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Blockchain Adoption for Circular Business Development - A German Technology-Organization-Environment Framework on Influencing Factors

Sauce, Aline de la (2022) Blockchain Adoption for Circular Business Development - A German Technology-Organization-Environment Framework on Influencing Factors.

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Abstract:Blockchain Technology (BCT) is being discussed as one of the enablers for the transformation of businesses towards a Circular Economy (CE). It promises to store and share data across a business’ supply chain transparently and immutably, time efficient and without a third party involved. Recent studies have shown that Blockchain can be an enabler in the development of a shared information structure. However, the few actual applications in practice do not get beyond the pilot phase and there is no widespread implementation. The factors that may play a role in this have so far been discussed more comprehensively in theory than derived from empirical evidence and assessments from practice. The goal of this study is to empirically investigate the adoption of innovative technologies, focusing on the promising technology Blockchain, in the context of companies that are embarking on the journey of driving Circular Economy. To get an estimation of the influencing factors from companies, possible barriers and facilitators of a Blockchain adoption are to be identified. In order to take into account versatile perspectives, the three contexts of Technology, Organization and Environment according to the TOE framework by Tornatzky and Fleischer (1990) will be addressed. To methodologically address this goal, building on an extensive literature review on potential barriers and facilitators, a qualitative empirical study was conducted in which eight cases from different sectors were analyzed and assessed based on semi-structured interviews. Through a within-case and cross-case analysis, followed by a cross-case discussion differences with the existing literature were identified, most frequently mentioned factors from the cases were filtered out and differences between the cases were elaborated. The cases showed that in the technological context, the focus is on the question of how to get information into the Blockchain system in the first place und how to integrate Blockchain with existing systems. In the organizational context, the focus is on the fact that businesses are still at the beginning of developing circular strategies, that’s why a relative advantage of Blockchain applications is not directly apparent. In the environmental context, the focus is on the problem of how to get all players on board, using the same system, in the same way, with high data quality along and beyond the value chains. In almost all cases, the consensus mechanisms of Blockchain technology were seen as facilitators. Additionally, although the complexity of the technology is perceived as relatively high, it is perceived as an enabler to decrease complexity on the long run. The recommendations for action derived subsequently relate primarily to overcoming the barriers mentioned. The sequence of necessary steps, the respective context (TOE) and the players which are the companies, the government and IT service providers, are addressed.
Item Type:Essay (Master)
Faculty:BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences
Subject:85 business administration, organizational science
Programme:Business Administration MSc (60644)
Link to this item:https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/89309
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