Trust in Practice: Evaluating Third-Party Software in Large Organisational Procurement

Abstract

As large organisations increasingly rely on third-party software to support core operations, trust has emerged as a critical factor. This study reports how trust-related considerations influence the procurement and evaluation of third-party software in large enterprises. Drawing from the literature and nine semi-structured interviews, this study identified specific trust factors, such as certifications, regulatory obligations, and vendor transparency. The findings offer practical insights for improving procurement and evaluation strategies, contribute novel understanding of the trust dimensions specific to software procurement and risk assessment, and provide software vendors with insights on how to make their software more trustworthy.