Using blockchain technology in digital marketing is still a budding concept. Hence, this chapter aims to do a systematic review of research published on this topic from 2015 to 2021 (Q1). The chapter will look to uncover the various impacts of using blockchain technology on digital marketing. Impacts include (but are not limited to) improving digital marketing security, countering click fraud, developing trust and transparency, and creating loyalty programs. Moreover, the chapter will also present future research propositions to further investigate blockchain applications in the realm of digital marketing.
Leonor Jardim, Samuel Pranto, Pedro Ruivo, Tiago Oliveira
This paper aims to identify the main drivers for Blockchain adoption within Supply Chains, following the Design Science Research (DSR) methodology and focusing on defining, validating, and reducing a myriad of factors with the aid of experts on both fields. Based on the literature review, and through means of questionnaires, factors were rated and refuted according to the relevance given. Two rounds narrowed the results, and upon consensus nine drivers were identified fitting under two categories: Challenges and Incentives. Considering the results are based on a limited number of factors, and the impact of firm-level influences were disregarded, respondent’s perceptions could have slightly varied if the sample of participants differed. Overall, it provides academics with a theoretical framework combining existing literature into a set of drivers. Providing insights to vendors on how their reputation may influence clients’ adoption, whilst fulfilling a literature gap in the supply chain area.
In order to research how to promote online shopping consumers’ application of after service, build an evolutionary game model of both consumers and e-stores. This paper introduces the variables of supervision and punishment, tries to introduce the smart contract as a powerful service guarantee, and analyzes the influence relationship of variables between the two players and their strategic choices. This paper analyzes the ESS of the system when the relationship among smart contract, revenue, supervision and punishment meets 8 different conditions. Finally, giving suggestions to optimize the after service in online shopping according to the results.
In today's world, society has become totally digitalized where technology is playing a very important role in everyone's life. Blockchain is a method that is useful in recording information and makes its difficult to change, hack, or fraud system. A blockchain is fundamentally a digital ledger of volume of transactions that is distributed across the overall network of IT system on the blockchain. This technology acts as a reliable layer in the evolution of e-commerce. Walmart has been working with IBM on a food safety blockchain solution to add transparency to the decentralized food supply ecosystem by digitizing the food supply chain process. This chapter will cover the concept and origin/emergence of blockchain technology and implications of blockchain technology in supply chain (Walmart), the significance and role of blockchain technology for the users and the stakeholders, the implications for the users, challenges faced by Walmart during the adoption of blockchain technology, and the approachability of Walmart to IBM for the implication of blockchain to their organization.
This chapter explores the role of cryptocurrency in digital marketing. Throughout the most recent years, cryptocurrency has developed, both in worth and ubiquity. Indeed, numerous industry leaders trust that cryptocurrency can change money and promote it until the end of time. In any case, as computerized cash, bitcoin turns out to be more ordinary ; cryptocurrency may introduce a few issues for advertisers hoping to gather shopper information. The cryptocurrency market is an appropriate environment dependent on the distributed network innovation. Decentralization is a distinguishing characteristic of this framework, and it is an impression of how there is no national bank or another case that authorizes power over the organization. The exchanges are led and checked to employ an appropriated blockchain system that relies upon clients' assets called diggers.
Horst Treiblmaier, Daniel Leung, Andrei O. J. Kwok, Aaron Tham
Blockchain technologies are predicted to substantially transform the tourism industry. At present, cryptocurrencies are the most advanced application of public blockchains that promise benefits such as a universal means of payment and minimal fees through the removal of intermediaries. In the tourism industry, though many tourism vendors have been accepting cryptocurrencies and the potential of using cryptocurrencies in travel-related consumption has been intensively documented, existing knowledge about travellers’ intention to use cryptocurrencies for payment purposes is limited. Traditional models do not account for the idiosyncrasies of cryptocurrencies and are therefore less appropriate to foster the understanding of travellers’ adoption of travel-related payments. To fill this knowledge gap, an exploratory study was conducted with 161 travellers from the Asia-Pacific region who have previously consumed travel-related services with cryptocurrencies. Their previous usage experiences are analysed and reported. Through harnessing the correspondence analysis, several technological contingency factors were identified, as well as positive and negative perceptual antecedents. Additionally, their levels of satisfaction and intention to re-use the technology in future trips were investigated. Based on these findings, several propositions are suggested for guiding future research on travellers’ cryptocurrency adoption in the travel and tourism contexts.
