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1 – 10 of over 1000Purva Grover, Arpan Kumar Kar and Marijn Janssen
Although blockchain is often discussed, its actual diffusion seems to be varying for different industries. The purpose of this paper is to explore the blockchain technology…
Abstract
Purpose
Although blockchain is often discussed, its actual diffusion seems to be varying for different industries. The purpose of this paper is to explore the blockchain technology diffusion in different industries through a combination of academic literature and social media (Twitter).
Design/methodology/approach
The insights derived from the academic literature and social media have been used to classify industries into five stages of the innovation-decision process, namely, knowledge, persuasion, decision, implementation and confirmation (Rogers, 1995).
Findings
Blockchain is found to be diffused in almost all industries, but the level of diffusion varies. The analysis highlights that manufacturing industry is at the knowledge stage. Further public administration is at persuasion stage. Subsequently, transportation, communications, electric, gas and sanitary services and trading industry had reached to the decision stage. Then, services industries have reached to implementation stage while finance, insurance and real estate industries are the innovators of blockchain technologies and have reached the confirmation stage of innovation-decision process.
Practical implications
Actual implementations of blockchain technology are still in its infancy stage for most of the industries. The findings suggest that specific industries are developing specific blockchain applications.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge this is the first study which is using social media data for investigating the diffusion of blockchain in industries. The results show that the combination of Twitter and academic literature analysis gives better insights into diffusion than a single data source.
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Enrico Bracci, Mouhcine Tallaki, Riccardo Ievoli and Sonia Diplotti
The paper aims to understand the possible determinants of knowledge of, and interest in using, blockchain, with a particular focus in the future intention to apply this…
Abstract
Purpose
The paper aims to understand the possible determinants of knowledge of, and interest in using, blockchain, with a particular focus in the future intention to apply this technology. Blockchain technology is deemed to radically change business models and processes. Using this technology in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) is still a novel idea. Moreover, not much is known about the diffusion and level of interest towards blockchain in SMEs. This research adopts a knowledge management perspective, drawing on technology acceptance model to highlight the level of blockchain technology diffusion, and to explore which factors lead SMEs’ to adopt blockchain.
Design/methodology/approach
This study distributed a questionnaire to a sample of 300 SMEs in Italy. This study received 96 responses (32% response rate). This study calculated descriptive statistics and undertook a reliability analysis. Finally, this study performed a logistic regression to analyse the determinants of further intention to use blockchain technology.
Findings
Results show that blockchain technology is quite well known, but the level of knowledge is limited. Moreover, the research reveals that the rate of adoption is very low. Interest in the future adoption of blockchain is associated with knowledge, perception of usefulness and ease of use of blockchain.
Originality/value
This paper is one of the first explorative studies showing which factors lead SMEs to adopt blockchain technologies and shedding some light on the interaction between knowledge management and blockchain adoption and diffusion in SMEs. It highlights how blockchain knowledge could determine future interest in blockchain innovation. This paper is relevant for public and private institutions that aim to promote, through knowledge management, the adoption of blockchain in SMEs.
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Yingli Wang, Jeong Hugh Han and Paul Beynon-Davies
This paper aims to investigate the way in which blockchain technology is likely to influence future supply chain practices and policies.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate the way in which blockchain technology is likely to influence future supply chain practices and policies.
Design/methodology/approach
A systematic review of both academic and practitioner literature was conducted. Multiple accounts of blockchain adoption within industry were also consulted to gain further insight.
Findings
While blockchain technologies remain in their infancy, they are gaining momentum within supply chains, trust being the predominant factor driving their adoption. The value of such technologies for supply chain management lies in four areas: extended visibility and traceability, supply chain digitalisation and disintermediation, improved data security and smart contracts. Several challenges and gaps in understanding and opportunities for further research are identified by this research. How a blockchain-enabled supply chain should be configured has also been explored from a design perspective.
Research limitations/implications
This systematic review focuses on the diffusion of blockchain technology within supply chains, and great care was taken in selecting search terms. However, the authors acknowledge that their choice of terms may have excluded certain blockchain articles from this review.
Practical implications
This paper offers valuable insight for supply chain practitioners into how blockchain technology has the potential to disrupt existing supply chain provisions as well as a number of challenges to its successful diffusion.
Social implications
The paper debates the poential social and economic impact brought by blockchain.
Originality/value
This paper is one of the first studies to examine the current state of blockchain diffusion within supply chains. It lays a firm foundation for future research.
