After the announcement: an interdisciplinary analysis of blockchain development in governments

Abstract

Blockchain is a highly hyped technology, with many announced “use cases.” What happens, however, after the “announcement”? How—if at all—are blockchain applications further developed? This article deploys an interdisciplinary approach to study the development of blockchain projects in government. It focuses on the moment after the use cases are announced, but before their implementation. This interdisciplinary approach facilitates the investigation of the operationalization of rule of law values, such as transparency, legitimacy, and accountability. Instead of reporting on use cases, we conduct case studies to analyze the actual development and implementation of blockchain projects after the “announcement.” Studying innovation during the development process provides valuable insights into the development of blockchain applications in government.