Purpose This paper investigates the impact of blockchain technology on the Bricks and Mortar (B&M) grocery sector from a technological and functional perspective. Design/methodology/approach The research adopted an exploratory research design and the data comprises 17 semi-structured interviews with personnel at the top grocery retail chains in the United States, for example, Wal-Mart, Tesco, Stop and Shop and Meijer. Additionally, two major US-based blockchain service providers are included – SumatoSoft and Accubits. Findings Blockchain technology affects the business processes of B&M grocery retail by offering payment via tokens, secure payments and contracts between stakeholders, an end-to-end solution in the supply chain and secure management of the stock. However, this process is hampered by a number of challenges such as integrity and security concerns, difficulty in adapting sound logistics, lack of adequate skills and resistance to change by store managers and employees. This can be addressed by imparting education/training and creating awareness about the benefits of blockchain and generating industry-wide collaboration in which regulations can work. Practical implications The research has benefits for B&M grocery stores, governments and the wider society. For example, the findings of this study will help B&M grocery retailers to confront the competition by online retailers such as Amazon, AliExpress or eBay and promote the development of a systematic collaboration to achieve the changes they need. Originality/value The study is original and innovative in that no research to date has focused on how blockchain can help the B&M grocery sector and address its challenges.
Hee Jin Kim, Ji Sun Hong, Hyunchan Hwang, Sun Mi Kim · 5 authors
Bitcoin has unique characteristics that have inspired people to invest in it as well as distinct drawbacks. With a rapid increase in Bitcoin prices in the short term, more investors enthusiastically began investing in it, raising concerns about a speculative bubble. This study investigated the multiple factors involved in the Bitcoin craze despite concerns about its shortcomings. In what concerns to personality traits and psychological states, online use patterns, and investment patterns, we first hypothesized that Bitcoin investors would show differences in multiple factors when compared to share investors. Based on our assumptions about these differences, we secondly hypothesized that investors’ personality, psychological states, and investment patterns could predict whether they would invest in Bitcoin or shares. In total, 307 respondents completed the research protocol and were sorted into Bitcoin investors (n = 101), share investors (n = 102), and non-investors (n = 104). A self-report questionnaire on demographic data, online use patterns, investment patterns as well as the Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) scale, Temperament and Character Inventory-Revised-Short (TCI-RS), Mood Disorder Questionnaire (MDQ), trait anxiety part of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-T), and the Korean version of the Canadian Problem Gambling Index (K-CPGI) were administered. The results of this study indicated that Bitcoin investments can be attributed to the interaction of multiple factors, among which personality, psychological states, and investment patterns are particularly important. Specifically, the investment pattern is the strongest predictive factor for Bitcoin investment. Bitcoin investors were distinct with regard to higher novelty seeking, higher gambling tendencies, and unique investment patterns. Thus, personality, psychological states, and investment patterns could explain the substantial investments in Bitcoin.
A supply chain is getting an advantage from the technology's lucidity, less transaction expenses, and real-time data applications. Internet of Things (IoT) and Blockchain technology (BT) has gain remarkable attention by academician and industrial practitioner in recent years as these pair is disrupting a lot of businesses now. BT enables transactional security while IoT connects the physical and digital world with apps and sensors. In this study, a systematic literature review (SLR) is performed to explore the application of integrated IoT-BT in the supply chain and its implementation challenges. The different technologies listed are grouped into the supply chain's five functional fields i.e., responsiveness, intelligence, deductive, surveillance and operational excellence. The result reveals that IoT-BT is mostly used for surveillance purposes and to achieve operational excellence.
