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Can intermediary and disintermediary be compatible in coordination management: affordance, fusion and actualization of blockchain and conventional systems

Daojun Sun (School of Economics and Management, The Communication University of China, Beijing, China)
Limin Deng (Association of Shanghai Internet Financial Industry, Shanghai, China)
Wenchi Ying (School of Economics and Management, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing, China)

International Journal of Emerging Markets

ISSN: 1746-8809

Article publication date: 15 July 2022

Issue publication date: 21 February 2024

186

Abstract

Purpose

This study investigates into how organizations enable the compatibility between intermediary role of conventional systems with disintermediary potentials of blockchain toward the coordination of multiple actors in operations management.

Design/methodology/approach

The data were collected from 31 interviewees of the case organizations. We conduct an in-depth case study of successful BC implementation in operations management, by using affordance-actualization (A-A) theory as the theoretical lens.

Findings

This study identifies the incompatibility between the affordances of conventional systems and blockchain in coordination/operations management and offers a process model in which a fusion phase enables the affordances to be compatible and then to be actualized. The fusion phase extends A-A theory by transposing and connecting in the context of operations management. The result also shows that blockchain technology has decentralized potentials to address the issues caused by centralized organizations or information systems, while not to replace the intermediary roles of centralized organizations or information systems.

Originality/value

This study makes important theoretical contributions to the literature on blockchain used in operations management, the roles of blockchain enablement and affordance-actualization theory. The findings can also help IT practitioners to implement BC-based applications effectively.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

Funding: This research is supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (61972029) and Beijing Jiaotong University Education Foundation (03060083).

Citation

Sun, D., Deng, L. and Ying, W. (2024), "Can intermediary and disintermediary be compatible in coordination management: affordance, fusion and actualization of blockchain and conventional systems", International Journal of Emerging Markets, Vol. 19 No. 3, pp. 582-604. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOEM-07-2021-1125

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited

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