Improving operational efficiency through blockchain: evidence from a field experiment in cross-border trade
通过在中国云南与东南亚国家的跨境贸易中开展实地实验，发现区块链技术能显著降低运营、代理和时间成本，减少中介环节，提升业务处理时效和跨部门协作效率。
Based on the practical needs of cross-border trade between Yunnan Province, China, and Southeast Asian countries, this paper studies the impact of blockchain technology usage on operational performance. Owing to immutability and traceability, the implementation of a blockchain-based platform solves several existing problems of cross-border trade. We conducted a field experiment to verify the effect of blockchain technology on the operational efficiency of cross-border trade companies. The results show that operational, agency, and time costs significantly decrease. Blockchain usage reduces the intermediary agencies of cross-border trade and settlement payment for traders, also improves the timeliness of business processing and the efficiency of cross-departmental business collaboration. This study provides new insights on the interface of blockchain technology and supply-chain operation management.