Trust and commitment in the formation of donor loyalty

Abstract

This cross-national study empirically tests a model that explains the ways in which trust and commitment lead to loyalty in the organization-donor relationship. This research fills a gap in the literature by contrasting the formation of loyalty in a developing nation, with the national culture in which the framework was initially developed. Findings indicate that while trust and commitment are significant in the formation of behavioral loyalty in both Latin America and the United States, this relationship is mediated by cognitive and affective loyalty. The respective contributions of affective and cognitive loyalty are, however, different based on cultural context. In Latin America, the model is more affectively focused, whereas in the United States it is more cognitively focused. Theoretical, practical and managerial implications are discussed.