Smart Contracts in UAE Public Procurement. Factors Influencing Adoption and Policy Implications

Doctoral Thesis / Dissertation , 2024 , 311 Pages , Grade: 3.7

Business economics - Project Management

The purpose of this study is to examine people's perceptions about the use of smart contracts through blockchain technology for public procurement in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The research integrates the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), the Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) framework, and the Innovation Diffusion Theory (IDT) to develop a conceptual framework for understanding the factors that influence the behavioral intention to adopt smart contracts in the public procurement process.

The study employs a quantitative research methodology. Data was collected through a survey questionnaire distributed to key stakeholders involved in public procurement, including government officials, suppliers, and citizens. The survey instrument measured constructs such as relative advantage, complexity, trialability, observability, perceived compatibility, perceived enjoyment, technology awareness, perceived risk, perceived efforts, and perceived constraints from suppliers, regulations, and business partners.

The findings reveal that relative advantage, trialability, observability, perceived compatibility, perceived enjoyment, and technology awareness have a significant positive influence on the behavioral intention to adopt smart contracts in public procurement. Conversely, complexity, perceived risk, and perceived constraints from suppliers, regulations, and business partners have a significant negative influence on the behavioral intention. The results also indicate that the TAM model moderates the relationships between the various factors and behavioral intention.

Table of Contents

• Chapter 1: Introduction
• 1.1 Introduction
• 1.2 Research Background
• 1.2.1 Procurement
• 1.2.2 Blockchain
• 1.2.3 Smart Contracts
• 1.3 Research Problem
• 1.4 Research Aims, Objectives and Questions
• 1.4.1 Research Aim
• 1.4.2 Objectives
• 1.4.3 Research Questions
• 1.5 Methodology
• 1.5.1 Theoretical Framework
• 1.6 Research Significance
• 1.7 Proposal Structure
• Chapter 2: Literature Review
• 2.1 Introduction
• 2.2 Public Procurement
• 2.2.1 UAE Procurement Process
• 2.2.2 Stakeholders Involvement
• 2.2.3 Influencing Factors for Adopting Smart Contracts for Procurement in UAE
• 2.2.4 Criteria for Assessing Effectiveness
• 2.2.5 Smart Contract Challenges in Adoption in the Procurement Process
• 2.3 The Procurement Process Current Issues
• 2.4 Smart Contracts
• 2.4.1 Is a Smart Contract Actually a Contract?
• 2.4.2 Public Service involvement with Blockchain and Smart-Contracts
• 2.5 Blockchain in Theory and Practice
• 2.5.1 Defining the Technology
• 2.5.2 Improvements in Blockchain Usability
• 2.5.3 Determinants of Enhancement
• 2.5.4 The Trust Proposition
• 2.6 Technology Acceptance
• 2.6.1 Application of TAM in Research
• 2.7 Technology-Organization-Environment Model
• 2.7.1 Technology
• 2.7.2 Organizational
• 2.7.3 Environmental
• 2.8 The Diffusion of Innovation Theory
• 2.9 TAM and IDT
• 2.10 Combining TAM and IDT for a New Theory
• 2.11 TAM and TOE Integration
• 2.12 Blockchain in the UAE
• 2.13 Critical Analysis
• 2.14 Summary
• Chapter 3: Conceptual framework
• 3.1 Introduction
• 3.2 Conceptual Model
• 3.3 Theoretical Framework
• 3.3.1 The Technology Acceptance Model
• 3.3.2 TOE
• 3.3.3 The Innovation Diffusion Theory
• 3.4 Conceptual Framework
• 3.4.1 The Model
• 3.5 Dimension Hypotheses and Sub-Hypotheses
• Chapter 4: Research Methodology
• 4.1 Introduction
• 4.2 Research Methods: Ten Steps to Support Data Collection
• 4.2.1 Theoretical Concept
• 4.2.2 Pre-Test
• 4.2.3 Sampling Strategy
• 4.2.4 Data Collection
• 4.2.5 Population and Sample Size
• 4.2.6 Research Approach
• 4.2.7 Research Design and Process
• 4.3 Scales of Quantitative Study
• 4.3.1 Data Collection
• 4.3.2 Cross-Sectional Approach and Time Horizon
• 4.4 Data Analysis Methods
• 4.4.1 Descriptive Analysis
• 4.4.2 Regression Analysis
• 4.4.3 Statistical Significance
• 4.4.4 Structural Equation Modeling Analysis
• 4.5 Philosophy
• 4.5.1 Abduction
• 4.5.2 The Explanatory Method
• 4.5.3 Ontology
• 4.5.4 Epistemology
• 4.5.5 Axiology
• 4.6 Generalizability
• 4.7 Validity and Reliability
• 4.7.1 Validity
• 4.7.2 Reliability
• 4.8 Ethical considerations
• 4.9 Summary
• Chapter 5: Results and Analysis
• Chapter 6: Discussion

Objectives and Key Themes

• This research explores the adoption of smart contracts in the public sector procurement process.
• It aims to understand the factors influencing the behavioral intention to adopt smart contracts for both direct and indirect stakeholders.
• The study integrates the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) framework, and Innovation Diffusion Theory (IDT).
• Key themes include:
• The relative advantage of smart contracts over traditional methods.
• The complexity and ease of use of smart contracts.
• The role of trust and risk perception in adoption decisions.
• The importance of stakeholder engagement and collaboration.
• The need for education and capacity building initiatives.

Chapter Summaries

• Chapter 1 introduces the research problem, aims, objectives, and methodology. It highlights the potential of smart contracts in public procurement and the research gap concerning the adoption of this technology.
• Chapter 2 provides a comprehensive literature review on public procurement, smart contracts, blockchain technology, and relevant adoption theories (TAM, TOE, and IDT). It discusses existing research and identifies key challenges and opportunities for smart contract adoption in the UAE.
• Chapter 3 presents the conceptual framework for the study, outlining the key variables and their relationships. It combines TAM, TOE, and IDT to develop a model for understanding the adoption process.
• Chapter 4 describes the research methodology, including the sampling strategy, data collection methods, and data analysis techniques. It discusses the philosophical foundations of the research and the ethical considerations involved.
• Chapter 5 presents the survey results and their statistical analysis. It investigates the impact of various factors on behavioral intention, including relative advantage, complexity, trialability, observability, perceived compatibility, perceived enjoyment, technology awareness, perceived risk, perceived efforts, and perceived constraints from suppliers, regulations, and business partners.
• Chapter 6 discusses the findings from the survey analysis, drawing implications for smart contract adoption in the UAE public procurement context. It explores the mediating role of TAM constructs and the significance of stakeholder engagement.

Keywords

The study focuses on the adoption of smart contracts in the public sector procurement process in the UAE. It explores the influence of key factors like perceived usefulness, ease of use, complexity, risk, and stakeholder engagement, drawing on the Technology Acceptance Model, Technology-Organization-Environment framework, and Innovation Diffusion Theory. The research highlights the importance of addressing both technological and social considerations in the adoption of disruptive technologies like blockchain and smart contracts.

• College: British University in Dubai
• Course: Project Management
• Grade: 3.7
• Author: Moazam Ali (Author)
• Publication Year: 2024
• Pages: 311
• Catalog Number: V1478883
• ISBN (PDF): 9783389037638
• ISBN (Book): 9783389037645
• Language: English
• Tags: Project Management, TAM, TOE, IDT, procurement, smart contracts