Today, an increasing number of firms are embracing blockchain as part of their efforts to achieve operational efficiency and improve performance, thereby acting as a catalyst to bring about digital transformation. Gartner listed blockchain as the most promising technology in digital marketing in the year 2019. Blockchain is driving digital transformation by forcing organizations to rethink how they operate, in terms of identifying ineffectiveness of traditional approaches to doing business, to address their business needs, promote innovation, and through establishment of standard frameworks. Blockchain shows massive disruption potential in the area of customer relationship management and enhancing consumer experience, besides improving trust, security, and privacy. Therefore, this chapter focuses on providing an enlightenment on how blockchain can specifically address the areas of transformation in digital marketing, prominent frameworks in use, and listing the benefits and challenges of implementing this technology.
With the rapid development of e-commerce services, online retail has evolved from multi-channel to omni-channel in order to provide customers with more services. However, reverse logistics services (returns and exchanges) have become the target of many fraudulent activities, causing a lot of economic losses for many online retail companies. The current challenge of the traditional countermeasure is it requires a lot of manpower and training resources. In this study, we propose ESPRES, a system that adopts blockchain technology to prevent fraudulent behavior in the process of returns and exchanges with the smart contract and multi-attribute decision-support method to help consumers choose a suitable payment program. A practical implication of this study is that by adopting blockchain technology, a great amount of manpower used on determining whether each return or exchange is fraudulent can be reduced since merchants can check the product ownership. In addition, due to the fact that the footprint of goods cannot be forged, it can also prevent counterfeit or parallel imports of goods.
Purpose/objectives: in the last ten years, the implementation of blockchain (BC) technology offers many opportunities for all economic sectors such as finance, health, trade, agriculture, etc. This technology based on distributed digital ledger collects and stores data permanently and in an ordered way, allowing stakeholders to have access to information cryptologically protected. Since 2014, the blockchain technology has been introduced in the tourism industry with the goal to improve this sector. In this contest the present study intents to: 1) carrying out a systematic literature review (SLR) on the implementation of BC technology in tourism economic sector; 2) providing an analysis of its advantages and future challenges.
Given the emerging nature of integrating Blockchain Technology (BCT) into several business fields concerning the interaction between companies and their customers, this study aims to investigate the applications of BCT in marketing through an accurate procedure of locating, selecting and analyzing existing companies using BCT in marketing. A sample that consists of 800 companies was identified using web-scraping methods. The data set was collected from initial coin offerings (ICO) websites as well as from an existing, older landscape of applications. The data set was then intensively analyzed in order to be categorized into five fields of marketing technology. Advertising and ecommerce outgrew the other fields of social & relationship, content & experience and data in absolute numbers, revealing the focus of practitioners in the past as well as gaps for the future. The authors provided future directions for researchers on and development of tools to systematically generate knowledge and improve the application of BCT and the work of practitioners in marketing.
As a part of food safety research, researches on food transactions safety has attracted increasing attention recently. Food choice is an important factor affecting food transactions safety: It can reflect consumer preferences and provide a basis for market regulation. Therefore, this paper proposes a food market regulation method based on blockchain and a deep learning model: Stacked autoencoders (SAEs). Blockchain is used to ensure the fairness of transactions and achieve transparency within the transaction process, thereby reducing the complexity of the trading environment. In order to enhance the usability, relevant Web pages have been developed to make it more friendly and conduct a security analysis for using blockchain. Consumers' reviews after the transactions are finished can be used to train SAEs in order to perform emotional tendencies predictions. Compared with different advanced models for predictions, the test results show that SAEs have a better performance. Furthermore, in order to provide a basis for the formulation of regulation strategies and its related policies, case studies of different traders and commodities have also been conducted, proving the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Elodie de Boissieu, Galina Kondrateva, Patricia Baudier, Chantal Ammi
Purpose Most businesses strive to control the efficiency of their supply chains; however, luxury firms face additional challenges from counterfeit, gray market and copycat products. Blockchain technology can address these issues and enhance firms' supply chain management, guaranteeing the traceability and origin of luxury products. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the utility and contexts influencing the implementation of blockchain technology to optimize supply chain management and prevent fraud in the luxury industry. Design/methodology/approach The research uses a qualitative approach based on the grounded theory method. Data are collected by semi-structured interviews with 12 stakeholders working on blockchain applications in the luxury business sector. Findings Highlighting the problems faced by luxury brands' supply chains, this study presents blockchain technology as a solution for disintermediation, traceability and transparency in the luxury goods sector. The constraints faced by luxury brands incorporating this technology into their ecosystem include the knowledge gap, the multiplicity of third parties involved in the production process and bias toward short-term returns on investment. Originality/value Blockchains promote greater transparency and efficiency within supply chains, which builds consumer trust and improves brand revenue. Considering luxury brands' reluctance to adopt blockchains, this study suggests that luxury firms adopt a staggered implementation of private blockchain networks starting with a small number of third-party suppliers.
