Blockchain is an emerging technology that has the potential to change the way financial participants transact with each other. It enables direct transfer of value and financial assets between participants over networks without the need for a central authority (internet of value). It does this by combining the functionality of different technologies - distributed systems, smart contracts, mutual consensus verification, and cryptography. Given its potential Scotiabank is investing in technical research and business application.

This proposal is part of a larger research program that aims to study the relationships between IT usage for communication, diversity in social and technical knowledge, and innovation in groups. We have developed a research framework based on social network theories to suggest two different mechanisms for relating diversity and IT usage to novel idea generation and implementation. Our findings will help the partner organization to improve its capability to innovate by better forming and managing diversity within and across group in the context of innovations labs.

The Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) framework provides a holistic approach to measurement and management of long-terms customer relations. The goal is to take into account all of the services and products customers need or might need across an organization and maximize long term benefits for both the firm and the customer. While simple in concept, CLV is not simple to implement.