2025

Tikanmäki, Ilkka; Ruoslahti, Harri

Trust is crucial for effective information exchange that is needed to counter possible hybrid influence. This literature review outlines current views on strategies to build trust between stakeholders, such as creating strong partner relationships, transparent communication on how information is used, and adhering to clear standards and guidelines. Besides stakeholder cooperation, impacts of trust are also seen in, e.g. regulatory frameworks, data protection, information security, and information exchanges between IT systems. The results of this study emphasise understanding the importance of trust in building situational awareness, needed to identify hybrid influence. Confidence in all involved stakeholders and systems can enhance situational awareness, as, e.g. effective collaboration helps promote safety by enabling stakeholders to comprehend and effectively react to adverse events and information security failures. Trust becomes a fundamental prerequisite for the successful exchange of knowledge and information among stakeholders. Fostering trust can help stakeholders improve situational awareness, ensure effective decision-making, and achieve shared goals in various domains. Trusted information exchange may unlock opportunities for innovation, growth, and mutual prosperity. In today’s information-driven world, trust can be seen as a cornerstone for effective communication and successful collaboration among stakeholders. Results suggest that trust-building among stakeholders can lead to a secure reliance on the integrity and reliability of others and thus promote comprehensive approaches, e.g. to manage emerging risks. This implies that sensitive information could be exchanged without fear of misuse or disclosure; trust between stakeholders seems to be more significant than mere cooperation. IT systems, regulatory frameworks, data protection, and security are all affected by trust in information exchange. To effectively increase their respective and collective situational awareness and safety, stakeholders need a foundation of trust to work efficiently.