Title: Trust, business, and society in a post-conflict scenario - the case of managing workplace practices in Colombia

Authors: Ulf Thoene; Alvaro Turriago-Hoyos

Addresses: Universidad de La Sabana, EICEA, Campus Universitario del Puente del Comun, Chia, Cundinamarca, Colombia ' Universidad de La Sabana, EICEA, Campus Universitario del Puente del Comun, Chia, Cundinamarca, Colombia

Abstract: Colombia has been plagued by outbreaks of violence for several decades. As a post-conflict scenario emerges, businesses face new challenges and opportunities. Ending the conflict inevitably involves an effort of somehow integrating ex-guerrilla combatants into the formal labour market. Given the high levels of mistrust or fear that Colombians manifestly have towards such individuals and the low levels of educational attainment they have achieved, a thorough debate on the issue of trust on an overall societal level as well as within firms cannot be avoided. Regarding opportunities, the post-conflict scenario opens a window to modernise relations between different groups making up society. The central thesis of this research is that trust has perhaps become more reciprocal than unidirectional or top-down. We provide survey data, and conduct in-depth, semi-structured interviews with business leaders representing four economic sectors.

Keywords: business for peace; Colombia; peacebuilding; peace through commerce; trust; voice at work; workplace relations.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBG.2019.102465

International Journal of Business and Globalisation, 2019 Vol.23 No.2, pp.232 - 249

Received: 24 Jan 2017
Accepted: 16 Oct 2017
Published online: 27 Sep 2019 *

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