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Blockchains, also known as “distributed ledger technologies” (DLT) are perhaps the emerging innovation that, in the years leading up to and including 2019, is raising the highest…
Abstract
Blockchains, also known as “distributed ledger technologies” (DLT) are perhaps the emerging innovation that, in the years leading up to and including 2019, is raising the highest expectations for HRM in the 4.0 business environment. In essence, a blockchain is a very specific type of database, with characteristics that made it the ideal application for cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. Within the context of digital- or e-HRM, there is potential to improve human resource management (HRM) processes using blockchains for employment screening, credential and educational verification, worker contracts and payments, among others, notwithstanding questions about its efficiency vis-à-vis conventional alternatives (Maurer, 2018; Zielinski, 2018). The research questions examined in this chapter include the following: What are the main characteristics of blockchains? Will they be adopted in a widespread form, specifically by HRM departments? Constructs from Diffusion of Innovations (DOI) theory (Rogers, 2003) are used to inform the Human Resources scholarly and practitioner communities; this robust theory may help companies allocate resources (e.g., budgets, personnel, managerial time, etc.) in an evidence-informed manner. As of this writing, very few blockchain applications, such as credential verification and incident reporting, seem to hold a strong potential for adoption.
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Md. Jahir Uddin Palas and Raluca Bunduchi
Drawing broadly from the technology frame (Davidson, 2002) and organizing vision perspectives (Swanson and Ramiller, 1997) which consider the business value of information…
Abstract
Purpose
Drawing broadly from the technology frame (Davidson, 2002) and organizing vision perspectives (Swanson and Ramiller, 1997) which consider the business value of information technology as resulting from actors' efforts to make sense of new technology, the study applies Ojala's (2016) business model framework to examine how different sets of actors understand the value of blockchain within the healthcare sector.
Design/methodology/approach
To include the perspective of different sets of actors, the research combines a systematic literature review to capture academic research, semi-structured interviews with blockchain experts, with an analysis of blockchain healthcare vendors.
Findings
The study finds a high degree of congruence between the perspective of different actors, with key sources of blockchain value concentrated around value proposition, particularly enhancing privacy and security; value capture, specifically cost savings, and value network, mostly enhancing data accessibility and reducing intermediation. Value delivery is the least emphasized value creation mechanism and concerns primarily improvements in supply chain transparency. Minor variations between actors' interpretations of value exist, mostly around the contribution of blockchain to support the value proposition and include the provision of social value, the creation of trust, supporting automation and improving employment.
Originality/value
Recognizing that the value of new technology is as much the result of actors' interpretations, as the objective outcome of its deployment, this study takes a multi-stakeholder perspective to examine blockchain's business value and highlights new aspects of value associated with blockchain deployments. The findings include a value outcome framework that allows systematic comparisons between blockchain implementations across contexts.
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Shobod Deba Nath, Abul Khayer, Jeta Majumder and Suborna Barua
The purpose of this study is to investigate the factors affecting the intention to adopt blockchain technology (BT) in operations and supply chain and to explore the moderating…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to investigate the factors affecting the intention to adopt blockchain technology (BT) in operations and supply chain and to explore the moderating role of sustainability-oriented supplier development on the effects studied.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors developed a conceptual framework based on the integration of technology-organization-environment (TOE) framework and diffusion of innovation (DOI) theory along with several strands of the literature in supply chain management and information systems. Drawing on survey data from 412 supply firms, a novel model using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was empirically tested in the context of the apparel industry of Bangladesh – the world's second-largest apparel supplier nation.
Findings
The findings supported the theoretical framework developed. In particular, the findings suggested that supplier firms' intention to adopt blockchain in supply chains is influenced by relative advantage, compatibility, perceived trust, top management considerations, absorptive capacity, information sharing and collaborative culture, and trading partners' influence. However, regulatory support is yet to play a significant role in blockchain adoption behaviour. The findings also suggest that supplier development for sustainability significantly moderates the relationship between the several drivers' (e.g. relative advantage, compatibility, top management considerations and trading partners' influence) effects on blockchain adoption.
Practical implications
The findings could help in developing an enabling environment for introducing blockchain-based apparel operations and supply chains.
Originality/value
The study contributes to and expands the embryonic research stream of sustainable supply chain management and BT. In particular, the paper provides neoteric evidence on how supplier development towards achieving sustainability moderates the effects of organizational, technological, and environmental drivers on the intention to adopt BT.
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Haitao Wu, Wenyan Zhong, Botao Zhong, Heng Li, Jiadong Guo and Imran Mehmood
Blockchain has the potential to facilitate a paradigm shift in the construction industry toward effectiveness, transparency and collaboration. However, there is currently a…
Abstract
Purpose
Blockchain has the potential to facilitate a paradigm shift in the construction industry toward effectiveness, transparency and collaboration. However, there is currently a paucity of empirical evidence from real-world construction projects. This study aims to systematically review blockchain adoption barriers, investigate critical ones and propose corresponding solutions.
