IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v14y2022i5p2643-d757873.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

An Exploratory Research on Blockchain in Aviation: The Case of Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) Organizations

Author

Listed:
  • Marina Efthymiou

    (Dublin City University Business School, University of Dublin, D09 Dublin, Ireland)

  • Katie McCarthy

    (Dublin City University Business School, University of Dublin, D09 Dublin, Ireland)

  • Chris Markou

    (International Air Transport Association, 800 Rue du Square-Victoria, Montréal, QC H4Z 1M1, Canada)

  • John F. O’Connell

    (Centre for Aviation Research, School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, Surrey, UK)

Abstract

The aircraft maintenance sector has high complexity with many intermediaries, multiple actors sharing data and needs to ensure high data security. The implementation of Blockchain technology can significantly contribute to the aforementioned characteristics. This research explores the implementation of Blockchain technology in Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO). For this research, a mixed-method approach was followed to obtain a holistic view of the adoption of Blockchain technology in an aircraft maintenance facility. Semi-structured interviews and a case study were used. The interview findings related to the current status of maintenance records management. The findings also highlighted the value of data storage within MRO’s and the benefits of Blockchain. The paper also discusses the readiness/willingness of aircraft maintenance facilities to implement Blockchain and the barriers to implementation. Recommendations and areas for further research are identified.

