepts able to explain the genesis of trust in institutional systems such as organisations and wider expert systems, and its link to interpersonal trust. To this end, the present paper reconsiders and reinvigorates Giddens's (1990) concept of 'facework'. It reviews the use of the concept in the literature, finding considerable conceptual confusion, particularly in distinguishing between Giddens's and Goffman's (2003 [1955]) earlier conceptualisation. This is addressed through a formal definition of facework. The paper then develops the concept further, based on Giddens's own structuration theory. It focuses particularly on two aspects, viz. the different dimensions and elements of facework, and the balance between institutionalised and agentic elements inherent in it. The paper concludes by summarising the implications this analysis has for broader conceptions of individuals 'representing' organisations and expert systems.