Blockchain for good?

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Cited in

DOI	http://doi.org/10.1002/jsc.2143
Published date	01 September 2017
Author	Richard Adams,Glenn Parry,Beth Kewell
Date	01 September 2017

RESEARCH ARTICLE

DOI: 10.1002/jsc.2143

Abstract

The blockchain innovaon appears to represent viable catalysts for achieving global sustainable

development targets. Projects and iniaves seeking to extend the reach of distributed ledger

technologies (DLTs) seem mostly intended for the benet of for‐prot businesses, governments,

and consumers. DLT projects devised for the public good could aim, in theory, to fulll the United

Naon’s current sustainable development goals. Blockchain technology is being applied in ways

that could transform this ambion for good into a praccal reality.

INTRODUCTION

Current examples of blockchain deployment are being specied within

a value‐creaon remit that is most likely to benet for‐prot busi‐

nesses, governments, and consumers (Böhme, Chrisn, Edelman, &

Moore, 2015; McWaters, Galaski, & Chaterjee, 2016; Ng, 2013; Pos,

Davidson, & De Filippi, 2016; Swan, 2015; Walport, 2016). Received

ideas about what blockchain can and should be used for are based

on percepons that the key role of this technology is to unlock cost

savings and secure eciency gains, whilst also enabling widespread

business model transformaon (Walport, 2016). Within this scenario,

blockchain aordances (Gibson, 1978) are principally seen to “do good”

by resolving longstanding obstacles to protability and value capture

(Walport, 2016).

The aim of this arcle is to consider how blockchain soluons

could be used to achieve good outcomes for the sustainable develop‐

ment agenda by, for example, helping to fulll the UN’s (2015) sus‐

tainable development goals (SDGs). Kranzberg’s rst law of technology

avers that “Technology is neither good nor bad; nor is it neutral” (Kranz‐

berg, 1986, p. 545). Kranzberg reminds us that innovaons are morally

and ethically instanated. To date, research has tended to focus on the

technical characteriscs, eciency gains—and prots—to be yielded

from blockchain projects, experimental distributed ledger technolo‐

gies (DLTs), and “permissioned ledgers” being run by private consor‐

a (Böhme et al., 2015; McWaters et al., 2016; Ng, 2013; Pos et al.,

2016; Swan, 2015; Walport, 2016). While inially xed on the commer‐

cial and consumer benets to be drawn from blockchain innovaon,

aenon is beginning to shi toward the appropriaon of socially and

environmentally benecial use cases that aim to tackle global chal‐

lenges such as, for example, nancial exclusion (CPTM, 2016).

Drawing on aordance theory, this exploratory arcle reects on

innovave applicaons of blockchain projects that could help deliver

socially and environmentally benecial outcomes by challenging

exisng business models and providing new opportunies for value

creaon that also serve a philanthropic purpose (Botsman & Rogers,

2010). We call this “blockchain for good,” where “good” can be framed

in terms of the cited UN SDGs. These provide a vision for governmen‐

tal, corporate, and civic acon, leading the way toward “development

that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability

of future generaons to meet their own needs” (WCED, 1987, para 27).

The arcle proceeds as follows. First, we describe our approach

to this exploratory research. Second, we oer a brief overview

of the technological characteriscs of DLTs. Third, we examine the

noon that DLTs have unique aordances rendering them appropri‐

ate soluons to the SDGs. Consequently, in this arcle we begin to

explore the impact of DLTs on the UN’s SDGs.

AFFORDANCES

The reposioning of blockchain technologies as a device for mobilizing

good causes, including those posioned at a global level, represents a

considerable departure from their original remit as payments reconcili‐