Blockchain Papers

Taab Ahmad Samad, Rohit Sharma, Kunal K. Ganguly, Samuel Fosso Wamba · 5 authors

No abstract is available for this record.

Sharfuddin Ahmed Khan, Muhammad Shujaat Mubarik, Simonov Kusi‐Sarpong, Himanshu Gupta · 6 authors

Abstract The advent of blockchain technologies is transmuting the way conventional supply chains are being managed. Due to the complexity of dealing with many actors involved in the supply chain networks, contemporary supply chains have limited visibility, transparency, and accountability. Likewise, supply chains are increasingly facing the challenge of integration and sustainability. In this vein, blockchain technologies can play a groundbreaking role in improving the traceability, accountability, and sustainability of complex supply chain networks. The present study examines the instrumentality of blockchain technologies in enabling supply chain mapping and supply chain integration. The study also tests the direct impact of blockchain technologies on supply chain sustainability. Data are collected from 132 Malaysian Electrical and Electronics firms using a close‐ended questionnaire. The study employs Partial Least Squares‐Structural Equation Modelling (PLS‐SEM) and Partial Least Squares‐Multi Group Analysis (PLS‐MGA) for analyzing the hypothesized relationships. The results show that blockchain technologies do not have a direct impact on supply chain sustainability. Nevertheless, this finding reveals a robust indirect effect of BT, through SC integration and SC mapping, on the SC sustainability. The study's findings imply that the notion of the sustainable supply chain can be significantly attained by mapping upstream, midstream, and downstream supply chains. The well‐mapped supply chain can further improve supply chain sustainability. The findings of the study also suggest the adoption of blockchain technologies as a broad‐based strategy to attain multi‐tier goals, for example, supply chain mapping, sustainability, and integration.

Jae‐Young Oh, Yunsik Choi, Joonhwan In

Despite the growing popularity of blockchain technology (BT) applications in a supply chain (SC), the academic literature has failed to offer a complete picture of BT embedded in SC, hereafter referred to as BT-enabled SC, while focusing on BT’s specifics. Against this backdrop, this paper aims to develop a conceptual framework by identifying BT’s multifaceted features and clarifying their roles in designing BT-enabled SCs. Specifically, we delve into BT’s extant definitions in business disciplines as a basis for identifying BT’s key attributes and elucidate how these attributes can be incorporated into the design of BT-enabled SCs by introducing the framework that encompasses the strategic, configural, and operational spheres. This paper contributes to clarifying BT’s conceptual boundary by framing BT as a stack of technologies and applications – seven dimensions. Based on seven dimensions, the proposed framework offers guidance on how to design BT-enabled SCs.

Abderahman Rejeb, Karim Rejeb, John G. Keogh, Suhaiza Zailani

Blockchain can help to fundamentally alter aspects of circular economy (CE) activities and overcome pressing sustainability issues. Nevertheless, limited studies have investigated the barriers to blockchain adoption in the CE. This study aims to close the knowledge gap by providing a comprehensive review of the barriers hampering the adoption and integration of blockchain technology in the CE. An integrated approach based on fuzzy Delphi and best-worst methods has been applied to analyze and rank the barriers. Sixteen barriers to blockchain adoption in the CE were identified from the academic literature and validated by a panel of experts. The findings from the fuzzy Delphi technique identified ten significant barriers for further analysis. Then, using the best-worst method, the optimal weights were determined based on the experts’ judgment to recognize the importance of each barrier. The findings from this method showed that a lack of knowledge and management support, reluctance to change and technological immaturity are the most significant barriers. In contrast, the least significant barriers are investment costs, security risks, and scalability issues. Theoretically, this study is the first to apply an integrated approach combining fuzzy Delphi and best-worst techniques to prioritze the barriers to blockchain adoption in the CE. It also provides valuable insights for managers and decision-makers that can be used to optimize blockchain implementations in the CE.

