Transition in Complex Polycentric Contexts: Trusting and Multifunctional Semantics

This article shows how the interplay of different function systems creates distrust and paradoxes in complex polycentric transition processes. This issue is captured by an abductive, qualitative, single-case study on a highly polycentric pilot project in a Danish public job centre. The results suggest that the emergence of a multifunctional semantic reservoir is crucial for navigating function-systemic blind spots by stimulating higher-order observation and reflection and building trust in polycentric settings. This is a prerequisite for allowing paradoxes to drive transition and not become barriers. Copyright (c) 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.