Paths to citizens-controlled coproduction: The use of blockchain technology in digital coproduction

Abstract

Disruptive technologies, such as blockchain (BCT), uphold relevant implications to design more transparent, efficient, and effective coproduction. However, evidence on how disruptive technologies affect the design choices and process of coproduction remains limited. Drawing on the unique case of Barcelona, this study analyses how BCT can shape coproduction and how BCT-based coproduction can look. By using a novel framework, our findings suggest that BCT-based coproduction has the potential to lead to new forms and roles in digital coproduction, yet several institutional, social and organizational factors can influence the design choices and, in turn, the implication of such processes.