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Distributed Ledgers and Operations: What Operations Management Researchers Should Know about Blockchain Technology

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  • Volodymyr Babich
  • Gilles Hilary

    (GU - Georgetown University [Washington])

Abstract

Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology. While it has grown in prominence, its full potential and possible downsides are not fully understood yet, especially with respect to Operations Management (OM). This article fills this gap. After briefly reviewing the technical foundations, we explore multiple business and policy aspects. We identify five key strengths, the corresponding five main weaknesses, and three research themes of applying Blockchain technology to OM. The key strengths are (1) visibility, (2) aggregation, (3) validation, (4) automation, and (5) resiliency. The corresponding weaknesses are (1) lack of privacy, (2) lack of standardization, (3) garbage in, garbage out, (4) black box effect, and (5) inefficiency. The three research themes are (1) information, (2) automation, and (3) tokenization. We illustrate these research themes with multiple promising research problems, ranging from classical inventory management, to new areas of ethical OM, and to questions of Industrial Organization.

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  • Volodymyr Babich & Gilles Hilary, 2019. "Distributed Ledgers and Operations: What Operations Management Researchers Should Know about Blockchain Technology," Post-Print hal-02005158, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:hal-02005158
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://hal.science/hal-02005158
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    3. Leng, Jiewu & Ruan, Guolei & Jiang, Pingyu & Xu, Kailin & Liu, Qiang & Zhou, Xueliang & Liu, Chao, 2020. "Blockchain-empowered sustainable manufacturing and product lifecycle management in industry 4.0: A survey," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 132(C).
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    5. Suyuan Luo & Tsan‐Ming Choi, 2022. "E‐commerce supply chains with considerations of cyber‐security: Should governments play a role?," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 31(5), pages 2107-2126, May.
    6. Yu Gong & Shenghao Xie & Deepak Arunachalam & Jiang Duan & Jianli Luo, 2022. "Blockchain‐based recycling and its impact on recycling performance: A network theory perspective," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(8), pages 3717-3741, December.
    7. Sharma, Luv & Olson, John & Guha, Abhijit & McDougal, Lori, 2021. "How blockchain will transform the healthcare ecosystem," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 64(5), pages 673-682.
    8. Daeheon Choi & Chune Young Chung & Thou Seyha & Jason Young, 2020. "Factors Affecting Organizations’ Resistance to the Adoption of Blockchain Technology in Supply Networks," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(21), pages 1-37, October.
    9. Tava Lennon Olsen & Brian Tomlin, 2020. "Industry 4.0: Opportunities and Challenges for Operations Management," Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, INFORMS, vol. 22(1), pages 113-122, January.
    10. De Giovanni, Pietro, 2020. "Blockchain and smart contracts in supply chain management: A game theoretic model," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 228(C).
    11. Dutta, Pankaj & Choi, Tsan-Ming & Somani, Surabhi & Butala, Richa, 2020. "Blockchain technology in supply chain operations: Applications, challenges and research opportunities," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 142(C).
    12. Vincent Tawiah & Abdulrasheed Zakari & Guo Li & Anthony Kyiu, 2022. "Blockchain technology and environmental efficiency: Evidence from US‐listed firms," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(8), pages 3757-3768, December.
    13. Dulani Jayasuriya Daluwathumullagamage & Alexandra Sims, 2020. "Blockchain-Enabled Corporate Governance and Regulation," IJFS, MDPI, vol. 8(2), pages 1-41, June.
    14. Tang, Christopher S. & Veelenturf, Lucas P., 2019. "The strategic role of logistics in the industry 4.0 era," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 129(C), pages 1-11.
    15. Guo, Qiaozhen & He, Qiao-Chu & Chen, Ying-Ju & Huang, Wei, 2021. "Poverty mitigation via solar panel adoption: Smart contracts and targeted subsidy design," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    16. Gilles Hilary & Laura Xiaolei Liu, 2021. "Blockchain and Other Distributed Ledger Technologies in Finance," Springer Books, in: Raghavendra Rau & Robert Wardrop & Luigi Zingales (ed.), The Palgrave Handbook of Technological Finance, pages 243-268, Springer.
    17. Dulani Jayasuriya Daluwathumullagamage & Alexandra Sims, 2021. "Fantastic Beasts: Blockchain Based Banking," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-43, April.
    18. Zhu, Shuai & Song, Malin & Lim, Ming Kim & Wang, Jianlin & Zhao, Jiajia, 2020. "The development of energy blockchain and its implications for China's energy sector," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).

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    Keywords

    Visibility; Information aggregation; Validation; Resiliency; Smart contracts; Digital Assets;
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