The BlockWiki – the Blockchain Explained
Mining and tokenization – what was that again and what does it have to do with Bitcoin?
The blockchain is gaining more and more attention and importance worldwide and across industries. Although there is a broad field of application behind this technology on both the technical and economic side, the terms surrounding blockchain in research are not entirely consistent and often unclear. In the medium term, the goal must be to generate enthusiasm for technology and innovation in times of digitalization, but also to raise awareness in society. In the case of disruptive technologies, it is particularly important to provide the broad masses with free access to content, self-study, and training. For this reason, the Business Engineering Institute St. Gallen has created the BlockWiki (www.blockwiki.org). The BlockWiki is a website where relevant terms regarding the blockchain are explained and related to each other. The compilation of terms serves to standardize definitions in our own research at BEI St. Gallen and in collaborations with research partners. The website is publicly available and can therefore be used as a reference tool by anyone interested in the blockchain. The terms of the BlockWiki are arranged in a term network (Figure 1). This makes the relationship between the definitions recognizable.
A total of 42 different terms are explained in both German and English in an article consisting of text and, where applicable, graphics. These include use cases and properties of the blockchain as well as technical backgrounds, components and associated mechanisms. The information in the articles is based on a comprehensive literature research.
In addition to the semantic network, there is also a graphic representation of the complexity of the blockchain, which combines the technical background, various areas of application and functions of the technology: the blockchain map. The map is divided into two sections. On the left side is the technical view and on the right side the economic view.
For partners of the CC Ecosystems, the blockchain map is available for download free of charge. In addition, the map can be ordered as a poster at https://www.redbubble.com/de/i/poster/Die-Blockchain-Karte-von-Rogman3001/59267225.LVTDI.
In addition to the publicly accessible wiki of blockchain terms, there is an admission-restricted CC member area for partners of the Competence Center Ecosystems. Here, we publish additional content and current research results, such as a compilation and evaluation of use cases and prototypes for selected use cases.
If you are interested in the blockchain and want to familiarize yourself with the most important terms and concepts, the BlockWiki is a good place to start. Or you can register for our blog or follow us on LinkedIn, as we will be using the blockchain map to explain and relate the basic technical and application-oriented terms around blockchain in one post each over the next two weeks.
- The Business Side of the Blockchain Map - 28.05.2021
- The Technical Side of the Blockchain Map - 28.05.2021
- The BlockWiki – the Blockchain Explained - 14.05.2021