Coopetition dynamics, which refer to the simultaneous competition and cooperation, increasingly affect the management of digital supply chains. Current research profoundly explores the benefits and drawbacks of using blockchain systems in coopetition strategies to boost cooperation and automation in supply chains. However, these systems often do not adequately address how to manage competition dependencies, which practitioners need to address when considering adopting a blockchain solution that contains excessive disclosure of sensitive information during the data exchange within a transparent network.

Our recently published paper examines how to protect such sensitive information essential for maintaining competitive dynamics. Following a design science research approach, we suggest a blockchain architecture specifically tailored to the construction industry. We focus on components that manage competition and privacy-enhancing technologies that address the trade-off between cooperation benefits and the need to protect sensitive business data, which is especially crucial in supply chain automation. This study contributes to the current scientific discourse by designing and deriving implementation guidelines for a solution that incorporates the benefits while addressing the potential drawbacks of blockchain technology through coopetitive data exchange to diffuse blockchain solutions into practice successfully.

I am happy that our paper “Striking a balance: Designing a blockchain-based solution to navigate coopetition dynamics in supply chain management" has been accepted for publication in Electronic Markets and is now available online (Open Access).

The emergence of agentic information systems (IS) in healthcare marks a shift in the patient-doctor relationship. As agentic IS artifacts are increasingly exhibiting autonomous behavior with expanding decision-making latitude, the traditional dyadic patient-doctor relationship transitions into a triad of patient, agentic IS, and doctor. Agentic IS artifacts no longer merely perform tasks on humans’ behalf but now actively delegate. Levering an in-depth case study on an agentic health companion designed for neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction management, we investigate how agentic IS artifacts alter the patient-doctor relationship.

Drawing on phenomenon-based theorizing, we synthesize our observations through the lens of delegation and expand existing delegation theory in terms of triadic perspectives. Our findings reveal relevant changes in agent attributes and agentic interactions as well as the emergence of conflicts. Based on our theoretical advancements, we derive a framework of triadic delegation. Our research contributes to both theory and practice by providing meaningful theoretical insights into the triadic delegations of humans with increasingly autonomous agentic IS artifacts.

I am happy that our paper “Toward Triadic Delegation: How Agentic IS Artifacts Affect the Patient-Doctor Relationship in Healthcare" has been accepted for publication in the Journal of the Association for Information Systems and is now available online.