Korean Humanities and Social Science Solidarity, seongmin Hong
This study analyzes the structural causes and social impacts of fare evasion in public transportation systems and proposes comprehensive improvement measures for ticketing systems. Fare evasion, defined as intentionally avoiding or underpaying fares, threatens the sustainability and fairness of city rail transit, leading to significant financial losses, which have been estimated in prior studies to reach tens of billions of KRW annually. As evasion methods become increasingly sophisticated through technology such as mobile card sharing and data manipulation, existing automated systems show clear limitations due to the lack of real-time identity verification. To address these issues, this research suggests a phased strategic roadmap consisting of short, medium, and long-term solutions based on case studies from leading global cities like London, Tokyo, and Singapore. First, as a short-term measure, the introduction of real-name ticketing and improvement of physical gate structures are proposed. By requiring personal identification for the issuance of single-use and concessionary cards, the unauthorized transfer or lending of tickets can be prevented. Furthermore, the transition to a closed-gate system is essential to eliminate verification blind spots and ensure accurate real-time fare calculation. Second, as a medium-term measure, the adoption of NFT (Non-Fungible Token) based tickets and AI-driven enforcement systems are highlighted. NFT technology ensures the uniqueness and authenticity of tickets through blockchain, significantly reducing the risk of duplication. Simultaneously, AI-based video analysis can support the detection of physical evasion behaviors like 'tailgating' in real-time, improving operational efficiency. Third, as a long-term strategy, the implementation of biometric authentication systems (facial, fingerprint, or iris recognition) is suggested. This “Post-ticket” approach uses non-fungible physical characteristics for verification, substantially mitigating ticket-related fraud. However, the study emphasizes that technological implementation must be accompanied by robust legal and regulatory frameworks for data privacy protection, as well as sufficient social consensus.
Sarim Zia, Saleha Qureshi, Muhammad Zulfiqar, Arfa Ijaz
The paper discusses the economic and infrastructural challenges preventing the adoption of Electric Vehicles (EVs) in Pakistan.It focuses on key factors such as affordability, consumer preferences, and the overall readiness of the market.Based on a segment-wise comparison, the analysis reveals that four-wheeler EVs carry an initial price premium of 20 to 64 percent over internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, with payback periods ranging from 11 to 25 years, placing them out of reach for most middle-income consumers.In contrast, electric two-and three-wheelers-comprising more than 90 percent of registered vehicles-offer a significantly more practical and affordable pathway for mass adoption.These vehicles exhibit minimal upfront cost differences, annual operational savings exceeding PKR 62,000, and short payback periods of just 4 to 6 months, making them highly feasible in the local context.The study adopts a mixed-methods approach using national price data, vehicle registration records, and international case studies from India, Kenya, and Norway.It evaluates financing innovations such as battery leasing, concessional green loans, and carbon-credit-linked microfinance, and outlines a consumer-focused policy framework that emphasizes financial inclusion, decentralized infrastructure development, and phased implementation strategies.By aligning global lessons with Pakistan's socioeconomic and infrastructural realities, the paper offers a scalable and inclusive roadmap for accelerating EV adoption through targeted, consumer-driven solutions.
The exponential growth in automobile ownership has intensified global carbon emissions, underscoring the urgent need for sustainable transport solutions. Electric Vehicles (EVs) represent a cleaner alternative; however, their adoption in India remains limited. This paper proposes a blockchain-enabled carbon credit trading platform designed to incentivise EV adoption by converting verified charging activities into carbon credit tokens. Through smart contracts and decentralized verification, the system ensures transparency, accountability, and equitable distribution of credits. Two innovative algorithms underpin the model: the Carbon Credit Generation Algorithm, which standardizes token issuance, and the Voting Algorithm, which validates charging data through a consensus-based mechanism. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed framework achieves up to 500 transactions per second with energy consumption as low as 0.01 kWh per transaction, significantly outperforming Proof-of-Work and Proof-of-Stake consensus models. The findings confirm that blockchain-driven mechanisms can effectively link green energy use to measurable rewards, fostering trust, scalability, and active participation in carbon-neutral mobility ecosystems.