Antonella Moretto, Laura Macchion

Abstract The critical role of blockchain technology in ensuring a proper level of traceability and visibility along supply chains is increasingly being explored in the literature. This critical examination must focus on the factors that either encourage or hinder (i.e. the drivers or barriers) the implementation of this technology in extended supply chains. On the assumption that the blockchain will need to be adopted at the supply chain level, the enabling factors and the contingent variables of different supply chains must be identified and analysed. The appropriate identification of supply chain partners is becoming a critical factor of success since the globalization of supply chains makes their management and control increasingly difficult. This is particularly true of the fashion industry. Five blockchain providers and seven focal companies working in the fashion industry were interviewed to compare their different viewpoints on this topic. The results highlight which drivers, barriers, and supply chain variables impact the implementation of the blockchain and specific research propositions are formulated.

K. Yan, Linmu Cui, Hang Zhang, S. Liu · 5 authors

Blockchain technology has subverted traditional supply chain operational models and transformed information interactions along supply chains. This paper examines the impact of blockchain technology on supply chain information collaboration and operating costs. This paper develops a three-level supply chain model based on blockchain technology that incorporates retailer sensitivity to information. First, the manufacturer’s profit function is developed, and the optimal information-sharing quantity and supply chain pricing decisions are analysed. Then, cost models for both the traditional supply chain and the novel supply chain using blockchain technology are developed and the impact of blockchain technology on supply chain operating costs is determined. The results demonstrate that blockchain technology can effectively reduce supply chain operating costs. In addition, this study has an interesting finding that if blockchain adoption is valuable for the supply chain, the quantity of information-sensitive should be moderate. Too many or too few information-sensitive retailers can reduce the value of the blockchain's use. This is because blockchain is implementation will increase the privacy concerns of supply chain companies.

Vincent Tawiah, Abdulrasheed Zakari, Guo Li, Anthony Kyiu

Abstract This study examines the relationship between the adoption of blockchain technology and environmental efficiency by using a sample of US firms over the 2015–2019 period. Our results indicate that the adoption of blockchain technology is positively and significantly associated with environmental efficiency, suggesting that blockchain improves environmental sustainability. In further analyses, we determine that the relationship between blockchain and environmental efficiency is more pronounced for firms in financial and technological industries than for those in other industries. Our findings are also robust to other methods that control for endogeneity, including difference in difference regressions and propensity score matching. Overall, we provide empirical evidence to incentivize business leaders and policymakers to adopt innovative technologies, such as blockchain.

Moritz Böhmecke‐Schwafert, Marie Wehinger, Robin Teigland

Abstract Blockchain is increasingly lauded as an enabler of the transition to a circular economy. While there is considerable conceptual research and some empirical studies on this phenomenon, scholars have yet to develop a theoretical model of blockchain's role in this transition. Grounded in the sustainability transition literature, this paper addresses this gap through the following research question: What role does blockchain play in the transition to a circular economy? Following an abductive approach, we conducted interviews with ground‐level experts implementing blockchain innovations for the circular economy across Europe and the United States. Through a thematic analysis, we derived a theoretical model of the relationships among (1) drivers and barriers of the transition to a circular economy, (2) blockchain innovation for the circular economy, (3) technical challenges of blockchain, and (4) the circular economy. While blockchain plays a moderating role, interviewees considered it only an infrastructural resource rather than a panacea.

Lamiae Benhayoun-Sadafiyine, Tarik Saikouk

With the advent of Industry 4.0, Blockchain is attracting Supply Chain (SC) practitioners and researchers thanks to its decentralized and trustworthy data governance features. As Blockchain adoption in SC is nascent, this article provides a Systematic Literature Review of the critical success factors for this phenomenon to help organizations meet its challenges. 56 selected articles were first thematically analyzed with NVivo to identify and conceptually categorize the factors. Then, we performed a social network analysis under VOSviewer to understand the research trends in our topic and explain the implicit ties between the identified factors. Finally, we inferred further theoretical implications of the analyzed literature in light of the ‘Technology, Organization, Environment’ framework. Hence, this study contributes to academic and practical knowledge by explaining the natures of the interdependent factors for Blockchain adoption in SC and of their potential links. We also propose opportunities for future research to extend our findings.

