• Experimental Economics
• Innovation
• Productivity Growth
• Social Relationships
• Trust

While the economic literature widely acknowledges a positive correlation between economic growth and social capital—defined as the level of trust among individuals—compelling arguments exist suggesting a potential inverse relationship between these two spheres. The goal of this thesis is to elucidate the mechanisms through which innovation and productivity improvements, both important drivers of economic growth, influence social dynamics within a specific and circumscribed environment such as the workplace, and thus to understand how workers might interact with their colleagues. Taking a cue from the insights of Weehuizen et al. (2011), who highlight the dual nature of innovation as a driver of productivity and a source of stress, we take an experimental approach, proposing the design of a two-stage game, which aims to investigate how the innovation process within trust affects levels of trust among employees, thus providing an additional perspective on this issue.