The Supply Chain Has No Clothes: Technology Adoption of Blockchain for Supply Chain Transparency

Blockchain technology, popularized by Bitcoin cryptocurrency, is characterized as an open-source, decentralized, distributed database for storing transaction information. Rather than relying on centralized intermediaries (e.g., banks) this technology allows two parties to transact directly using dup...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Kristoffer Francisco, David Swanson
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2018-01-01
Series:Logistics
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.mdpi.com/2305-6290/2/1/2
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850062800461758464
author Kristoffer Francisco
David Swanson
author_facet Kristoffer Francisco
David Swanson
author_sort Kristoffer Francisco
collection DOAJ
description Blockchain technology, popularized by Bitcoin cryptocurrency, is characterized as an open-source, decentralized, distributed database for storing transaction information. Rather than relying on centralized intermediaries (e.g., banks) this technology allows two parties to transact directly using duplicate, linked ledgers called blockchains. This makes transactions considerably more transparent than those provided by centralized systems. As a result, transactions are executed without relying on explicit trust [of a third party], but on the distributed trust based on the consensus of the network (i.e., other blockchain users). Applying this technology to improve supply chain transparency has many possibilities. Every product has a long and storied history. However, much of this history is presently obscured. Often, when negative practices are exposed, they quickly escalate to scandalous, and financially crippling proportions. There are many recent examples, such as the exposure of child labor upstream in the manufacturing process and the unethical use of rainforest resources. Blockchain may bring supply chain transparency to a new level, but presently academic and managerial adoption of blockchain technologies is limited by our understanding. To address this issue, this research uses the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) and the concept of technology innovation adoption as a foundational framework for supply chain traceability. A conceptual model is developed and the research culminates with supply chain implications of blockchain that are inspired by theory and literature review.
format Article
id doaj-art-fb28479aecd44dbe96cbfd2190f6105e
institution DOAJ
issn 2305-6290
language English
publishDate 2018-01-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Logistics
spelling doaj-art-fb28479aecd44dbe96cbfd2190f6105e2025-08-20T02:49:49ZengMDPI AGLogistics2305-62902018-01-0121210.3390/logistics2010002logistics2010002The Supply Chain Has No Clothes: Technology Adoption of Blockchain for Supply Chain TransparencyKristoffer Francisco0David Swanson1Department of Marketing & Logistics, University of North Florida, 1 UNF Drive, Jacksonville, FL 32224, USADepartment of Marketing & Logistics, University of North Florida, 1 UNF Drive, Jacksonville, FL 32224, USABlockchain technology, popularized by Bitcoin cryptocurrency, is characterized as an open-source, decentralized, distributed database for storing transaction information. Rather than relying on centralized intermediaries (e.g., banks) this technology allows two parties to transact directly using duplicate, linked ledgers called blockchains. This makes transactions considerably more transparent than those provided by centralized systems. As a result, transactions are executed without relying on explicit trust [of a third party], but on the distributed trust based on the consensus of the network (i.e., other blockchain users). Applying this technology to improve supply chain transparency has many possibilities. Every product has a long and storied history. However, much of this history is presently obscured. Often, when negative practices are exposed, they quickly escalate to scandalous, and financially crippling proportions. There are many recent examples, such as the exposure of child labor upstream in the manufacturing process and the unethical use of rainforest resources. Blockchain may bring supply chain transparency to a new level, but presently academic and managerial adoption of blockchain technologies is limited by our understanding. To address this issue, this research uses the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) and the concept of technology innovation adoption as a foundational framework for supply chain traceability. A conceptual model is developed and the research culminates with supply chain implications of blockchain that are inspired by theory and literature review.http://www.mdpi.com/2305-6290/2/1/2blockchaininnovationtraceabilityprovenancesupply chain managementtransparencytrustUnified Theory of Acceptance
spellingShingle Kristoffer Francisco
David Swanson
The Supply Chain Has No Clothes: Technology Adoption of Blockchain for Supply Chain Transparency
Logistics
blockchain
innovation
traceability
provenance
supply chain management
transparency
trust
Unified Theory of Acceptance
title The Supply Chain Has No Clothes: Technology Adoption of Blockchain for Supply Chain Transparency
title_full The Supply Chain Has No Clothes: Technology Adoption of Blockchain for Supply Chain Transparency
title_fullStr The Supply Chain Has No Clothes: Technology Adoption of Blockchain for Supply Chain Transparency
title_full_unstemmed The Supply Chain Has No Clothes: Technology Adoption of Blockchain for Supply Chain Transparency
title_short The Supply Chain Has No Clothes: Technology Adoption of Blockchain for Supply Chain Transparency
title_sort supply chain has no clothes technology adoption of blockchain for supply chain transparency
topic blockchain
innovation
traceability
provenance
supply chain management
transparency
trust
Unified Theory of Acceptance
url http://www.mdpi.com/2305-6290/2/1/2
work_keys_str_mv AT kristofferfrancisco thesupplychainhasnoclothestechnologyadoptionofblockchainforsupplychaintransparency
AT davidswanson thesupplychainhasnoclothestechnologyadoptionofblockchainforsupplychaintransparency
AT kristofferfrancisco supplychainhasnoclothestechnologyadoptionofblockchainforsupplychaintransparency
AT davidswanson supplychainhasnoclothestechnologyadoptionofblockchainforsupplychaintransparency