A gene-dependent climatoeconomic model of generalized trust

• Published in: Journal of world business : JWB Vol. 51; no. 2; pp. 226 - 236
• Main Author: Kong, Dejun Tony
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Greenwich Elsevier Inc 01-02-2016; Elsevier Science Ltd
• Subjects: 5-HTTLPR S-allele prevalence; Climatic demands; Cross cultural management; Economic models; Gene; Generalized trust; Genes; Studies; Trust; Uncertainty avoidance; Wealth; Climatic demands; Generalized trust; Uncertainty avoidance; Gene; 5-HTTLPR S-allele prevalence; Wealth
• ISSN: 1090-9516; 1878-5573
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jwb.2015.08.018

Given the benefits of generalized trust, its determinants receive growing attention in international/cross-cultural management/psychology. This research proposed a gene-dependent climatoeconomic model, integrating multiple types of determinants parsimoniously. Across 53 societies, generalized trust is a multiplicative function not only of climatic demands and wealth (climatoeconomic contextualization), but also of climatic demands, wealth, and the 5-HTTLPR S-allele prevalence (gene-dependent climatoeconomic contextualization), mediated by uncertainty avoidance. The climatoeconomic contextualization is present only in societies possessing a low level of the 5-HTTLPR S-allele prevalence. These findings shed light on trust and international management research as well as interventions and policy making for societal effectiveness.