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Communications of the Association for Information Systems

Author ORCID Identifier

Rayen Jui-Yen Chang: https://orcid.org/0009-0003-6826-0802

Joyce Yi-Hui Lee: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4459-9628

Abstract

Blockchain-based ecosystems in information systems (IS) typically pay little attention to alignment aspects. Alignment refers to structuring activities and configuring links among interdependent actors to realize a focal value proposition. While prior studies have examined blockchain’s potential to facilitate coordination among diverse actors, its capacity to sustain alignment in dispersed and informally connected rural communities remains underexplored. No single blockchain approach addresses the technical, social, and institutional requirements for alignment in rural settings. The purpose of this study is to investigate how blockchain-based ecosystems can reinforce alignment structures to support sustainable rural development. To fill this gap, we employed activity theory as the theoretical lens and drew on a qualitative case study. Our findings revealed three alignment archetypes: engagement enabling alignment, data converging alignment, and reciprocity verifying alignment, which illustrate coordination mediated by blockchain and reinforce alignment structures in rural communities. The research extends IS discourse on sustainability and provides theoretical insights and actionable implications for practice. We strengthen the intersection of ecosystem and blockchain literature by operationalizing alignment structure, showing that in fragmented rural contexts, alignment must be actively created rather than just coordinated. This study also suggests important directions for future research.

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