Digital Trust Architectures in Global Supply Chains: Beyond Blockchain Hype

The proliferation of digital technologies in global supply chains has generated considerable enthusiasm for blockchain-based solutions as panaceas for transparency and trust deficits. However, this viewpoint challenges the prevailing techno-solutionist narrative by examining digital trust through a socio-governance lens that transcends technological determinism. Drawing from systems theory, platform capitalism, and governance literature, this paper argues that digital trust in global supply chains is fundamentally a socio-governance construct shaped by platform design choices and inter-organizational norms rather than merely a technological function. While distributed ledger technologies offer valuable capabilities for traceability and transparency, their implementation within existing power structures often reproduces rather than transforms underlying trust asymmetries. This analysis reveals how the architecture of digital trust systems reflects and reinforces particular governance arrangements, calling for a more nuanced understanding of how technology intersects with social, economic, and political dynamics in shaping supply chain relationships. The paper advocates for moving beyond blockchain hype toward comprehensive trust architectures that acknowledge the inherently social nature of trust formation and maintenance in complex global networks.