Research Programs

On top of his thought leadership and authorship, Don has led a number of research initiatives exploring cutting-edge solutions for the digital economy. Through these initiatives, Don deftly assembles the best experts in this field to drive this research forward, to the benefit of enterprise, non-profit, and government leaders alike.

Below is a list of a few of these initiatives, with links to learn more.

The Blockchain Research Institute

The Blockchain Research Institute is a Toronto-based think-tank that helps organizations to realize the new promise of the digital economy by researching the strategic implications of blockchain technology and producing practical insights that will guide its members in achieving success.

Global Solution Networks

A Global Solution Network – or GSN – is a new and particularly effective type of global problem-solving organization. Thousands of GSNs are appearing in response to the failure of more traditional organizations and governments to solve the world’s toughest problems. GSNs are achieving new forms of cooperation and social change, and mobilizing to take on the world’s most urgent and complex challenges.

The GSN Program was launched by Don Tapscott in 2012 to research these new models of global problem solving – to study the phenomenon, evaluate what makes these networks tick, and understand their potential. The program has produced more than 40 research projects and case studies to guide your work on global problem solving – all are freely available.

The New Social Contract

At the end of Blockchain Revolution, Don and Alex Tapscott call for the creation of a new social contract. Technology is breaking down the agreements that grew from the industrial age – about employment, economic opportunity, public discourse, the integrity of democracy and other profound issues. Don has written about a new social contract extensively, as society grapples with these disruptions and looks for new ways of organizing.

The Muskoka Group

The Muskoka Group was founded August 24th-26th, 2016, when 16 blockchain practitioners, advocates, theorists and policy experts met at the family compound of Don Tapscott and his son Alex on Lake of Bays in Muskoka, Canada. The purpose of the gathering was to discuss how the blockchain ecosystem could more effectively move forward to ensure that this technology fulfills its potential. The group achieved consensus on a number of topics, recommendations and specific actions.

1970s Pioneering

In the late 1970s Don led a research team at Bell Northern Research (Canada’s Bell Labs) to investigate how computers, connected to networks would change the nature of knowledge work and organizations. The group conducted the first controlled experiments ever on this topic and the results became known internationally. The story is described below.