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The Role of Smart Contracts in Sustainability: Worldwide Research Trends

Author

Listed:
  • Esther Salmerón-Manzano

    (Faculty of Law, Universidad Internacional de La Rioja (UNIR), Av. de la Paz, 137, 26006 Logroño, Spain)

  • Francisco Manzano-Agugliaro

    (Department of Engineering, ceiA3, University of Almeria, 04120 Almeria, Spain)

Abstract

The advent and development of digital technologies has had a significant impact on the establishment of contracts. Smart contracts are designed as computer code containing instructions for executing user agreements, offering a technologically secure solution with numerous advantages and applications. However, smart contracts are not without their problems when we try to fit them into the traditional system of contract law, and their presumed benefits can become shortcomings. Bibliometric studies can help to assess the current state of science in a specific subject and support decision making and research direction. Here, this bibliometric study is used to analyze global trend research in relation to this novel contractual methodology, the smart contract, which seems to have experienced exponential growth since 2014. Specially, this analysis was focused on the main countries involved and the institutions that lead this research worldwide. On the other hand, the indexations of these works are analyzed according to major scientific areas and the keywords of all the works, to detect the subjects to which they are grouped. Community detection has been used to establish the relationship between countries researching in this area, and six clusters have been identified, around which all the work related to this topic is grouped. This work shows the temporal evolution of research related to smart contracts, highlighting that there are two trends—e-commerce and smart power grids. From the perspective of driving sustainability, smart contracts could provide a contribution in the near future.

Suggested Citation

  • Esther Salmerón-Manzano & Francisco Manzano-Agugliaro, 2019. "The Role of Smart Contracts in Sustainability: Worldwide Research Trends," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-16, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:11:p:3049-:d:235552
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Devine, Anthony & Jabbar, Abdul & Kimmitt, Jonathan & Apostolidis, Chrysostomos, 2021. "Conceptualising a social business blockchain: The coexistence of social and economic logics," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 172(C).
    2. Mehdi Chihib & Esther Salmerón-Manzano & Nuria Novas & Francisco Manzano-Agugliaro, 2019. "Bibliometric Maps of BIM and BIM in Universities: A Comparative Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(16), pages 1-22, August.
    3. Arunmozhi, Manimuthu & Venkatesh, V.G. & Arisian, Sobhan & Shi, Yangyan & Raja Sreedharan, V., 2022. "Application of blockchain and smart contracts in autonomous vehicle supply chains: An experimental design," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 165(C).
    4. Wadim Strielkowski & Dalia Streimikiene & Alena Fomina & Elena Semenova, 2019. "Internet of Energy (IoE) and High-Renewables Electricity System Market Design," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(24), pages 1-17, December.
    5. Shirvani Dastgerdi, Ahmadreza & Sargolini, Massimo & Broussard Allred, Shorna & Chatrchyan, Allison Morrill & Drescher, Michael & DeGeer, Christopher, 2022. "Climate change risk reduction in cultural landscapes: Insights from Cinque Terre and Waterloo," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 123(C).
    6. Vineet Paliwal & Shalini Chandra & Suneel Sharma, 2020. "Blockchain Technology for Sustainable Supply Chain Management: A Systematic Literature Review and a Classification Framework," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-39, September.
    7. Esther Salmerón-Manzano, 2021. "Legaltech and Lawtech: Global Perspectives, Challenges, and Opportunities," Laws, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-9, April.
    8. Popescu Lavinia & Safta Adela Sorinela, 2020. "Considerations regarding improving the ecological and environmental performance of agriculture," Proceedings of the International Conference on Business Excellence, Sciendo, vol. 14(1), pages 697-707, July.
    9. Desmond Lilao (PhD), 2025. "Evaluating the European Union’s Green Deal Role in Climate Change Mitigation and Sustainability Transitions (2030-2050)," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 9(5), pages 280-290, May.
    10. Evin Özkan & Neda Azizi & Omid Haass, 2021. "Leveraging Smart Contract in Project Procurement through DLT to Gain Sustainable Competitive Advantages," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-25, December.
    11. Salmerón-Manzano, Esther & Manzano-Agugliaro, Francisco, 2023. "Worldwide research trends on land tenure," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 131(C).
    12. Kirli, Desen & Couraud, Benoit & Robu, Valentin & Salgado-Bravo, Marcelo & Norbu, Sonam & Andoni, Merlinda & Antonopoulos, Ioannis & Negrete-Pincetic, Matias & Flynn, David & Kiprakis, Aristides, 2022. "Smart contracts in energy systems: A systematic review of fundamental approaches and implementations," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    13. Mansur Beştaş & Ruhi Taş & Erdal Akin & Merve Ozkan-Okay & Ömer Aslan & Semih Serkant Aktug, 2023. "A Novel Blockchain-Based Scientific Publishing System," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-16, February.
    14. Pi-Hsia Liang & Yan-Ping Chi, 2021. "Influence of Perceived Risk of Blockchain Art Trading on User Attitude and Behavioral Intention," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-20, December.
    15. Lennart Ante, 2020. "A place next to Satoshi: foundations of blockchain and cryptocurrency research in business and economics," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 124(2), pages 1305-1333, August.
    16. Francisco G. Montoya & Alberto-Jesus Perea-Moreno, 2020. "Environmental Energy Sustainability at Universities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(21), pages 1-3, November.
    17. Guendalina Anzolin & Carlo Pietrobelli, 2025. "Industrial policy along the mining value chain: a new taxonomy and case studies," Journal of International Business Policy, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 8(3), pages 373-390, September.
    18. Bayu Dwi Anggono & Rofi Wahanisa & Cairin Melina, 2023. "Determinants of Sustainable Land Use Change in Agricultural Utilization and Environmental Performance," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 13(3), pages 545-551, May.
    19. Dejian Yu & Libo Sheng, 2020. "Knowledge diffusion paths of blockchain domain: the main path analysis," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 125(1), pages 471-497, October.

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