Manal Hader, David Tchoffa, Abderrahman El Mhamedi, Parisa Ghodous · 6 authors

No abstract is available for this record.

Seyyed Jalaladdin Hosseini Dehshiri, Mir Seyed Mohammad Mohsen Emamat, Maghsoud Amiri

No abstract is available for this record.

Xiaojing Xu, Lukas Tatge, Xiaolin Xu, Ying Liu

The automotive industry appears to be a particularly attractive application case for blockchain technology adoption. Blockchain is one of the innovations that has much potential to change current business processes in German original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and enable new services for their customers. This paper combines collective case study and in-depth interviews to explore the potentials and existing challenges of blockchain technology-based applications at German OEMs. The results suggest that blockchain applications have advantages in aggregating product information, securing transaction information, and establishing a reliable supply chain. Based on the TOE (technology, organisation and environment) model, our case study shows that the biggest obstacles for blockchain technology adoption in the automotive supply chain include: technology immaturity, lack of guidance and industry standards, non-cooperation of chain members, and legislative ambiguity. Based on auto manufacturers investigated, blockchain technology is perceived to have great potentials in reducing process costs, ensure product quality, and enhance the automotive supply chain’s visibility and digitisation.

Ehsan Bakhtiarizadeh, Wajiha Shahzad, Mani Poshdar, James Olabode Bamidele Rotimi

Abstract Different industries are modernising their systems and introducing innovations to their management practices. However, the construction industry is recognised for its lack of technological systems on which the success of this sector is deemed to be heavily dependent. Previous studies have focused on enhancing the off-site construction supply chain. However, studies on the importance and utilisation of technology in this sub-sector are scarce, predominantly where the efficiency of off-site supply chain management is stalled as a consequence of the slow implementation of technology. Thus, this article employs an exploratory approach by providing insight into the applicability of blockchain technology in New Zealand’s off-site construction and demonstrates the benefits associated with the adoption of this technology. A literature review was used to identify stakeholders’ interrelationships in different stages of prefabrication projects. Then, a pilot interview from industry experts followed by a questionnaire survey was used to determine the involvement of stakeholders in different phases and the benefits that blockchain technology can bring to this industry. The results indicate that using blockchain as a secure information management system could improve the integration of prefabrication supply systems by producing a collaborative atmosphere amongst the organisations involved.

Tarun Kumar Agrawal, Jannis Angelis, Wajid Ali Khilji, Ravi Kalaiarasan · 5 authors

Blockchain technologies can support traceability, transparency and trust among participants. This has primarily been explored in established supply chains and not in the growing use of business networks or ecosystems, which is a notable limitation since supply chains typically are organised with a dominant actor that ensures common information systems and standards that negate blockchain benefits. Hence, this study explores the design of a blockchain-based collaborative framework for resource sharing using smart contracts. These are particularly well-suited for supporting operations in broader networks or ecosystems beyond supply chains with established collaborations and hierarchies. Based on a systematic literature review, a demonstrator framework was developed for stakeholder interactions through a procurement and distribution unit backed with blockchain technology. The framework consists of (a) network architecture to demonstrate partner interactions; (b) rules for network working principles based on supply collaboration requirements; (c) UML diagram to define smart contract interaction sequence; and (d) algorithm for smart contract network verification and validation. Applicability of these smart contracts was verified by deployment on an Ethereum blockchain. The demonstrator framework ensures quality and data authenticity in supply networks, so it is useful for effective resource utilisation in networks where outsourcing and production surpluses are major issues.

Praveen Vijaya Raj Pushpa Raj, Sunil Kumar Jauhar, M. Ramkumar, Saurabh Pratap

No abstract is available for this record.

