Blockchain in the public sector : Applications for improving services in society

Sammanfattning: The adoption of Blockchain technology looks promising in many areas. However, it is still a relatively new area of research, and implementations are not entirely free of challenges. This study focuses on the potential benefits of blockchain adoption in the public sector, with the potential to enhance democratic processes. Blockchain technology is, by design, apt at managing several significant challenges regarding communication and security in digital networks. This includes maintaining data integrity, enhancing security and privacy, and to mitigate fraud and manipulation. Possible issues that might arise when applied to the public sector is regarding law and regulation compliance. To cover the current state of the field, an exploratory literature review has been conducted. Among the results are several interesting blockchain projects around the world with emphasis on civic dialogue. Studying possible network architectures it appears that Hyperledger Fabric is the most prominent when it comes to implementations in the public sector. Based on this study, and on input from experts within the field, a proposed model that could be implemented and tested on a smaller scale is presented. The purpose is to record and track expenditures on public sector projects and make them available to the public.