The Paradoxes of Trust and Transparency of Blockchain Technologies

Abstract

The Republic and Canton of Jura has decided to adopt and integrate the CERTUS digital seal and the KSI blockchain as the central technological components of their e-government portal and of their digital government transformation program. However, this project is taking place in turbulent times. While blockchain suffers from a bad reputation for ecological reasons and while the Swiss Confederation has rejected the selected blockchain solution, this article seeks to answer how to grasp the paradoxes of blockchain technologies acceptance by state citizens in an extreme management situation. Through an action research that aims to solve practical problems and create scientific knowledge, this study highlights the paradox of trust and considers blockchain technologies to enhance trust between citizens in politically stable countries. Furthermore, it investigates the paradox of transparency of blockchain technologies in an extreme management situation and proposes communicating in two levels of abstraction to limit tensions in turbulent times.