Marko Hribernik, Kathrin Zero, Sebastian Kummer, David M. Herold
The growth in e-commerce has led to increased pressure within the courier, express and parcel (CEP) sector to tackle the ‘last-mile’ issue and come up with solutions that not only satisfy the customers, but also other stakeholders such as city councils and other regulatory bodies. Scholars have highlighted micro-hubs and the associated horizontal collaboration as a possible solution, which might help alleviate problems associated with last-mile logistics in inner-city centers. However, trust and data exchange issues are considerable barriers to the introduction of horizontal collaboration, in particular between CEP carriers. To address the lack of trust and the issue of data exchange between carriers, the use of blockchain technology may present a solution, but existing research so far is limited concerning frameworks that specifically discuss blockchain technology in the context of micro-hubs and last-mile deliveries. In response, this paper presents a blockchain decision framework for a horizontal collaboration between CEP carriers based on key characteristics of existing blockchain decision models and relevant related research in the area of logistics and last-mile distribution. This is the first study that specifically addresses the use of blockchain technology for horizontal collaboration in the context of micro-hubs and last-mile deliveries.
The traditional loyalty systems usually offer people benefits in a specific sector. The users usually need to stay within the loyalty system for a long time and accumulate points in order to win rewards which may not be very interesting for them most of the time. Additionally, users usually do not prefer to share their personal information to join these loyalty systems due to privacy concerns. It has, therefore, been observed that the number of customers in the loyalty systems is decreasing day by day. To reduce these drawbacks a loyalty program which complies with ERC20 standards was proposed in this study using tokens based on the Ethereum blockchain. Using this new generation loyalty system, users can convert their earned tokens to Ether in the market and they can receive services or products with the accumulated tokens according to their interests from any supplier that has been contracted by the manufacturer. Additionally, users in the designed system do not need to carry many different cards, it is adequate to have only one Ethereum wallet. Furthermore, users do not need to share any personal data to join the loyalty system. Suppliers can also request Ether from the manufacturer for the tokens they have accumulated from the members of the loyalty system. The proposed loyalty system has been implemented and presented in this study.
Blockchain, Internet of Things (IoT), and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are remarkable emerging technologies in the coming few decades. Blockchain technology makes the application more secure and transparent, AI offers analyses the application, and IoT makes the application connected, flexible, and efficient. This paper studies the literature, formulates the research question, and summarizes the contribution of blockchain application, particularly targeting AI and IoT in agriculture and healthcare sectors. This study reveals that 20% of papers are available in agriculture and 14% available in healthcare that integrates blockchain with IoT and AI. Furthermore, the objective of the paper is to study the role of blockchain with IoT and AI in agriculture and healthcare systems in light of the literature review. The integration of blockchain with IoT and AI are playing important roles in agriculture and healthcare fields to manage food supply chains, drug supply chains, traceability of products, smart contracts, monitoring the products, connected, and intelligent prediction.
Abstract Digital systems in railways known as “digital railways” have dramatically changed the railway industry and the nature of railway employees’ work. The Digital Railway is in a large extend linked with the knowledge-based economy, knowledge management and knowledge management technologies which have had a significant impact on digital transformations in the industry and professional education. An ontology characterized the cause-effect and aggregative relations reflecting transformation chains in the various spheres of human activity and shedding light on the Digital Railway place in the context of digital economy is presented. The article argues that the Digital Railway role in changing mechanisms of interaction between industry and universities, which are also specialized research centres with closer ties to the industry, is best understood applying to the idea of “a smart contract” that can be reduced to artificial intelligent agents serving as intermediaries providing interaction between the non-human and human roles in a business process. With the smart contract technology, the Digital Railway might provide a precedent in development of the Hybrid Corporate Intelligence based on industry-related knowledge redistributed between artificial intelligent agents and employees. From this perspective, the process of corporate informatization is seen through a system of artificial intelligent agents implying the formalization of operational rules and regulations into a shared knowledge base in a form of ontologies. The proposed idea can be transferred to universities where smart contracts may support professional training as a business process.
Open access
Consumer Retail Behavior Studies
Advanced Research in Systems and Signal Processing
The blockchain technology has witnessed growing interest since cryptocurrencies became popular in 2016. Not only through payment issues, but the tourism sector is also likely to be affected by the blockchain in terms of front- and back-stage processes. As the blockchain could replace traditional intermediaries, the structure of the tourism sector in the future has been discussed widely in the news. This article aims to conceptually examine the implications of blockchain along the value system in the tourism industry in order to identify its potential benefits. To address this, the methodology follows a content analysis of 175 news articles on the topic of blockchain and tourism, which are analysed through a qualitative news analysis and the method of GABEK®. The results imply blockchain applications along with the whole tourism value system, while it became apparent that traveling is streamlined through the transformation of time-intensive back-stage processes and thus offers extra value for travellers. Through its novelty in the academic discourse, the paper makes obstacles and regulations a subject of discussion, too.
