Abstract
Imagine what it would mean for businesses if they found that the money spent on the entertainment of guests had no real affect on the trust built with the other party. Or perhaps if businesses were told the opposite, that sharing food would enhance trust between two parties, they would invest in it more liberally. It is this dilemma that makes the question of sharing food to enhance trust in negotiations so important. Our inquiry comes from the research question: "Does sharing food enhance trust in negotiations?" This question is important because its answer may dictate how firms will choose to allocate their budgets. For example, if it is found that sharing food does indeed enhance trust between parties; firms may choose to put more money toward the entertainment of clients and partners. We will take a causal research design to test if there is a cause-effect relationship between food and trust. If it is found that sharing food has no effect on negotiations, firms will do well to heed advice to reallocate some of the funds previously budgeted for entertainment.
