Toward a Dynamic Understanding of Organization–Public Relationship (OPR): Insights From Trust Trajectories in Hong Kong

Trust is a critical and evolving component of organization–public relationship (OPR) research, especially in the context of sociopolitical uncertainty and public health crises. This study focuses on trust to illustrate the dynamic and context-sensitive nature of organization–public relationships. Using five-wave longitudinal data from Hong Kong collected over three years (2020–2023), we introduce a trajectory-based perspective that captures how public trust in institutions changes over time. Four distinct trust trajectories are identified—resilient trustors, tentative converts, cautious progressors, and persistent distrusters— each shaped by different combinations of psychological factors (e.g., risk perception, satisfaction with institutional actions) and broader societal influences (e.g., media environment, political orientation, and demographics). By applying a longitudinal lens and emphasizing temporal development, this study contributes to a more nuanced and dynamic understanding of OPR. It also offers theoretical and methodological insights for advancing research on relationship management especially trust management in crisis times.