Open access
Digital Marketing and Social Media
Consumer Retail Behavior Studies
Consumer Behavior in Brand Consumption and Identification
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.
Rajeshwar S Kadadevaramth, Dipti Sharath, B Ravishankar, P. Mohan Kumar
Industry 4.0 started to revolutionize the industrial processes, forcing industries of all the sector to digitize the current operation in the organization. Fast growing economy and increased customer demands also place important role in digitizing process. According to Infield Solutions research in 2017, currently 70% of the Fortune companies are using IoT in their business model, IoT is used for varies purposes for predicting maintenance, intelligent sensors on the jet engines, smart grid are used for utility services and energy control. Current IoT networks are connected to centralized system which is facing issues related to security and data reliability. Blockchain (chronological chain of block) is a peer-to-peer distributed ledger forged by agreement, shared with a system for “smart contracts”. The decentralized feature of blockchain overcomes the security and data reliability issues in IoT. However, on the other hand supply chain disruptions are causing huge impact on the logistics network. For creating resilient logistics network, all the parties across the supply chain (beyond tier 1) must be collaborated in order to trust each stakeholder. Based on these issues I devised two research questions: Research methods include preliminary analysis of the literature review for theoretical knowledge. Conduct interview or send research questions to the managers. Finally, concluding on how Blockchain and IoT can create resilient logistics network by Risk Management. Based on the survey results will be drawn.
Ferran Herraiz Faixó, Francisco-Javier Arroyo-Cañada, María Pilar López-Jurado, Ana M. Lauroba-Pérez
Currently, cities are facing great challenges such as the population growing, citizen wellbeing, externalities management or environmental deterioration. The search for solutions are making significant inroads into the incorporation of ICT in them and subsequent large-scale digitalization such as programmable economy (PE) applications, offering the possibility to develop new approaches over these issues, in particular which related to sustainability management. Operating under a fuzzy numbers methodology and FIS (Fuzzy Inference System), the present exploratory work shows a new approach to city urban congestion management by deploying PE applications, which include some disruptive inputs such as the Internet of value, blockchain/DLT (distributed ledger technology), smarts contracts, digital assets and the monetization, all of this combined with the human motivation.
Luis J. Dominguez Perez, Luís Ibarra, Alejandro García-Fernández, Agustín Rumayor · 5 authors
Abstract Loyalty cards programs have been used by retailers to increase customer retention. Loyality cards provide means to identify a particular customer and to collect customer-specific data, thus enabling individualized marketing; however, operating a loyalty program is complicated for retailers since they require to manage balances, collections, and transfers of customers. This is exactly the same problem the retailers were facing before credit cards were readily available. A new problem is that customers now have too many cards, customers may forget, or even deliberately decide to carry only a selection of their cards. This paper proposes a loyalty program based on a blockchain that does not require a physical card for identifying customers as it associates customers to their phone numbers, since nowadays people always carry their phone. In this perspective, companies can reduce overhead costs associated to managing the loyalty program. This paper reviews the technology required and describes the implementation of a loyalty program based on blockchains. Finally, it also enumerates the reasons for choosing the blockchain technology for this application.
With the advent and proliferation of the internet, the fourth industrial revolution is in full swing. As a result, different technologies have the potential to impact the course of human development. In other words, worldwide populations are moving towards growing urban centers and as a result, smart cities are emerging as the integration of human activities and technologies. These smart cities are built on top of different technologies such as blockchain and the Internet of Things (IoT). Consequently, the applications of these technologies in current and future smart cities will not only change the nature of human interaction and governance but also how business is conducted. This paper proposes an experimental study (qualitative and quantitative) that will determine the impact of blockchain and IoT technologies on the development of smart cities. It aims to derive insight from questions such as how current business models are preparing themselves for this disruption, the challenges they will face, and the potential contributions the two technologies will have on business development. The study’s outcomes will provide the rationale for why businesses should start paying attention to these technologies and start on an early adoption plan that will slowly transform their business models as smart cities mature.