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to propose a conceptual framework for the application of blockchain in the Public Distribution System (PDS) in India to manage the supply of food grains to the targeted beneficiaries. The framework will help prevent diversions and leakages of grains at the warehouse and Fair Price Shop (FPS) level. The paper also identifies the enablers and disablers in the context of the framework. Design/methodology/approach This paper will firstly review the previous literature in PDS and blockchain-enabled agricultural and food supply chains. The study then proposes a framework that could be implemented in the PDS in India using blockchain technology. Findings The proposed framework provides an effective way to combat corruption, exclusion errors of targeted beneficiaries, leakage of PDS food grains and is cost-effective. The identified enablers and disablers give an insight into the application of blockchain in PDS in India. Research limitations/implications The research work may have implications for the Ministry of Food and PDS (Central Government), Food Corporation of India and State Governments to manage the supply of the grains more efficiently and effectively. Originality/value The current study caters to the implementation of blockchain technology starting from the warehouse level to the FPSs and consumers and simultaneously connecting them to concerned authorities to ensure transparency and accountability.
Blockchain technology, as an emerging information technology, has attracted much attention. Some luxury e-commerce platforms have focused on the adoption of blockchain technology to provide electronic certificates for consumers, which helps to increase consumers’ trust in luxury goods. However, due to the high authentication cost of blockchain technology, some platforms still adopt manual technology with lower authentication costs to provide paper certificates for consumers. So whether platforms choose to adopt manual technology or blockchain technology for authentication is a problem worthy of attention. In this article, we investigate the choice strategy of authentication technology for luxury e-commerce platform(s) in the monopoly and duopoly markets, respectively. The results show that the choice of authentication technology for platform(s) depends on the cost difference between manual technology authentication and blockchain technology authentication. When the cost difference is small (large), platform(s) should adopt blockchain (manual) technology. In particular, in the duopoly market, the competition between the two platforms will improve their motivation to adopt blockchain technology, but the two platforms may trap into a prisoner's dilemma when they both adopt blockchain technology. Moreover, in the monopoly and duopoly markets, adopting blockchain technology is likely to improve consumer surplus and social welfare at the same time.
Purpose Blockchain technology was developed to synchronize the data and transactions over the supply chain network and connected nodes. This paper aims to show how blockchain technology can enhance flexibility and agility in supply chain operations. The integration of blockchain and other recently developed technology can help deal with supply chain uncertainties and other challenges being faced by the industry. Design/methodology/approach Through an extensive literature review of existing research papers and conversation with supply chain managers, barriers and challenges in the supply chain were identified. Some elements were researched of blockchain technology that can be used to resolve some challenges. Blockchain technology and other technologies integration is developed for implementation in supply chain for better visibility and efficiency of supply chain. Findings The challenges in the supply chain are categorized, and the solution is given through the integration of blockchain and other technologies like Internet of Things and artificial intelligence. The integration shows the execution of tasks through blockchain and various technologies in supply chain. Research limitations/implications Blockchain in supply chain is finding its strong place in India when compared to developing nations. There is a need for technology experts, supply chain managers and consumers to understand blockchain’s importance. Challenges faced by industries to use blockchain may be analyzed further with real-life industry case studies. Practical implications This research helps enterprises in successful execution of smart technologies in their supply chains. This research helps enterprises in successful execution of smart technologies in their supply chains. Managers and practitioners may use the models developed in real-time implementation. The technologies are described in detail to help the practitioners select the best suitable for their organization. Social implications Digital supply chains are finding the way in industries due to lean and efficient nature. It is beneficial to use the smart technologies to make supply chain green and sustainable. Originality/value The implementation of the digital supply chain and its challenges are discussed in the research paper. This will work as a platform for research in the area of technologies for supply chain.
