Jeanne M. Brett and Tyree D. Mitchell propose a simple framework that explains the cultural differences in deciding to trust new business partners. They suggest that the key to understanding cultural differences in the process lies in the interplay between cultural levels of trust and "tightness-looseness," or the degree to which a culture strongly enforces its norms. They explain how searching for and deciding to trust is different in the high-trust, loose cultures of the West, the high-trust, tight cultures in East Asia, the low-trust, tight cultures in the Middle East/South Asia, and the low-trust, loose cultures in Latin America. is based on managers’ experiences building new business relationships around the world, but its practical advice for searching for and deciding to trust is useful not only for business leaders but also for government, not-for-profit, and other leaders who are responsible for building new relationships in the global economy.