# Blockchain and Information Integration: Applications in New Zealand's Prefabrication Supply Chain
## 5 Conclusions  
The construction supply chain is viewed as a network/system of activities providing value and services to stakeholders [77]. This value-generating network inherently confronts many challenges and complexities, reducing collaboration and growth opportunities [78]. Modern prefabrication practices appear to have resolved the majority of concerns associated with traditional construction regarding economic, social and environmental limitations. However, little attention has been given to the integration of information, which is a significant driver of supply chain integration, in this subset of the construction industry [4]. In an integrated supply chain, information is traded swiftly and securely amongst the stakeholders without alterations [10]. The prefabrication supply chain can gain benefits from the transparency and visibility connected to information integration. New Zealand is confronting a lack of affordable housing, high resource and material cost, defects and low-quality products and lack of integration amongst the supply chain partners [20; 36; 76]. Adopting information technology (in general) and information integration mechanisms (in particular) have been the primary focus of studies targeting the increase of efficiency and performance of supply chains [21; 43; 47]. However, blockchain technology has not been viewed as a feasible option yet. As an innovative information integration instrument, blockchain technology has the potential to enhance supply chain structures by ensuring traceability, transparency and security [17]. New Zealand's prefabrication industry can benefit from adopting this technology for improving the transparency of information exchange, traceability of construction products' provenance and protecting technical information while allowing visibility for partner organisations' analyses. Exploring communication channels between prefabrication organisations is a starting point for assessing the impact of blockchain technology on the supply chain integration. This study identifies information sharing channels between clients and contractors and contends the strength of blockchain technology in New Zealand's prefabrication supply chain. By adopting a questionnaire survey as the data collection tool, several communication platforms for transmitting information inter-organisationally between prefabrication clients and contractors in detailed design, construction and handover phases of projects were identified. Then, the importance of the critical attributes of information needed for the success of the prefabrication supply chain was verified. Finally, the significance of adopting blockchain technology, an effective information integration tool, in place of traditional communication methods was explored. The results demonstrated that traceability, transparency and security of information exchange across organisations are of great importance and blockchain technology has the potential to improve integration in prefabrication projects by fostering collaboration and trust amongst partner organisations. The findings provide an understanding of blockchain technology and prefabricated supply chain integration, which will assist stakeholders in enhancing their managerial decisions and supply chain strategies. Industry experts and managers could use the result of this study for understanding the essential attributes of information and current communication practices dominant in the prefabrication supply chains. Moreover, the impact of blockchain technology on the prefabrication supply chain in New Zealand, as described in this paper, can be understood. Future research will be conducted on providing a practical framework for employing blockchain technology as a means of information integration and, therefore, supply chain integration for New Zealand's prefabrication industry. Data was collected from the experts within a specified time frame, which limits the extensive findings of this study.