New technologies are playing a fundamental role in the postmodern era of globalization where interpersonal interactions at the international level and the exchange of goods, services, information and capital are the basis of all activities. The agriculture sector is constantly facing numerous challenges including the steady growth of the population, climate change, the increasing number of catastrophes, the loss of biodiversity and the spread of parasites. This paper analyzes the impacts of Blockchain applications in agriculture and the food supply chain, through a survey literature review, providing the various players in the agriculture value chain with new tools and key technologies to improve production and distribution processes. To demonstrate the importance of applying the Blockchain in the agriculture sector, especially for emerging countries, the case of South Africa is examined. This focus is one of the unique aspects of this paper, which is the first to deal with this kind of solution applied to the South African context. Our findings indicate that Blockchain, in the e-agricultural context, has the potential for reshaping the entire sector, contributing also to the resolution of the food crisis. This paper discusses the overall implications, limits, challenges and potentials of these applications, from a critical point of view.
This study aims to explore the role of BC and its impact on CRM by suggesting an extended CRM on the basis of BC capabilities thru developing an analytic hierarchy planning-based framework to establish criteria weights developing a new self-assessment model to determine the most critical factors impacting the BC investment in CRM to enhance customer experience and to enable parties to work together in a trusted technology environment. An analytical hierarchical process (AHP) approach was utilized to prioritize and weigh the factors affecting the BC investment in modern CRM in the service industry based on the extant literature and its interpretation. This approach resulted in a ranking of 19 sub-factors based on experienced customer service professionals and technologists’ evaluations. Findings revealed a significant insight into proposing a new generation of CRM based on BCT, focusing on using the powerful BC platform considering all factors influencing the BC investment in modern CRM from a business perspective. Understanding the new combination of BC and CRM can solve the challenges and dilemmas linked to the untrusted environment of handling CRM data in the information systems field. This study provides valuable information and critical analysis of BC regarding CRM integration. Directions for future research are also included.
To solve compliance issues for its procurement/direct-buy processes, Blockchain Technology is helpful in its existing environment. Blockchain can be characterized as a distributed ledger technology that can keep track of transactions among various parties involved in the transaction. By sharing data among multiple parties involved in a business, Blockchain works as a trust-able technology providing tempered proof transaction tracking of order, payment and other functions associated with the logistics. Blockchain is helping logistics to be more proficient and straightforward. Blockchain&s;s distributed ledger characteristics makes it the ideal technology to manage the logistics having functions of payment tracking, order management, shipment and many more critical information.. Blockchain is useful only where multiple entities are collaborating and sharing information. Blockchain is very good and suitable approach for logistics . The technology is supportive in involving multiple entities to synchronize information among all the entities involved in logistics . In logistics, information is shared among provided by manufacturer, wholesaler and customer and helps in standardizing the procedure to identify suspect, illegitimate and improving the products and the system is completely traceable.
This paper investigates the strategies for adopting blockchain technology in the fresh product supply chain (FPSC) consisting of a supplier, a third-party logistics service provider (3PL) and an e-tailer. We analyse the optimal strategies of FPSC members under the benchmark scenario where the FPSC does not adopt blockchain technology and those under the three scenarios where the supplier, 3PL and e-tailer lead the construction of the blockchain-based traceability system (BTS), respectively. We find that adopting blockchain technology is not always the optimal decision for the FPSC, which is related to the consumers’ acceptance degree for the product without blockchain technology, the deterioration rate of the fresh product and the allocation proportion of traceability cost of FPSC members when adopting blockchain technology. Regardless of the power and status of each member in the FPSC, it can lead the construction of the BTS. From the perspective of whole FPSC’s profit maximisation, the leader of the FPSC should lead the construction of the BTS under the coordination of a two-part tariff contract. This study provides valuable insights for FPSCs to adopt blockchain technology.
