No longer solely associated with cryptocurrencies , blockchain technology is now being harnessed in other industries , helping organisations gain insights from mountains of data .
Business runs on information . The faster it ’ s received and the more accurate it is , the better . According to IBM , blockchain is ideal for delivering that information , providing immediate , shared and completely transparent information stored on an immutable ledger that can be accessed only by permissioned network members .
“ A blockchain network can track orders , payments , accounts , production , and much more ,” IBM says . “ And because members share a single view of the truth , you can see all details of a transaction end-to-end , giving you greater confidence as well as new efficiencies and opportunities .”
Today , businesses and governments across the world are adopting blockchain to fit their needs in everything from welfare management to voting records and tax calculation , with a recent survey from Deloitte finding that 86 % of executives believe there ’ s huge business potential in blockchain technology .
Data and blockchain A blockchain – as described by McKinsey & Company – is an encoded digital ledger stored on multiple computers in a public or private network , comprising data records , or ‘ blocks ’. Once these blocks are collected in a chain , they cannot be changed or deleted by a single actor ; instead , they are verified and managed using automation and shared governance protocols .
“ A blockchain is a database that maintains a set of records that are protected against tampering or revisions ,” comments Mo Sahib ,
technologymagazine . com 103