During the 1990s there emerged two approaches to viewing trust - one as a unidimensional construct
of credibility and the other as a multidimensional construct of credibility and benevolence. For this
study, trust has been examined as a multi-dimensional construct and focuses mainly on the trust
dimensions of credibility and benevolence. Ganesan (1994) as well as Doney and Cannon (1997)
support this multidimensional approach.
In this study, it is proposed that credibility trust, from the client's perspective, be based upon a
financial planner's, (a) expertise, experience and task specific competencies to perform the their role
effectively, (b) reliability, dependability and predictability in the delivery of services, and (c) honesty
and the intention and ability to keep promises (Ganesan & Hess 1997). Benevolence trust might be
described as the extent to which the client believes that the fmancial planner "has intentions and
motives beneficial to the client when new conditions arise, conditions for which a commitment was
not made." (Ganesan 1994, p.3)