Our research empirically assesses two distinct bases for trust: calculative trust, based on a
structure of rewards and penalties, versus relational trust, a judgment anchored in past
behavior and characterized by a shared identity. We find that calculative trust and relational
trust positively influence supplier performance, with calculative trust having a stronger
association than relational trust. Yet, important boundary conditions exist. If buyers invest in
supplier‐specific assets or when supply side market uncertainty is high, relational trust, not …

Despite the many studies showing the positive association of trust and buyer-supplier
exchange outcomes, extant research has not empirically assessed two distinct bases for
trust: calculative trust, in which incentives align goals, and relational trust, in which a shared
identity aligns goals. Our findings from 211 buyer–supplier relationships demonstrate that
both relational trust and calculative trust simultaneously and positively influence supplier
performance, yet calculative trust has a stronger relationship with performance than …