Chapter I: Introduction
Chapter II: The background and motivation
2.1 Trust in investment banks: An overview of the present scenario
2.2 The M&A business, investment banker-client relationship, and trust
2.3 The theoretical view on the research gap, and research questions	
Chapter III: Literature review	
3.1 Defining trust as a concept
3.2 A platform to comprehend the phenomenon of trust
3.2.1 Trust through the lens of transaction cost theory
3.2.2 Trust freedom, and vulnerability – an ethical perspective
3.3 A theoretical framework to study the phenomenon of trust
3.4 Trust vs. time
3.4.1 Relationship life cycle
3.4.2 The model of trust & distrust in relationship building
3.5 Trust and network approach
3.6 Epilogue
Chapter IV: Methodology
4.1 Prologue: The choice of qualitative research as a methodological approach
4.1.1 Validity of qualitative research
4.1.2 Reliability, credibility and characteristics of qualitative research
4.2 Phenomenology – studying a phenomenon
4.3 Sampling
4.3.1 Judgement sampling
4.3.2 Snowball sampling
4.4 Questionnaire
4.5 The data
4.6 Epilogue of the methodological approach
Chapter V: Analysis	
5.1 The coding manual
5.2 Coding technique for the first cycle
5.3 Recoding and categorising – Second cycle
5.4 Post- second cycle coding findings
5.5 Does the research require a third cycle coding?
5.6 Data saturation in qualitative interviews
5.6.1 Factors determining data saturation
5.6.2 Guidelines on the size of the sample	
Chapter VI: Results
6.1 Prologue
6.1.1 The ‘pre-relationship’ stage in a ‘successful’ bank(er)-client relationship
6.1.2 The constructs of goodwill at the “pre-relationship” phase
6.2 Exordium – The introduction phase
6.3 Incrementum – The growth/build-up phase
6.4 Maturitatem – The maturity phase
6.4.1 Situation 1: Superior interpersonal trust
6.4.2 Situation 2: Superior company trust
6.5 How does trust evolve in an investment bank(er)-client relationship?
6.6 Declino – The decline phase: The sub-areas of research interest
6.6.1 Scams
6.6.2 Living up to the expectations
6.6.3 Issue with additional services
6.6.4 Transparency and predictability
6.6.5 Can trust be regained? – A contextual question
Chapter VII: Discussion of results
7.1 A pragmatic approach in relation to the research gap
7.2 Transaction cost theory and a ‘free’ perspective
7.3 Goodwill and resource-based theory
7.4 Stakeholder theory, service/performance quality, and relationship marketing
7.5 The debate on trust and time
7.5.1 The model of trust and distrust in relationship development
7.5.2 Relationship life cycle	
7.6 Network approach, recommendation, and 3D negotiation	
7.7 Contractual trust and a phase of ‘neutrality’	
7.8 Trust vs. reliance	
Chapter VIII: Conclusion	
Publication bibliography
Appendices