Blockchain technology as infrastructure in public sector: an analytical framework

Abstract

The blockchain technology has evolved beyond traditional payment solutions in the finance sector and offers a potential for transforming many sectors including the public sector. The novel integration of technology and economy that open public block-chains have brought represents both challenges to and opportunities for enhancing digital public services. So far, the public sector has lagged behind other sectors in both research and exploration of this technology, but pilot cases show that there is a great potential for reforming and even transforming public service delivery. We argue that the open blockchain technology is best understood as a possible information infrastructure, given its universal, evolving, open and transparent nature. A comparison with Internet is meaningful despite obvious differences between the two. Based on some case studies, we have developed an analytical framework for better understanding the potential benefits as well as the existing challenges when introducing blockchain technology in the public sector.

Blockchain technology as infrastructure in public sector: an analytical framework