This is the book that discusses the up-and-coming blockchain technology in a structured way from the conceptual, technological and business perspectives, thereby providing the integrated insight that is essential for truly understanding blockchain applications and their impact. While most people may know about blockchain from Bitcoin and news about its price in the financial markets, blockchain is a technology that increasingly permeates the way in which modern businesses operate. However, its dynamics and functioning remain obscure for most people. This book gives readers the tools to understand the full extent to which blockchain technology is or can be used in business. First, the book focuses on the functioning of blockchain systems, introducing basic concepts such as transactions, consensus mechanisms and smart contracts, as well as giving a smooth introduction to the basic features of cryptography that underpin blockchain technology, e.g., digital signatures and hashing. Then, the book focuses on specific blockchain platforms (Bitcoin, Ethereum, private blockchain platforms) currently used for the implementation of cryptocurrencies and other blockchain systems. Finally, it introduces a set of tools to understand and analyse the suitability of blockchain technology in different business scenarios from the software architecture, business model, and business operation perspectives. Examples and case studies of blockchain applications currently in production are discussed extensively across the book. This book targets students and educators with an interest in blockchain technology providing a one-stop shop to obtain a deep and complete insight in blockchain technology and its applicability in different business scenarios. The textbook is designed primarily for 3rd and 4th year undergraduate students in industrial engineering, business and management, and information systems. However, it can be adopted also in the computer science majors, since it does not strictly require any specific pre-requisite knowledge. At the graduate level, this book can be used in courses for industrial engineering, information systems and management students. Finally, the book is also of interest to practitioners, like business analysts, process analysts and information system architects, to understand the enabling and transformative potential of blockchain in a given business scenario.

This is the book that discusses the up-and-coming blockchain technology in a structured way from the conceptual, technological and business perspectives, thereby providing the integrated insight that is essential for truly understanding blockchain applications and their impact. While most people may know about blockchain from Bitcoin and news about its price in the financial markets, blockchain is a technology that increasingly permeates the way in which modern businesses operate. However, its dynamics and functioning remain obscure for most people. This book gives readers the tools to understand the full extent to which blockchain technology is or can be used in business. First, the book focuses on the functioning of blockchain systems, introducing basic concepts such as transactions, consensus mechanisms and smart contracts, as well as giving a smooth introduction to the basic features of cryptography that underpin blockchain technology, e.g., digital signatures and hashing. Then, the book focuses on specific blockchain platforms (Bitcoin, Ethereum, private blockchain platforms) currently used for the implementation of cryptocurrencies and other blockchain systems. Finally, it introduces a set of tools to understand and analyse the suitability of blockchain technology in different business scenarios from the software architecture, business model, and business operation perspectives. Examples and case studies of blockchain applications currently in production are discussed extensively across the book. This book targets students and educators with an interest in blockchain technology providing a one-stop shop to obtain a deep and complete insight in blockchain technology and its applicability in different business scenarios. The textbook is designed primarily for 3rd and 4th year undergraduate students in industrial engineering, business and management, and information systems. However, it can be adopted also in the computer science majors, since it does not strictly require any specific pre-requisite knowledge. At the graduate level, this book can be used in courses for industrial engineering, information systems and management students. Finally, the book is also of interest to practitioners, like business analysts, process analysts and information system architects, to understand the enabling and transformative potential of blockchain in a given business scenario.

In Beyond E-Business: Towards Networked Structures Paul Grefen returns with his tried and tested BOAT framework for e-business, now fully expanded and updated with the very latest overview of digitally connected business; from business models, organization structures and architecture, to information technology. What used to be termed "e-business" is now simply business as usual. Today's successful organizations are complex; they are part of dynamic business networks built on digital channels, going far beyond traditional e-business. This text provides invaluable insights of modern e-business integrated with networked business, going much further than the usual analysis of traditional e-business texts. Included is coverage of the Big Five-social media, mobile computing, big data, cloud computing, and the internet of things --as well as service-oriented business and technology. This essential text provides a compact roadmap to networked e-business for engineering, information systems or business students as well as professionals in the field.

Database Support for Workflow Management: The WIDE Project presents the results of the ESPRIT WIDE project on advanced database support for workflow management. The book discusses the state of the art in combining database management and workflow management technology, especially in the areas of transaction and exception management. This technology is complemented by a high-level conceptual workflow model and associated workflow application design methodology. In WIDE, advanced base technology is applied, like a distributed computing model based on the corba standard. The usability of the WIDE approach is documented in this book by a discussion of two real-world applications from the insurance and health care domains. Database Support for Workflow Management: The WIDE Project serves as an excellent reference, and may be used for advanced courses on database and workflow management systems.

Dynamic Business Process Formation fuses practical needs with theoretical input to present important research innovations in supporting Instant Virtual Enterprises (IVEs). This new organization type brings a combination of business dynamism and explicit business process structure to domains where on-the-fly formation of well-organized business networks is required to deal with the complexity of new products or services under high time pressure. This book contains the main results of the IST CrossWork project, and, importantly, looks beyond the boundaries of this project and sources input from related projects and general trends in collaborative enterprises and the automotive industry. Both the business and technical aspects of Virtual Enterprise coordination are covered within the modular structure of the book, which enables readers from different backgrounds to benefit from the book according to their interests.

Dynamic Business Process Formation fuses practical needs with theoretical input to present important research innovations in supporting Instant Virtual Enterprises (IVEs). This new organization type brings a combination of business dynamism and explicit business process structure to domains where on-the-fly formation of well-organized business networks is required to deal with the complexity of new products or services under high time pressure. This book contains the main results of the IST CrossWork project, and, importantly, looks beyond the boundaries of this project and sources input from related projects and general trends in collaborative enterprises and the automotive industry. Both the business and technical aspects of Virtual Enterprise coordination are covered within the modular structure of the book, which enables readers from different backgrounds to benefit from the book according to their interests.

Database Support for Workflow Management: The WIDE Project presents the results of the ESPRIT WIDE project on advanced database support for workflow management. The book discusses the state of the art in combining database management and workflow management technology, especially in the areas of transaction and exception management. This technology is complemented by a high-level conceptual workflow model and associated workflow application design methodology. In WIDE, advanced base technology is applied, like a distributed computing model based on the corba standard. The usability of the WIDE approach is documented in this book by a discussion of two real-world applications from the insurance and health care domains. Database Support for Workflow Management: The WIDE Project serves as an excellent reference, and may be used for advanced courses on database and workflow management systems.

In Beyond E-Business: Towards Networked Structures Paul Grefen returns with his tried and tested BOAT framework for e-business, now fully expanded and updated with the very latest overview of digitally connected business; from business models, organization structures and architecture, to information technology. What used to be termed "e-business" is now simply business as usual. Today's successful organizations are complex; they are part of dynamic business networks built on digital channels, going far beyond traditional e-business. This text provides invaluable insights of modern e-business integrated with networked business, going much further than the usual analysis of traditional e-business texts. Included is coverage of the Big Five-social media, mobile computing, big data, cloud computing, and the internet of things --as well as service-oriented business and technology. This essential text provides a compact roadmap to networked e-business for engineering, information systems or business students as well as professionals in the field.