Blockchain in Supply Chain: Opportunities and Design Considerations

Abstract

Supply chain applications operate in a multi-stakeholder setting, demanding trust, provenance, and transparency. Blockchain technology provides mechanisms to establish a decentralized infrastructure involving multiple stakeholders. Such mechanisms make the blockchain technology ideal for multi-stakeholder supply chain applications. This chapter introduces the characteristics and requirements of the supply chain and explains how blockchain technology can meet the demands of supply chain applications. In particular, this chapter discusses how data and trust management can be established using blockchain technology. The importance of scalability and interoperability in a blockchain-based supply chain is highlighted to help the stakeholders make an informed decision. The chapter concludes by underscoring the design challenges and open opportunities in the blockchain-based supply chain domain.