Yingli Wang, Catherine Huirong Chen, Ahmed Zghari-Sales
While blockchain technologies are gaining momentum within supply chains, academic understanding of concrete, real-life design and implementation is still lagging, hence offering very limited insights into the true implications of blockchain technology on supply chains. This paper reports a two-year design science research (DSR) study of a smart contract initiative piloted by a consortium in the UK’s construction sector. We seek answers to the research question, ‘How should a blockchain enabled supply chain be designed?’ Guided by the theory of business model, we explore how a group of supply chain actors collectively designs and pilots a blockchain solution that addresses the supply chain transparency and provenance problem. Our research is one of the very few longitudinal empirical studies to offer in-depth evidence about how blockchain is deployed in complex multi-tier supply chain networks. In compliance with DSR research paradigm, we make contributions at three levels: designing and instantiating the blockchain architect and proving its utility in addressing the target problem; developing a set of design principles as a mid-range theory that can be applied and tested in different blockchain supply chain contexts; and refining and extending the kernel theory of business value at supply chain network level.
The block chain constructs a decentralized trust and collaboration system. The emergence of block chain technology effectively solves the problem that trust and value cannot be transferred in the Internet era, which makes information have value and guarantees the rights and interests of information producers. This paper briefly introduces the basic concept of block chain, and then expounds the application value of block chain technology in the field of global trade and finance.
Using Blockchain seems a promising approach for Business Process Reengineering (BPR) to alleviate trust issues among stakeholders, by providing decentralization, transparency, traceability, and immutability of information along with its business logic. However, little work seems to be available on utilizing Blockchain for supporting BPR in a systematic and rational way, potentially leading to disappointments and even doubts on the utility of Blockchain. In this paper, as ongoing research, we outline Fides - a framework for exploiting Blockchain towards enhancing the trustworthiness for BPR. Fides supports diagnosing trust issues with AS-IS business processes, exploring TO-BE business process alternatives using Blockchain, and selecting among the alternatives. A business process of a retail chain for a food supply chain is used throughout the paper to illustrate Fides concepts.
Blockchain is a new, foundational technology with a vast amount of application possibilities. However, practitioners might not be aware of which use cases in their own business model might benefit from blockchain technology. To aid them in analyzing their business regarding blockchain suitability, this paper introduces a use case identification framework for blockchain and a use case canvas. In the development process they have been evaluated with internal and external reviews in order to offer the best possible guidance. In combination they offer an analysis framework to help practitioners decide which use cases they should take into account for blockchain technology, which characteristics these blockchain implementations would have, and which specific advantages they would offer.
Roger Maull, Phil Godsiff, Catherine Mulligan, Alan Brown · 5 authors
Abstract Distributed ledger technologies (DLTs) are rewriting conventional notions of business transacting, creating fresh opportunities for value creation and capture. Using qualitative interview data as a primary resource, the proposed five‐point model synthesizes these possibilities, demonstrating how they may lead to “disruptive innovation.” A further conceptual model is subsequently provided with a view to assisting future problem solving in the area.
Martin Weiss, Adéle Botha, Marlien Herselman, Glaudina Loots
Blockchain technology underpins a radical rethink of information privacy, confidentiality, security and integrity. As a decentralised ledger of transactions across a peer-to-peer network, the need for a central third party intermediate verification authority is disrupted. To unlock the potential for mHealth, the need for authentication and verified access to often sensitive data, specialised services and transfer of value need to be realised. This paper interrogates current processes and aims to make a case for Blockchain technology as an improved security model that has the potential to lower the cost of trust and an alternative to managing the burden of proof. This is particularly relevant for mHealth that, by its nature, is often a distributed endeavour involving the goal-orientated collaboration of a number of stakeholders.
Making a series of small bets rather than one large gamble is at the core of experimentation, thereby scaling down what is at stake. Less effortful and more specific behaviors are more likely to be followed through, so making things tangible increases your odds of translating intentions into actions. Small wins mark progress and offer proof-of-concept, opportunities for feedback, and opportunities for joining development efforts.
People who work in large organizations often lament the decentralized structures that defi ne their work functions and day-to-day activities. Finance, IT, supply chain, legal, and any number of other organizational functions exhibit cultures that are distinctive in their work practices, processes, and perspectives. Colloquially referred to as silos, these internal organizational units are often characterized as impenetrable, and are frequently the subject of fi nger pointing and blame. They seem to stand in opposition to each other; the people within them seem to be optimizing for their own individual area rather than for the wellbeing of the wider corporate whole.
