Relational governance as a mediator between perceptions of justice and cooperative identity: A theoretical essay

The opportunity to overcome difficulties is what motivates the creation of cooperatives. Trust and reciprocity are the anchors of a successful cooperative agreement, therefore, in a relationship of high mutual interest and dependence, trust and reciprocity must be the objective of the actors (leaders, managers, and associates) that are part of the cooperative agreement. Trust and reciprocity are consolidated by perceptions of organizational justice. This theoretical essay aims to propose some reflections and hypotheses: (i) the importance of perceptions of organizational justice (distributive, procedural, interpersonal, and informational) for the maintenance of cooperative agreements; (ii) the role (complementary or substitute) of relational and contractual governance for the performance of cooperation; (iii) relationships based on trust and reciprocity as a necessary condition for long-term cooperation.