  Context: Blockchain-based Information Ecosystems (BBIEs) are a type of
information ecosystem in which blockchain technology is used to provide a trust
mechanism among parties and to manage shared business logic, breaking the
traditional scheme of Information Ecosystems dominated by a leading company and
leveraging the decentralization of data management, information flow, and
business logic. Objective: In this paper, we propose architecture and technical
aspects concerning the creation of a BBIE, underlining the advantages supplied
and the logic decomposition among the business and storage components. Method:
The requirements are derived from the current needs of the collaborative
business and the data collected by surveying practitioners. To get these needs
we followed the Grounded Theory research approach. We validate our
architectural schema against a case study dealing with the management of a wine
supply chain, also involving different companies and supervision authorities.
Results: The proposed solution integrates blockchain-based applications with
the existing information system as a module of the ecosystem, leveraging on the
low costs, scalability, and high-level security because of the restricted
access to the network. Conclusion: We must go a long way in deepening and
refining the possibilities offered by technology in supporting innovative
multi-organizational business models. BBIEs can contribute substantially to
paving the way in such a direction.
