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The article reviews the existing literature on relationship repair and develops a conceptual framework of the same. It investigates four issues that examine assumptions or overlooked topics in current research with the aim of creating a more complete conceptual foundation.

A study was conducted to examine the existing streams of work on relationship repair in organizations, and to organize them into a conceptual framework. Questions that probe assumptions or overlooked issues in existing research with the objective of moving toward a more comprehensive conceptual foundation are also analyzed.

We propose a new theoretical framework for understanding simultaneous trust and distrust within relationships, grounded in assumptions of multidimensionality and the inherent tensions of relationships, and we separate this research from prior work grounded in assumptions of unidimensionality and balance. Drawing foundational support for this new framework from recent research on simultaneous positive and negative sentiments and ambivalence, we explore the theoretical and practical significance of the framework for future work on trust and distrust relationships within organizations. (Reprinted by permission of the publisher.)