Managing trust and risk in technology collaborations: a study in the fine fragrance industry

In a previous article [1], we explored the relationship between trust and the risk of information leakage in the management of collaborative technology development. We identified the risk of information leakage to be closely linked to the degree of "openness" of organisations in their technology development strategy, essentially making this risk the price to be paid for access to cutting edge scientific knowledge, which can no longer be gained with introspective technology development strategies. Yet, many firms remain understandably cautious about risking the leakage of valuable information [2]. This paper reports the findings of an initial study on how one firm in the fine fragrance industry manages trust and risk in its technology development strategies