Torkanfar, Navid (2025) Blockchain-enabled digitalized trust in construction industry: Reforming trust and collaboration through technology. PhD thesis, University of Toronto, Canada.
Abstract
Trust and collaboration are critical elements of success in construction projects. While advancements in technology and digital tools have facilitated collaboration and information exchange in project management, the industry continues to face significant challenges in achieving efficient and effective project delivery. Blockchain technology has shown promise in enhancing collaboration and trust among stakeholders. In construction, blockchain has been explored for its capabilities in various use cases, including supply chain management, payments, safety, procurement and quality inspections. However, a significant gap remains in establishing a formal framework for understanding blockchain's trust mechanisms and developing use cases that enhance trust and collaboration. This study focuses on three main objectives: (1) developing a formal framework to understand blockchain's impact on trust dynamics, (2) applying this framework to enhance trust and collaboration in contract management, and (3) leveraging blockchain and ontology technologies to improve information flow management.To examine how blockchain influences trust dynamics in the construction industry, a Blockchain-based inter-organizational trust (BIT) model was developed. This conceptual model determines how blockchain alters inter-organizational trust by establishing system-based foundational trust while enhancing relational and calculative trust. In the context of contractual management, a framework is proposed for a decentralized and transparent e-tendering system. Tendering is a critical phase of contract management that often faces challenges such as unethical practices, bid shopping, security vulnerabilities, and legal disputes due to centralization. The proposed system utilizes blockchain and smart contracts to enhance transparency, trust, and collaboration while reducing reliance on third-party intermediaries. To address challenges in information flow management, such as inefficient information sharing and limited knowledge reuse, a novel digital collaboration platform integrating blockchain and ontology technologies is introduced. In this system, blockchain establishes inter-organizational trust and secure collaboration, while ontology enhances interoperability and facilitates knowledge integration. Together, these technologies improve information management by automating workflows, ensuring data quality and reliability, fostering trust, and clarifying roles and responsibilities. This research contributes to the growing body of knowledge on blockchain applications in construction, demonstrating its potential to transform trust dynamics, contractual processes, and information management in the industry.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Thesis advisor: | McCabe, Breanda and Azar, Ehsan |
| Index terms: | body of knowledge, workflow, collaboration, construction project, vulnerability, calculative trust, face, ontology, information flow, information exchange, contract management, construction industry, smart contract, knowledge integration, project delivery, unethical practices, interoperability, quality inspection, transparency, blockchain, intermediary, project management, dynamics, information sharing, dispute, e-tendering, platform |
| Subjects: | project delivery, data science, business, computing systems, dispute resolution, information systems, systems and processes, systems engineering, industry analysis, data exchange, education and knowledge transfer, management, professional development, project management theory and practice, psychology, digital technology, ethical practice, knowledge management, environmental hazards, quality assurance, contract management, digital design, production management |
| Topics: | Legal Issues, Quality Management, Engineering Principles, Project Management, Sustainability, Procurement, Digital Applications, Contract Administration, Organizational Design, Business Strategy, Information Management, Research Practice |
| Descriptive scope: | 3 PCT |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here