Designing the Blockchain-Integrated Collaborative E-Payment Framework
A Philosophical Reflection
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33102/jmifr.668Keywords:
Design Science Research, blockchain, public sector, case study, interpretivism, e-payment, inter-organisational collaboration.Abstract
This study is a philosophical and methodological reflection on the development of a Blockchain-Integrated Collaborative E-Payment Framework (BICEF) within the Transport License Department of Malaysia. Grounded in an interpretivist paradigm, this study employs the Design Science Research (DSR) approach. This study addresses persistent inter-organisational collaboration workflow challenges in public sector e-payment, including system fragmentation, manual reconciliation, inconsistent enforcement of service-level agreements and reliance on informal communication practices. This study is guided by the Context, Intervention, Mechanism and Outcome (CIMO) logic, which adopts a socio-technical lens and recognises the need for technological solutions. It needs to be contextually adapted to organisational realities shaped by human agency and institutional dynamics. A proof of concept (PoC) dashboard was developed using simulated data to demonstrate key blockchain features, including real-time reconciliation, smart contract-based service level agreement automation and inter-agency ledger transparency. Through qualitative case study inquiry comprising interviews, focus group discussions and expert validation, the research applied abductive reasoning and iterative design evaluation cycles to produce a contextually embedded artefact. The findings show that BICEF improves operational efficiency, strengthens inter-agency trust and supports Malaysia’s broader public sector digital transformation agenda. This study contributes to the DSR discourse by combining interpretive paradigm, socio-technical insights and practice-oriented artefact development. It also offers a methodological pathway for designing digital solutions in complex institutional settings. Future studies are recommended to test BICEF’s scalability across other government agencies and evaluate its long-term impact through real-world implementation.
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