Innovation and Knowledge Management
Innovative Approaches in Technology and Social Development
Are there differences between the sale of an unopened Super Mario Bros. computer game and of the digital collage of 5,000 images? Viewed from the perspective of the doctrine of exhaustion, we can easily conclude that the two transfers have significant differences. The auction of the tangible data carrier of the Super Mario’s 1986 edition (for $660,000) 1 fits well into the doctrine. The auction of the NFT (non-fungible token) representing Beeple’s “Everdays: the First 5000 Days” (for an equivalent of an astounding $69.3 million) 2 seems to be hype with a snowball effect rather than a modern encapsulation of digital exhaustion. Some commentators, 3 including the present author in collaboration with Alexandra Giannapoulou, João Pedro Quintais, and Balázs Bodó, 4 have thoroughly introduced the incompatibility of the NFT mania with the existing copyright status quo, and so – in connection with the present book’s topic – the sale of tokenized information, which is capable of representing information related to digital artworks, is practically excluded from the scope of the exhaustion of the right of distribution. At the same time, NFTs de facto offer a “code-based digital ecosystem that has practical consequences for the copyright-relevant fields of creativeness.” 5 The sale and resale of NFTs is possible; an exchange of information and title to “own” and “trade” information related to copyrightable subject matter is technologically guaranteed. In line with that, a quasi-exhaustion regime has also emerged. As such, the NFT mania can practically evidence the need for and modern technology’s capability of offering digital marketplaces for artworks as well.
Moving to a shared service method of operation entails a huge culture change for an organization. The entire business context must be changed. It takes time, effort and vast amounts of management energy to move from a mindset of purely decentralized management of support activities within each business unit or centralized management of support activities at the corporate level to a mindset of partnership between business units and the consolidated, shared service organization. \n \nTogether with this, shared service units, despite their importance, receive much less senior executive attention than business units in most companies. The logic for this is that business divisions generate profits, and that is where top management often focuses its time. There is therefore a risk that an organization can lose its focus on shared services if the method is not shown to result in tangible benefits. \n \nEast African Breweries Limited (EABL) has moved to a shared services environment but no studies have been conducted to show whether this has in any way contributed to the growth of the organization. This study addressed itself to this problem. The purpose of the study was to establish the extent to which shared services strategy affect Cost reduction efforts of East African Breweries Limited. \n \nThe objectives of the study were to establish whether there has been a reduction of transactional costs at EABL as a result of moving to a shared service environment; determine the extent to which the shared service strategy resulted in reduction in employee headcount and overheads; find out how shared service strategy led to improvement in inventory management; and establish how shared service strategy at EABL has impacted on procurement costs. \n \nThe study employed the case study design, targeting all the departmental heads working at EABL's shared services centre. Purposive sampling was used to select 10 respondents, among them nine departmental heads from IT, finance, procurement, HR, EABL Kenya Demand, EABL Kenya Supply, COl, EAML, and UDV; and one top management representative. Data was collected from the participants using a semi-structured questionnaire and an interview schedule. \n \nQualitative and quantitative techniques were employed in data analysis. Qualitative techniques involved giving a detailed account of the impact of moving to a shared services strategy on EABL's cost reduction efforts. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics including percentages and frequency counts. \n \nThe study established that moving to a shared services environment has led to significant cost reduction efforts of East African Breweries Limited. Shared services led to reduction in procurement costs, reduction in employee headcount and overheads, improvement in inventory management, and reduction of transactional costs. As such, companies running their different functions as disparate competing entities should be encouraged to adopt shared services strategy to cut costs and operate more efficiently.
Politicians and public managers continue to debate over whether to centralize or to decentralize departments, information systems and services. Shared service centers (SSCs) are gaining importance in public administration as a means to innovate, to reduce costs and to increase service levels. The SSC is a business model in which selected government functions are concentrated into a semi-autonomous business unit. Implementing SSCs is not easy, as it often requires several trade-offs and an effective organization and management structure.The discussions about the decision whether to use SSCs seem to be predominantly focused on efficiency and effectiveness aspects, which are rational arguments. In this research-in-progress ongoing research into the design and governance of SSC is presented. We analyze a case study at a municipality and identify factors contributing to success and failure. Our preliminary findings suggest that designing an effective management structure, establishing an architecture capturing central and decentral elements, setting the right expectations, creating a sense of urgency and ensuring that all stakeholders understand the centralization/decentralization aspects of the SSC are important elements resulting in success.