Kunle Francis Oguntegbe, Nadia Di Paola, Roberto Vona

Purpose To communicate their sustainability and responsible management practices to the public, firms can leverage digital technologies both at the organisational and managerial levels. This study explores how firms' communications of responsible management contribute to sustainability in supply chains, as well as the role of blockchain in promoting responsible management. Design/methodology/approach Employing a qualitative methodology, the authors perform social media analytics (content analysis and sentiment analysis) on a dataset obtained from the social media posts of managers. Findings The study identifies eight key responsible management practices and shed new light on the role of blockchain in responsible management. The study results contribute to theory by linking responsible management practices with existing sustainability practices in the supply chain. The authors also demonstrate that blockchain enhances responsible management. Research limitations/implications Reliance on publicly available data from social media, comprising corporate statements emanating from managers is a major limitation in this study. Practical implications The eight responsible management practices identified in this study are recommended for managers of different supply chain echelons to promote sustainable supply chain management (SSCM). The study findings also offer new rationale for blockchain adoption in supply chains. Originality/value To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to link the concepts of responsible management and SSCM. Moreover, the authors obtain empirical evidence from managers in the luxury fashion supply chain.

Simone Pizzi, Andrea Caputo, Andrea Venturelli, Fabio Caputo

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to evaluate blockchain’s enabling role for sustainability reporting. This study extends the scientific knowledge about the impacts related to the notarisation of mandatory sustainability reports through a publicly available blockchain. Design/methodology/approach Building on the idea journey framework, this paper presents the case study of Banca Mediolanum in Italy, a first-mover who notarised its non-financial declaration on a public blockchain to mitigate the information asymmetries that negatively impact stakeholder engagement. Findings The analysis reveals that the notarisation of the non-financial reports through a publicly available blockchain can represent a tool useful to mitigate the asymmetric information between organisations and stakeholders. Practical implications Although academics and practitioners have observed the benefits of its implementation, only a few companies have adopted blockchain systems to ensure their information’s reliability. The findings underline the opportunity for socially responsible organisations to signal their orientation towards sustainable development through the adoption of an innovative tool. Social implications The proliferation of non-financial reports prepared on mandatory basis mitigated the signalling effects related to the disclosure of non-financial information. The case study underlines the opportunity for socially responsible organisations to overcoming this criticism through notarisation. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study about sustainability reporting practices and blockchain. This research contributes to the currently scarce discussion about the role of blockchain in non-financial reporting. In addition, the authors contribute to the scientific conversation about the need to rethink assurance in non-financial reporting practices.

Jamilya Nurgazina, Nikolai Kazantsev, Thomas Moser, Gerald; id_orcid 0000-0001-7560-3410 Reiner

No abstract is available for this record.

Lufei Huang, Lu Zhen, Junbin Wang, Xing Zhang

No abstract is available for this record.

Maher Agi, Ashish Kumar Jha

Blockchain technology has been growing in importance and acceptability over the past few years. Yet, there is limited empirical research on the organizational and technology specific factors that play a critical role in driving its adoption in the supply chain. The purpose of this paper is to develop a comprehensive framework for blockchain adoption in the supply chain by identifying the enablers and empirically evaluating their interdependencies and impact on adoption. 20 enablers of blockchain adoption in the supply chain are identified using an extensive literature review and theoretical lenses from the Diffusion of Innovation (DOI) theory and the business technology adoption model developed by Iacovou, Benbassat and Dexter (1995). In the confirmatory phase, we employ the Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) method to extract logic from data collected from 37 French experts about the impact of the enablers and their interdependencies. Our paper extends the multi-theoretic empirical studies to blockchain technology and identifies the enablers of blockchain adoption from technological, organizational, supply chain and external environment perspectives. Regarding the importance of the categories of enablers, we find that the relative advantage of the technology and the external pressure are the most prominent categories of enablers that impact blockchain adoption in the supply chain. Our analysis also shows the important causal role on adoption of the potential of blockchain to reduce transaction cost, the consumer interest in traceability data and the establishment of a regulatory framework for blockchain usage.

Sana Elhidaoui, Khalid Benhida, Said El Fezazi, Srinivas Kota · 5 authors

The main purpose of this paper is to study the critical success factors (CSFs) of the blockchain technology (BCT) adoption in green supply chain management (GSCM) which might be literally afirst attempt and also propose aconceptual framework of aGSCM model adopting the BCT, which will be promoting the combination of these two areas in the future. Acritical literature review of the BCT, GSCM, and BCT-based GSCM was conducted to identify the most relevant factors of BCT adoption, followed by the model formulation with the help of interpretive structural modelling (ISM) consisting of CSFs and relationships between those based on experts’ views. The overall results emphasized that ‘recording and trading’-related factors may contribute to the BCT adoption, while others like smart contract must be enhanced. This study supports previous conceptual work on BCT and GSCM and could serve as astarting point to assist in decision-making.

