Knowledge Management and Blockchain Technology for Organizational Sustainability

Abstract

Goal: This paper develops a conceptual model representing existing relations between blockchain, knowledge management, and sustainability. Design/Methodology/Approach: A systematic literature review was carried out, and a total portfolio of 43 articles was obtained. These articles were then analyzed using the content analysis technique. Results: Identifying the existing relationships between blockchain and knowledge management and between knowledge management and sustainability was possible. This information allowed the elaboration of the conceptual model, which resulted in the identification of the roles of each theme when related to each other. Limitations of the investigation: The limitations refer to the diversity and complexity of the themes, which made it necessary to limit the search for articles to two databases; the temporality of the research due to the evolution of the blockchain; and the failure to consider the risks arising from the adoption of technology and the negative aspects of the relationships between the themes. Practical Implications: With this article, companies studying blockchain adoption, looking for ways to improve knowledge management, or seeking to adjust their impacts on sustainability, can find information that helps in decision making. Originality/ Value: This article proposes a conceptual model that explains the relationship between three current and increasingly essential topics for organizations. To this end, it seeks to identify in the literature how the application of the first (blockchain) improves the execution of the second (knowledge management) and how this impacts the third (sustainability).