Perceptions of Trust and National Perspectives in Multinational Crisis Management: An Examination of the European Union Military Strategic Level

Abstract: This thesis is motivated by an increasing degree of unfamiliarity and prominence of national dimensions in multinational crisis management. The research rationale rests on the argument that trust is important but may erode when roles conflict, which in turn may result when stakeholder interests diverge. The thesis describes trust and national perspectives in terms of role conflict in an EU Operations Headquarters (OHQ) as part of the developing EU crisis management apparatus. The results show that trust is generally important and relies primarily on a shared history. A starting capital of trust for unfamiliar others may be derived from depersonalised sources, mainly in terms of the trustee’s organisational affiliation and role occupancy. When situational interpretations diverge a trustor may employ coping strategies, which include efforts to make sense of the trustee’s behaviour. National perspectives are likely to be evident in an OHQ. However, national perspectives do not necessarily lead to role conflicts and detrimental effects on trust. National perspectives may be motivated by operational concerns as well as by patriotism or self-serving interests.