Abstracting Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT): A Service based Framework enabling Distributed Trust Application Design and Integration

While trust plays a fundamental role in the stability of our economy and society, it has been under heavy pressure over the past few decades. Distributed ledger technology is an emerging protocol-based socio-technical paradigm enabling decentralized trust among a network of participants. By challenging the traditional approaches based on trusted third parties, distributed ledger technology holds the potential of a drastic change in many areas where trust needs to be informed rather than blindly accepted. However, as with many emerging technologies, limitations and problems limit its broad adoption. This dissertation addresses the question of abstracting the technical complexity and platform heterogeneity of distributed ledger technology to enable better design and integration of applications based on distributed trust. Three particular aspects are considered. First, what are the key elements of distributed ledger technology that should be part of a generic abstraction. Second, assuming such an abstraction, what challenges and requirements must be met to reduce complexity and strengthen technology adoption. Finally, how does a service-oriented approach to a blockchain based framework enable better integration in organizations and in enterprise information systems in particular