The tourism industry is increasingly influenced by the evolution of information and communication technologies (ICT), which are revolutionizing the way people travel. In this work we want to investigate the use of innovative IT technologies by DMOs (Destination Management Organizations), focusing on blockchain technology, both from the point of view of research in the field, and in the study of the most relevant software projects. In particular, we intend to verify the benefits offered by these IT tools in the management and monitoring of a destination, without forgetting the implications for the other stakeholders involved. These technologies, in fact, can offer a wide range of services that can be useful throughout the life cycle of the destination.
This paper considers a supply chain consisting of a manufacturer and a retailer. The manufacturer sells its products through the retailer and an online platform and adopts green technology in the blockchain era. The platform can operate with marketplace mode or reselling mode. The network effect is considered to reflect the power of the platform to enlarge the potential market size. In the decentralised supply chain, the online platform encroaches the offline demand despite the same retail price. The increase of the network coefficient improves the abatement level, and benefits the manufacturer and the platform but damages the retailer’s profit. For the supply chain coordination, the abatement level with reselling mode in the centralised supply chain is less than that in the decentralised supply chain if the network coefficient is high. Both marketplace mode and reselling mode can coordinate the supply chain if the network coefficient is low. Blockchain technology helps the products become greener and brings more profits for the manufacturer and the platform. And it induces supply chain coordination. Based on real data of a supply chain, its profit is increased by 3% after coordination.
Aaron M. Shew, Heather A. Snell, Rodolfo M. Nayga, Mary C. Lacity
Abstract Blockchain (BC) technology, defined as a shared information system to validate, secure, and permanently store transactions among multiple parties on a distributed ledger, presents many applications in agricultural and food industries. This study examines the application of BC in food traceability for beef in the United States using a choice experiment. Findings indicate that consumers value USDA certifications over BC traceability to guide their meat preferences. Our study suggests a number of industry implications, the most important of which suggests focusing business and consumer education on the value of product data, rather than on the value of the technologies that manage data.
Pedro R. Palos‐Sánchez, José Ramón Saura, Raquel Ayestarán
The purpose of this research study is to analyze the exploratory study of the adoption of Bitcoin cryptocurrency based on blockchain technology and its use as a means of payment in companies. This research is exploratory in nature. As such, an adoption model was investigated using the technology acceptance model (TAM) which was extended with new variables. The sample was made up of business executives from companies and commercial establishments (n = 248). Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was chosen as the analysis and evaluation technique for the model. The authors demonstrated that privacy has an important influence on perceived utility, and that trust has a very significant influence on privacy and perceived ease of use, thus indirectly affecting the intention to use cryptocurrencies.
Purpose This paper aims to identify barriers toward the adoption of blockchain (BC) technology in Indian health-care industry and also examines the significant issues of BC applications in health-care industry. Design/methodology/approach The barriers of the study are identified by two phases including the review of literature and semistructured interviews with hospital staff and administration operating in India. The experts ( N = 15) are being taken from top-level management, IT experts and patients from the hospitals. The study implemented integrated total interpretative structural modeling-FUZZY-Cross-impact matrix multiplication applied to classification (TISM-FUZZY-MICMAC) methods for identifying the interrelationship among the barriers. Findings A total of 15 barriers have been determined in the Indian health-care industry through discussion with the selected experts. TISM is applied to develop multilevel structure for BC barriers. Further, FUZZY-MICMAC has been used to compute driving and dependent barriers. The findings suggest that low awareness related to legal issues and low support from high level of management have maximum driving power. Research limitations/implications The present study applies multicriterion approach to identify the limited barriers in BC adoption in health care. Future studies may develop the relationship and mark down the steps for implementation of BC in health-care setting of a developing economy. Empirical study can be conducted to verify the results along with selected case studies. Practical implications The present study identifies the BC adoption barriers in health-care industry. The study examines the pertinent issues in context to major support required, bottlenecks in adoption, key benefits of adoption planning and activities. The technology adoption practices are expected to provide applications such as distributed, secured medical and clinical data and patient centric systems that will enhance the efficiency of the health-care industry. Originality/value The study is among few primary studies that identify and analyze the BC adoption in health-care industry.