Suggested Citation

  • Marina Efthymiou & Katie McCarthy & Chris Markou & John F. O’Connell, 2022. "An Exploratory Research on Blockchain in Aviation: The Case of Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) Organizations," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-17, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:5:p:2643-:d:757873
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/5/2643/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/5/2643/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Sachin Kamble & Angappa Gunasekaran & Himanshu Arha, 2019. "Understanding the Blockchain technology adoption in supply chains-Indian context," International Journal of Production Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 57(7), pages 2009-2033, April.
    2. Sara Saberi & Mahtab Kouhizadeh & Joseph Sarkis & Lejia Shen, 2019. "Blockchain technology and its relationships to sustainable supply chain management," International Journal of Production Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 57(7), pages 2117-2135, April.
    3. Min, Hokey, 2019. "Blockchain technology for enhancing supply chain resilience," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 62(1), pages 35-45.
    4. Wang, Yingli & Singgih, Meita & Wang, Jingyao & Rit, Mihaela, 2019. "Making sense of blockchain technology: How will it transform supply chains?," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 211(C), pages 221-236.
    5. O'Connell, John F. & Avellana, Raquel Martinez & Warnock-Smith, David & Efthymiou, Marina, 2020. "Evaluating drivers of profitability for airlines in Latin America: A case study of Copa Airlines," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    6. Yang, Chung-Shan, 2019. "Maritime shipping digitalization: Blockchain-based technology applications, future improvements, and intention to use," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 108-117.
    7. Shafiee, Mahmood & Chukova, Stefanka, 2013. "Maintenance models in warranty: A literature review," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 229(3), pages 561-572.
    8. Lin William Cong & Zhiguo He, 2019. "Blockchain Disruption and Smart Contracts," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 32(5), pages 1754-1797.
    9. 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).
    10. Davidson, Sinclair & De Filippi, Primavera & Potts, Jason, 2018. "Blockchains and the economic institutions of capitalism," Journal of Institutional Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 14(4), pages 639-658, August.
    11. Hughes, Laurie & Dwivedi, Yogesh K. & Misra, Santosh K. & Rana, Nripendra P. & Raghavan, Vishnupriya & Akella, Viswanadh, 2019. "Blockchain research, practice and policy: Applications, benefits, limitations, emerging research themes and research agenda," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 114-129.
    12. Corbet, Shaen & Efthymiou, Marina & Lucey, Brian & O'Connell, John F., 2021. "When lightning strikes twice: The tragedy-induced demise and attempted corporate resuscitation of Malaysia airlines," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    13. Schyga, Jakob & Hinckeldeyn, Johannes & Kreutzfeldt, Jochen, 2019. "Prototype for a permissioned blockchain in aircraft MRO," Chapters from the Proceedings of the Hamburg International Conference of Logistics (HICL), in: Kersten, Wolfgang & Blecker, Thorsten & Ringle, Christian M. (ed.), Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation in Supply Chain Management: Innovative Approaches for Supply Chains. Proceedings of the Hamburg Int, volume 27, pages 469-505, Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH), Institute of Business Logistics and General Management.
    14. Efthymiou, Marina & Usher, David & O'Connell, John F. & Warnock-Smith, David & Conyngham, Gerry, 2021. "The factors influencing entry level airline pilot retention: An empirical study of Ryanair," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    15. Hamed Taherdoost, 2018. "A review of technology acceptance and adoption models and theories," Post-Print hal-03741843, HAL.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Loraine Brown & Marina Efthymiou & Caroline McMullan, 2022. "Recovering from a Major Aviation Disaster: The Airlines’ Family Assistance Centre," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-16, March.
    2. Seungju Nam & Sejong Choi & Georgia Edell & Amartya De & Woon-Kyung Song, 2023. "Comparative Analysis of the Aviation Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) Industry in Northeast Asian Countries: A Suggestion for the Development of Korea’s MRO Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-15, January.
    3. Volodymyr Grudz & Yaroslav Grudz & Ivan Pavlenko & Oleksandr Liaposhchenko & Marek Ochowiak & Vasyl Pidluskiy & Oleksandr Portechyn & Mykola Iakymiv & Sylwia Włodarczak & Andżelika Krupińska & Magdale, 2023. "Ensuring the Reliability of Gas Supply Systems by Optimizing the Overhaul Planning," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(2), pages 1-13, January.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. 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).
    2. Choi, Tsan-Ming & Siqin, Tana, 2022. "Blockchain in logistics and production from Blockchain 1.0 to Blockchain 5.0: An intra-inter-organizational framework," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).
    3. Vincenzo Varriale & Antonello Cammarano & Francesca Michelino & Mauro Caputo, 2021. "Sustainable Supply Chains with Blockchain, IoT and RFID: A Simulation on Order Management," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-23, June.
    4. Vincenzo Varriale & Antonello Cammarano & Francesca Michelino & Mauro Caputo, 2020. "The Unknown Potential of Blockchain for Sustainable Supply Chains," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(22), pages 1-16, November.
    5. Kouhizadeh, Mahtab & Saberi, Sara & Sarkis, Joseph, 2021. "Blockchain technology and the sustainable supply chain: Theoretically exploring adoption barriers," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 231(C).
    6. Manu Sharma & Sudhanshu Joshi & Sunil Luthra & Anil Kumar, 2022. "Managing disruptions and risks amidst COVID-19 outbreaks: role of blockchain technology in developing resilient food supply chains," Operations Management Research, Springer, vol. 15(1), pages 268-281, June.
    7. Yadav, Amit Kumar & Shweta, & Kumar, Dinesh, 2023. "Blockchain technology and vaccine supply chain: Exploration and analysis of the adoption barriers in the Indian context," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 255(C).
    8. Elnaz Irannezhad, 2020. "The Architectural Design Requirements of a Blockchain-Based Port Community System," Logistics, MDPI, vol. 4(4), pages 1-31, November.
    9. Teck Ming Tan & Jari Salo, 2023. "Ethical Marketing in the Blockchain-Based Sharing Economy: Theoretical Integration and Guiding Insights," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 183(4), pages 1113-1140, April.
    10. Zhang, Jian & Zhang, Xuanjian & Liu, Wei & Ji, Ming & Mishra, Arunodaya Raj, 2022. "Critical success factors of blockchain technology to implement the sustainable supply chain using an extended decision-making approach," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 182(C).
    11. Niu, Baozhuang & Dong, Jian & Liu, Yaoqi, 2021. "Incentive alignment for blockchain adoption in medicine supply chains," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 152(C).
    12. Büyüközkan, Gülçin & Tüfekçi, Gizem & Uztürk, Deniz, 2021. "Evaluating Blockchain requirements for effective digital supply chain management," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 242(C).
    13. Venkataiah Chittipaka & Satish Kumar & Uthayasankar Sivarajah & Jana Lay-Hwa Bowden & Manish Mohan Baral, 2023. "Blockchain Technology for Supply Chains operating in emerging markets: an empirical examination of technology-organization-environment (TOE) framework," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 327(1), pages 465-492, August.
    14. Liu, Shuai & Hua, Guowei & Kang, Yuxuan & Edwin Cheng, T.C. & Xu, Yadong, 2022. "What value does blockchain bring to the imported fresh food supply chain?," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 165(C).
    15. Mahmoona Khalil & Kausar Fiaz Khawaja & Muddassar Sarfraz, 2022. "The adoption of blockchain technology in the financial sector during the era of fourth industrial revolution: a moderated mediated model," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 56(4), pages 2435-2452, August.
    16. Sachin Kumar Mangla & Yiğit Kazançoğlu & Abdullah Yıldızbaşı & Cihat Öztürk & Ahmet Çalık, 2022. "A conceptual framework for blockchain‐based sustainable supply chain and evaluating implementation barriers: A case of the tea supply chain," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(8), pages 3693-3716, December.
    17. Yuling Sun & Xiaomei Song & Yihao Jiang & Jian Guo, 2023. "Strategy Analysis of Fresh Agricultural Enterprises in a Competitive Circumstance: The Impact of Blockchain and Consumer Traceability Preferences," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 11(5), pages 1-18, February.
    18. Seyyed-Alireza Radmanesh & Alireza Haji & Omid Fatahi Valilai, 2023. "Blockchain-Based Architecture for a Sustainable Supply Chain in Cloud Architecture," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-19, June.
    19. Kirti Nayal & Rakesh D. Raut & Balkrishna E. Narkhede & Pragati Priyadarshinee & Gajanan B. Panchal & Vidyadhar V. Gedam, 2023. "Antecedents for blockchain technology-enabled sustainable agriculture supply chain," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 327(1), pages 293-337, August.
    20. Friedman, Nicola & Ormiston, Jarrod, 2022. "Blockchain as a sustainability-oriented innovation?: Opportunities for and resistance to Blockchain technology as a driver of sustainability in global food supply chains," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 175(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:5:p:2643-:d:757873. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.