Governance and control in distributed ledgers: Understanding the challenges facing blockchain technology in financial services
OA Location
Author(s)
Zachariadis, Markos
Hileman, Garrick
Scott, Susan V
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
As blockchain platforms are becoming increasingly noticeable in financial services and beyond, questions arise regarding their suitability to compete with or replace existing payment systems and marketplaces and redesign the financial infrastructures of the future. Prominent among these concerns are issues around governance and control in distributed ledgers: How are distributed ledger technologies governed? Can blockchains address complex administration problems? What key issues of note for practitioners and academics have emerged thus far? In this paper we aim to review the existing governance practices of established or popular blockchain and decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) systems with a view to understanding how they hold up in times of crises. What questions are raised when they are compromised or faced consensus challenges in coordinating action especially around control and accountability? We use a translational process, generating focal insights about present concerns from the reference point of completed academic studies and extensive practitioner consultation. Rather than adopting a declarative approach attempting to provide all the answers, we draw insights from the IT platform governance literature to offer a critical perspective for asking the right questions around key governance issues in financial infrastructure such as decision rights, control mechanisms, and incentives.
Date Issued
2019-06-01
Date Acceptance
2019-03-01
Citation
Information and Organization, 2019, 29 (2), pp.105-117
ISSN
1471-7727
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Start Page
105
End Page
117
Journal / Book Title
Information and Organization
Volume
29
Issue
2
Copyright Statement
Crown Copyright © 2019 Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Identifier
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.infoandorg.2019.03.001
Subjects
0806 Information Systems
0807 Library and Information Studies
Information Systems
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2019-04-09