Trust failure dynamics in developed and developing Asia intercultural communication: perspectives from a Japanese subsidiary in Thailand

Purpose Within international human resources management scholarship, the importance of trust for good employee relations is well-recognized. This paper aims to deepen understanding of extant intercultural communication (IC) studies on trust, with practical implications for globalizing organizations, by surfacing particularities of a developed Asia (Japanese) subsidiary in developing Asia (Thailand). It thereby contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals on International Partnerships (UN SGD 17) and decent work (UN SDG 8).

Design/methodology/approach The paper draws on first-hand interviews with Thai executives of varying responsibilities at a Japanese manufacturer to understand how IC can lead to trust failure in globalizing organizations. It follows a subjectivist, social constructivist epistemology to deepen understanding.

Findings The findings break ground toward an innovative understanding of how Thai executives’ expectations might be betrayed, by surfacing a novel conceptualization of trust failure.

Research limitations/implications Research is limited to the case examined and the limitation is recognized within the paper. This paper offers an important theoretical refinement – a novel understanding and contribution to how trust might falter.

Practical implications The findings have important practical implications for international organizations to be wary of power (and especially inequalities), insecurity and the resultant need for empathetic interpersonal relations in Thailand. Similar insights could be potentially relevant in other developed–developing Asia dyadic contexts as well because of the broad-based design of the current case study. Recommendations for staff selection are offered.

Social implications The study directly relates to global society’s sustainability objectives, especially decent work that targets a safe working environment for all.

Originality/value The paper offers in-depth original insights into individual business executives’ values for trust creation in intercultural international organizations. It addresses the paucity of lived experience accounts of trust “failures” in Developed-Developing Asia contexts, valuable to realizing UN SDG 17 that pertains to international partnerships.