26/03/2026
The economic and social development of a society depends not only on material resources but also on the level of trust within that society. Therefore, trust is considered as a significant capital in the literature on development. While the importance and necessity of trust are universal, they vary from culture to culture. We asked Professor Dr. Syeda Arzu Wasti, a faculty member at Sabancı Business School, who researches the effects of culture on organizational behavior, about the general trend of trust levels in our country. Wasti stated that according to the World Values Survey, Türkiye is one of the countries with the lowest levels of trust.
“Three things are necessary for a state: food, weapons, and the trust of the people. If one must be forgone, weapons should be forgone first; if another must be forgone, food should be forgone. But without the trust of the people, the state cannot stand.” This concise saying, attributed to the great Chinese scientist and philosopher Confucius, states that the foundations of a state rest not on power or wealth, but on trust. The impact of trust on social well-being is so significant that this interaction, identified by Confucius thousands of years ago, is one of the topics studied most by scientists today.
Trust is universal, but not at the same level everywhere.
Trust is also one of Syeda Arzu Wasti's main research topics. "Trust is indispensable in human relationships," says Wasti, adding, "The importance of trust is universal. That is, it applies to every society, every country, but the definition, formation, propensities, and consequences of trust differ in different societies."
According to Wasti, in many Western societies, workplace trust is based on a more rational foundation. In other words, work relationships generally do not turn into friendships. The competence and the work ethic of the parties are crucial. In contrast, in Asian, Mediterranean, and Middle Eastern countries, trust is based on a more emotional foundation. Friendship is common. In these societies, loyalty is preferred over competence. Sincerity with colleagues is not seen as problematic. Private life is shared.
“I made a distinction between East and West, but this desire for warmth and sincerity is especially prevalent in our country, perhaps more generally in Mediterranean countries,” said Wasti, adding that she believes it's necessary to differentiate Eastern societies, particularly the Chinese and Japanese, within themselves. For example, the Chinese place more importance on diligence and performance compared to the Turks.
Gender Differences in Trust Perception
Meanwhile, Wasti noted that women place more importance on emotional connection and closeness in work relationships than men, stating, “Women feel more at ease in work relationships that involve sincerity. In a study we conducted with Gül Günaydın and Emre Selçuk from the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, we found that female employees perceive indifferent and cold behavior from their colleagues as a more trust-breaking attitude compared to male employees.” However, in some cases, if this rapidly established sincerity is just as quickly replaced by destructive competition; it can create tension rather than well-being. This can be a factor that reduces productivity.
Why is trust low in Türkiye?
Wasti answers this question as follows: “When we look at propensity to trust, we see that people in Türkiye generally do not trust. Trust in institutions outside the family, such as the media, banks, and the average person on the street, is very low. Among the reasons for this, we can list factors such as not giving priority to individuals outside the family, structures that cannot be formalized, and a lack of institutional systems. However, this country needs a systemic shield. Distrust leads to solutions that are neither permanent nor fair. The prevalence of this situation feeds distrust again.”
Wasti attributes this to our inability to get rid of our “nomadic mindset.” Nomadism brings with it a haste to adapt to the situation and a tendency for short-term thinking. “Proverbs like ‘you make it up as you go along’ also reflect our short-term thinking practice,” says Wasti, pointing out that the habit of long-term thinking is a characteristic of settled societies. For example, the Chinese, having been engaged in rice farming for centuries, place great importance on cooperation because rice farming requires this, which in turn requires long-term planning.
According to the results of a study shared by Wasti, there is a positive correlation between general trust and GDP (gross domestic product), that is, the level of development of a country. She argues that for a society to develop, it needs a trust-based infrastructure where individuals can access all kinds of resources, evaluate the quality of these resources, take risks with new ideas, and protect their rights. In other words, trust fosters creativity and innovation, increases investment and entrepreneurship, and improves institutional quality.
This relationship is not one-way. That is, trust alone does not increase wealth; economic stability also fuels trust. There is a reciprocal relationship between them.
Individualistic and Collectivist Cultures
Wasti, while researching the effects of culture on organizational behavior, also focuses on fundamental concepts used to explain the value structure of societies, such as collectivism and individualism.
Individualism refers to a cultural structure where the individual primarily defines themselves as an independent individual; personal preferences, individual achievement, and autonomy are prioritized in decisions and goals. Collectivism, on the other hand, refers to a cultural structure where the individual primarily defines themselves as part of the group to which they belong; group conformity, solidarity, and loyalty are prioritized. In these societies, the individual's identity is largely defined by their family, community, and social environment.
According to Wasti, although Türkiye is generally classified as a society with dominant collectivist tendencies in cultural research, it shows amixed (hybrid) structure. Due to factors such as the cultural mosaic resulting from migration, technological developments, and urbanization (especially in large cities such as Istanbul), individualistic values also appear to be prominent.
Due to the psychological legacy of nomadism, Turks, unlike settled societies, exhibit a distinct sense of honor collectivism; that is, a more assertive self that, when necessary, legitimizes violence.
Therefore, Wasti believes that in a multicultural society like Türkiye, there is no monolithic behavioral pattern. This necessitates interdisciplinary collaboration.
A member of Sabancı University for 27 years
Syeda Arzu Wasti has been with Sabancı University since its inception in October 1999. Playing a significant role in the university's development, Professor Wasti has taught courses on organizational behavior, research methods, human resources management, and cross-cultural management at the undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels.
Given the limited local research in the field of business and organizational relations in our country, she prioritizes original studies that consider the cultural context.
Sources:
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https://gazetesu.sabanciuniv.edu/tr/arzu-wasti-25-yili-asan-bir-hikaye
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbalkKE8H14
