FETR: a framework to establish trust relationships among organizations in VBEs

Organizations compete in acquiring competitive resources, knowledge, and competencies. In the past, organizations applied the acquired resources, knowledge and competencies to gain superiority and thus outperform others in getting customers and brokering opportunities. In this manner the superior organizations forced the inferior organizations outside the market. However, in the current market, when an opportunity is brokered, organizations need to collaborate, more than competing, by sharing the acquired resources, knowledge, and competencies to respond to the opportunity which none of them could handle otherwise. This means organizational strategies must now adapt to the notion of collaboration with others. One important organizational strategy necessary in virtual organizations breeding environments (VBE) is focused on the organizational preparedness that is required to enhance chances of participating in virtual organizations (VOs). A crucial aspect of preparedness is the establishment of trust relationships with other member organizations to smoothen the sharing of resources, knowledge, and competence, and in turn facilitate the organizations' collaboration. In this paper we present the FETR: A Framework to Establish Trust Relationships among organizations in VBEs. We also present and analyze risks that can emerge and thus hamper the established relationships among organizations. We also present the promotion of trust relationships among organizations.