Design/methodology/approach
An integrated method was adopted in this research based on the technology–organization–environment (TOE) theory and fuzzy decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) approach. Blockchain adoption barriers were first presented using the TOE framework. Then, key barriers were identified based on the importance and causality analysis in the fuzzy DEMATEL. Several suggestions were proposed to facilitate blockchain diffusion from the standpoints of the government, the industry and construction organizations.
Findings
The results highlighted seven key barriers. Specifically, the construction industry is more concerned with environmental barriers, such as policy uncertainties (E2) and technology maturity (E3), while most technical barriers are causal factors, such as “interoperability (T4)” and “smart contracts' security (T2)”.
Practical implications
This study contributes to a better understanding of the problem associated with blockchain implementation and provides policymakers with recommendations.
Originality/value
Identified TOE barriers lay the groundwork for theoretical observations to comprehend the blockchain adoption problem. This research also applied the fuzzy method to blockchain adoption barrier analysis, which can reduce the uncertainty and subjectivity in expert evaluations with a small sample.
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Jiunn-Woei Lian, Chih-Teng Chen, Li-Fang Shen and Hung-Ming Chen
The purpose of this study is to explore the critical factors that affect users’ acceptance and usage intention toward blockchain-based smart lockers.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to explore the critical factors that affect users’ acceptance and usage intention toward blockchain-based smart lockers.
Design/methodology/approach
The research is designed in two phases. In the first phase, the key stakeholders are interviewed. Participants include managers from technology providers and logistics companies. In the second phase, a questionnaire survey is used to validate the proposed model.
Findings
Based on the final results, this study makes the following three suggestions. First, perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use are the critical factors. In other words, it is important to emphasize the function and convenience of a new service when introducing it to a potential user. Second, safety is not the major concern when using a blockchain-based smart locker. This means that users will trust the service provider for providing a secure service. Users do not worry about the security problem. Finally, the network externality of smart locker is also insignificant.
Originality/value
This study has three major contributions. First, this study identifies the critical factors that will affect user acceptance of blockchain-based smart lockers. Next, this study combines the opinions from service providers and users to understand the gap between different stakeholders. Finally, this study can enrich our understanding on the applications of blockchain from a managerial perspective and not only from a technical perspective, as in most previous studies.
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Donghee Shin and Mohammed Ibahrine
With the conceptualization of the blockchain as a socio-technical assemblage, this study aims to critically examine the blockchain initiatives in Korea in terms of the…
Abstract
Purpose
With the conceptualization of the blockchain as a socio-technical assemblage, this study aims to critically examine the blockchain initiatives in Korea in terms of the opportunities, risks and challenges embedded in their development.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper analyzes blockchain design and development from socioecological views: social, technological and cultural phenomena that represent the strategic interaction among people, technology and society. The qualitative data were collected from a variety of sources and diverse means.
Findings
The results imply that blockchain needs a close socio-technical examination to avoid simplistic assumptions of its promises and pitfalls. The development of blockchains in Korea will need to consider a range of socio-technical issues to facilitate the best outcomes for blockchain in society.
Research limitations/implications
Despite proactive drives, new risks, such as security, privacy and transparency, emerge as critical concerns of the social implications of the blockchain and their impact on the new digital environment. Questions are raised as to how to govern blockchains, and how to address the unexpected outcomes that such a policy choice may have on society and industry.
Originality/value
The sociopolitical implications of Korean blockchains are examined to identify key concerns and issues as the country progresses rapidly toward a blockchain-driven society.
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JaeShup Oh and Ilho Shong
Blockchain is a distributed ledger, in which the blocks containing transaction details are connected chronologically to form a series of chains, thus raising the possibility of…
Abstract
Purpose
Blockchain is a distributed ledger, in which the blocks containing transaction details are connected chronologically to form a series of chains, thus raising the possibility of improving the process and innovating business model for the financial institutions. The purpose of this paper is to study the actual cases of Blockchain applied in Korea in 2017, so that a vision of business model innovation of financial institutions can be drawn.
Design/methodology/approach
The financial institutions in Korea are in the technology verification stage to introduce Blockchain technology. Since there is an insufficient amount of actual measurement data, case study method was adopted. The authors interviewed ICT officers of major banks in Korea. The purpose of the interview was to understand the relationship between Blockchain and business models of financial institutions, and the effects and challenges that Blockchain has on the business model of financial institutions.
Findings
From the perspective of financial institutions, the emergence of Blockchain does not just have technical significance – emergence of highly efficient database system – but has the possibility that if the business model of existing financial intermediaries disappears or get reduced, the financial services relying on them can disappear altogether, or some of them can be replaced, and financial transaction patterns of consumers can be changed. As a case studies researched for this paper, it was discovered that the distributed characteristic of Blockchain cannot be applied when actually developing financial services.
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