Nov 17, 2018 - Rare is the case study that clearly lays out a plan of action for government officials serious about improving their services. Anthony Williams explores how blockchain can simplify and improve government efficiency in Canada by providing a single digital ledger for all accounts. He assesses the current general ledger system, compares it with best practices in Estonia, Sweden, and the United States, and proposes a blockchain-based solution. His analysis is not cheerleading; it is clear-headed. He lays out the relevant challenges and implementation costs including managing risk and connecting with existing policies and procedures. Canada has an...

Jun 27, 2018 - Decentralization, hashing functions, public key cryptography, and smart contracts are advantageous design features of blockchain systems. These require the coordination of multiple and diverse actors with differing incentives—cryptoeconomics—to solve any problems that arise. This research examines the impact of governance on these systems. Specifically, it explores governance needs at three levels of the blockchain stack: the Internet layer, the blockchain layer, and the application layer, including the deployment of decentralized applications (Dapps). De Filippi and McMullen explain the difference between governance by the infrastructure...

Jan 13, 2020 - This project is an executive’s guide to the emerging field of cryptoeconomics, the study of individual and collective choices in blockchain-based environments. These environments are more difficult to change than other software ecosystems, and so their creators must design them very thoughtfully. The authors provide a framework for economic design and walk through the phases of the design process. Through the case studies of Nestlé OpenSC, AXA fizzy, and the Synaptic Health Alliance, they analyze the challenges that stakeholders face in governing blockchain projects, and they explain why many projects fail to achieve their goals. It is a m...

Sep 28, 2017 - A new phenomenon—initial coin offerings—enabled through blockchain technology is upending basic tenets of twentieth-century capitalism. This project frames the opportunity in terms of addressing the tragedy of the commons. He studies the development and ramification of the emerging token economy and walks through the landscape of token types. He previews the economic effects of digital scarcity, tokens as powerful incentives, and the legal and policy ramifications for securities law and property rights.

Mar 29, 2018 - This research identifies the benefits that blockchains can provide local authorities in accelerating the launch of new businesses, supporting entrepreneurs, and reinforcing innovation cycles. The case study explores the experiences of a specific user-centric business licensing proof of concept and proposes a governance framework to assist governments in reimagining digital government solutions.

Jan 30, 2018 - In the context of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the agenda for sustainable development, this project provides a taxonomy for analyzing what the blockchain community is doing to counter the adverse effects of human activity on the planet. It explores such approaches as developing less computationally demanding consensus algorithms, aligning stakeholder incentives, and combining distributed ledgers with other innovations such as artificial intelligence, sharing economy, Internet of Things, and big data analytics.