Blockchain Empowerment: Unveiling Managerial Choices in Carbon Finance Investment Across Supply Chains

We examine the potential of blockchain technology for carbon financing by organizations and within supply chains. Blockchain can provide transparent, trustworthy, secure, and efficient carbon-related transactions. Signaling and attribution theories inform the study that uses choice-based conjoint (CBC) experimentation to evaluate offsetting and insetting carbon finance investment scenarios. Factors on project attributes—including price, the scope of carbon finance project, blockchain adoption level, and stakeholder involvement—relationships to managerial investment decisions are investigated. We also investigate an important question on whether managerial ecological value propensity affects investment decisions and blockchain adoption preferences. The findings show that contrary to original suppositions, price was not as influential as presumed. Of greater concern to managerial decisions is the nature of carbon initiatives—the decision on whether to pursue carbon offsetting and/or insetting investments. Managerial environmental values significantly influenced decisions on carbon finance investments–with a preference for carbon reduction projects within their own supply chains. There is also an inclination for greater blockchain technology usage in carbon investment projects. Managers with greater ecological values were also more open to involving external parties favoring the adoption more extensive blockchain solutions. These results highlight blockchain's importance in making carbon finance projects more credible and trustworthy. Practically, the study highlights the importance of carbon finance project scope, nature, and blockchain technology in promoting sustainability initiatives. There are insights into a nuanced approach to addressing complexities of carbon finance within organizations and their supply chains.