Smart Contracts and Corporate Contracting: Legal, Operational, and Managerial Challenges

Abstract

The rapid pace of digital transformation has fundamentally reshaped the landscape of corporate contracting. Among the most disruptive innovations are smart contracts—self-executing digital agreements encoded on block chain networks that automatically enforce predefined terms. Their promise is profound: increased efficiency, transparency, and automation in enterprise operations. Yet, as organizations seek to integrate smart contracts with core business processes, including Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, and aim for robust audibility, a host of legal, operational, and managerial challenges emerge. These challenges intersect profoundly with human resources and organizational behavior, raising questions about enforce ability, technological integration, work practices, and managerial accountability.