Javid Ghahremani-Nahr, Alireza Aliahmadi, Hamed Nozari

The increasing expansion of the needs of human beings and societies has caused various aspects of human life and societies to face serious challenges and be considered. Supply chain organizations operate in a market in today's global environment that is increasingly complex and dynamic in nature. Stable supply chains are inevitable to meet drastic changes in customer needs. Research has shown that manufacturing companies need to accelerate the shift from focus to sustainability and use technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and blockchain to achieve the organization's goal. In this regard, by expanding the capabilities of the blockchain under the four main areas (1) designing incentive and tokenization mechanisms to promote green consumer behavior; (2) increase visibility throughout the product life cycle; (3) increase system efficiency while reducing development and operating costs; And (4) strengthen the monitoring of sustainability and performance reporting in supply chain networks; it can be seen that the supply chain based on these transformational technologies can play a colorful role in creating stability and a green and efficient supply chain. In this study, the potential opportunities in the IoT to create a sustainable supply chain are discussed. Also, based on this study, a framework has been proposed to show the relationships and effects of the constituent elements of a stable supply chain system based on the Internet of Things and blockchain. The conceptual framework is designed with an emphasis on sustainable development, collaboration and management and can provide a good perspective for implementing a sustainable supply chain based on technology

Komal Rauniyar, Xiaobo Wu, Shivam Gupta, Sachin Modgil · 5 authors

Purpose The high degree of likely disruption challenges organizations at all levels to develop and implement innovative strategies. Ensuring supply chain continuity even during emergency and complex situations is critical for organizations. Therefore, this study explores some strategies adopted by firms based on innovation and blockchain-enabled digital transformation to reduce risk in their supply chain. Design/methodology/approach This study follows the qualitative form of enquiry. The authors interviewed 26 professionals from the supply chain domain. After three-layered coding and mapping multiple layers to the data of interviews, the authors identified emerging themes and sub-themes through a thematic analysis. Findings The authors identified type of risks that can affect global supply chains along with both the role of blockchain and innovation culture in minimizing the degree of such risks and the challenges in adopting blockchain technologies. This led us to develop a framework to address supply chain risk through digital transformation through innovation and blockchain. Practical implications This research offers exciting implications for practice by drawing on the insights gathered to facilitate supply chain risk management through innovation and blockchain applications for organizations that are strongly impacted by digital transformation practices around the world. The study also offers the utilization of a framework followed by propositions to reduce supply chain risks in the digital transformation era. Originality/value This study focuses on presenting a mechanism of supply chain risk management through the application of innovation and blockchain technology for the digital transformation of a value chain. Blockchain can offer an innovative platform to ready the supply chain for future dynamic situations.

Michael Paul Kramer, Linda Bitsch, Jon Henrich Hanf

Firms in the agri-food sector have started implementing blockchain technology to both provide transparency over the supply chain transactions and to make trust attributes visible to consumers. Besides the well-known public blockchains such as Bitcoin and Ethereum, private- and consortium-type blockchain platforms exist. The latter ones are being operated in the agri-food ecosystem contributing to the vertically cooperated supply networks that are coordinated by a focal firm. Stakeholders’ attitude and behavioral intentions toward the use of the blockchain technology impact their use behavior. The results show that permissioned blockchain governance mechanisms with consensus and incentives to motivate stakeholders are lacking in private and consortium blockchains. This study closes a research gap as understanding how the stakeholder management approach can compensate for the lack of consensus mechanisms can provide managerial guidance toward the development of an effective stakeholder management strategy, which eventually can be provided for a competitive advantage. As there is little research on the role of blockchain as a novel governance mechanism, this research will contribute to the scholarly discussion toward a common understanding.