Perspective Chapter: Actor-Network Theory as an Organising Structure for Blockchain Adoption in Government

Abstract

Blockchain technology (BT) is a promising technology with compelling distributive and security capabilities for digitalising organisations and social systems. It is, however, often approached from a deterministic and technical perspective yet requires social, cultural and institutional changes as part of the process of adopting new technology in the context of the digital government sectors. This study uses actor-network theory (ANT) for its closely related hybrid middle, translation features, token passing through to network stability and interessement, as a lens to shape and understand the complexities surrounding the adoption and use of BT, particularly in the public sector organisations. Using the land registration system in Sudan as a case study, the findings show that ANT provides an adequate lens through which to examine the role of emergent distributive technologies such as BT in shaping social and organisational processes. ANT further contributes to a more holistic adoption of BT in public sector organisations. In the case study, the proposed blockchain guided by ANT simplified the complexity of land processes for registration, selling, buying and ownership, eventually replacing multiple processes with single transactions while at the same time embedding security and transparency.

Information Sharing in Land Registration Using Hyperledger Fabric Blockchain

“…Based on this principle, Hyperledger Fabric emerges as a feasible blockchain for the purpose of combating corrupt practices, thereby significantly contributing to the development of resource-constrained countries, considering its feature of providing detailed transaction information for auditing, monitoring, and tracing purposes [57]. This study adopted these recommendations for designing a blockchain-based land registration system due to its capability for executing smart contracts and its additional features [58]; Hyperledger Fabric offers modularity and flexibility, with a pluggable architecture that enables easy customization and scalability to meet organizational needs [59]. Its design also allows for scalability by facilitating the addition of new nodes to accommodate increasing transaction volumes [60].…”

“…Hyperledger Fabric is a private open-source blockchain platform used at the institutional level that makes use of blockchain technology to reform its workflow and improve its services [58]. It offers mainly scalability and security through its flexible architecture, with which the whole performance can be enhanced [35,62].…”

Blockchain Technology in Lands Registration: A Systematic Literature Review

“…BT skills shortages are another significant issue, as this can directly impact the development and success of BT projects (Alketbi et al, 2018;Mendling et al, 2018). Complexity is a key challenge from a social perspective (R. M. Zein & Twinomurinzi, 2022). The intricate nature of BT systems can be daunting for users, especially in low-income countries, potentially affecting the adoption of this technology in public sector services (R. M. Zein & Twinomurinzi, 2022).…”

“…Complexity is a key challenge from a social perspective (R. M. Zein & Twinomurinzi, 2022). The intricate nature of BT systems can be daunting for users, especially in low-income countries, potentially affecting the adoption of this technology in public sector services (R. M. Zein & Twinomurinzi, 2022). However, it's important to note that many of these technological challenges are being addressed through the development of new consensus algorithms.…”