Public infrastructure delivery in many developing contexts is constrained by fragmented workflows, delayed verification processes, weak process visibility, and limited coordination across distributed stakeholders. This study models infrastructure delivery as a multi-stage operational workflow and proposes a distributed ledger-enabled process improvement framework grounded in industrial and systems engineering principles. The framework integrates permissioned blockchain architecture, smart contracts, decentralized reporting mechanisms, and hybrid mobile data collection systems to support synchronized information exchange, embedded verification, and continuous process monitoring. Using cross-case evidence from infrastructure monitoring initiatives in Kenya, Ethiopia, Lesotho, and South Africa, the study identifies recurring operational deficiencies including verification latency, information fragmentation, weak traceability, and coordination breakdowns across infrastructure delivery activities. The proposed framework redesigns infrastructure workflows through distributed verification checkpoints, automated compliance controls, and tamper-resistant process records that improve process observability and operational synchronization in low-connectivity environments. Conceptual validation demonstrates strong alignment between observed workflow deficiencies and the control mechanisms embedded within the proposed framework. The study contributes to industrial and systems engineering research by demonstrating how distributed digital infrastructure can support workflow redesign, operational control, and process reliability in complex public-sector service delivery systems.
Distributed Ledger-Enabled Process Improvement for Multi-Actor Infrastructure Delivery Systems
12 views
2 Downloads