Drone delivery services are encountering issues related to transparency, authenticity, and safeguarding privacy, highlighting the urgent need for an innovative approach that incorporates blockchain technology. This innovation aims to solidify the permanence of records, enable instantaneous verification, and streamline data handling in these intricate, self-operating transactions. In this paper, we use of blockchain for creating Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), which act as unalterable logs of purchase within the realm of delivery logistics. Our method adopts a distinctive two-fold strategy that places equal emphasis on both tangible goods and information. When integrating our solution with the Polygon network, we have achieved a substantial reduction in the costs associated with transactions while simultaneously enhancing the speed at which these transactions are processed. Our work not only addresses the existing challenges faced by unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) communication systems but also sets a new standard for efficiency and security in the delivery logistics sector, paving the way for more reliable and transparent UAV-based delivery services.
This research explores the future synergy between quantum computing (QC) and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) as a tool to revitalize urban transport systems through optimized improvement techniques as well as decentralized governance. Utilizing a conceptual approach combined with thematic analysis, this research provides an integrative framework that combines insights from quantum computing, blockchain governance, and transport geography. Key results include the observation that the integration of these technologies holds the potential to address enduring issues regarding efficiency, sustainability, and equity within transport through exemplary spatial optimization as well as open, participatory governance strategies. However, significant challenges do remain, including energy consumption, the digital divide, as well as regulative uncertainties, requiring careful design, equity-focused protections, as well as effective governance infrastructure. This paper suggests that the actualization of the full potential of these future technologies requires interdisciplinary collaboration as well as a focus on the public good rather than technological advancement alone.
Urban transportation is under strain from growing congestion, environmental impact and inefficiencies in centralised ride-sharing systems. This work presents a decentralized peer - to - peer carpooling platform that can use blockchain technology and smart contracts to securely control the entire ride life cycle, without intermediaries. The system uses Ethereum smart contracts for transparent and tamper proof handling of ride request, acceptance, completion and payments thus eliminating the risks associated with the centralized controllers. A layer geospatial computation powered by OpenRouteService computes precise distances and fares, and interactive maps increase user trust in price. The prototype, implemented using Streamlit, Web3.py and Solidity, includes role-based dashboards for drivers and passengers, wallet-based authentication to prevent identity spoofing and optimized contract design to reduce gas costs. Presenting evidence of values for outputs through functional testing on a local Ethereum network, there are correct state transitions, approve stable transaction costs, stable and accurate of mappings are within +/-0.1 km of Google Maps. This platform provides a scalable and privacy respecting method for shared mobility with future expansions towards decentralised storage, advanced reputation systems and zk -proof based location privacy.
Effective supply chain management under high-variance demand requires models that jointly address demand uncertainty and digital contracting adoption. Existing research often simplifies demand variability or treats adoption as an exogenous decision, limiting relevance in e-commerce and humanitarian logistics. This study develops an optimization framework combining dynamic Negative Binomial (NB) demand modeling with endogenous smart contract adoption. The NB process incorporates autoregressive dynamics in success probability to capture overdispersion and temporal correlation. Simulation experiments using four real-world datasets, including Delhivery Logistics and the SCMS Global Health Delivery system, apply maximum likelihood estimation and grid search to optimize adoption intensity and order quantity. Across all datasets, the NB specification outperforms Poisson and Gaussian benchmarks, with overdispersion indices exceeding 1.5. Forecasting comparisons show that while ARIMA and Exponential Smoothing achieve similar point accuracy, the NB model provides superior stability under high variance. Scenario analysis reveals that when dispersion exceeds a critical threshold (r > 6), increasing smart contract adoption above 70% significantly enhances profitability and service levels. This framework offers actionable guidance for balancing inventory costs, service levels, and implementation expenses, highlighting the importance of aligning digital adoption strategies with empirically observed demand volatility.
With the gradual shift towards the use of electric vehicles (EV), electricity demand is expected to increase especially in energy communities. Therefore, it is important to investigate how energy is generated as the provenance of electricity supply is directly linked to climate change. There are only a few studies that investigated the internet of energy and energy provenance, but this area of research is important to prevent the rebound effect of CO2 emission due to the lack of a transparent approach that verifies the source of electricity consumed for charging EVs. The energy system is a complex network, which results in difficulty verifying the source of electricity as related to the generation of energy. Identifying the provenance of electricity is challenging since electricity is a non-physical element. Moreover, the volatility of a Renewable Energy Source (RES), such as solar and wind power farms, in relation to the complex electricity distribution system makes tracking and tracing challenging. Disruptive technologies, such as Distributed Ledger Technologies (DLT), have been previously adopted to trace the end-to-end stages of products. Likewise, artificial intelligence (AI) can be adopted for the optimization, control, dispatching, and management of energy systems. Therefore, this study develops a decentralized intelligent framework enabled by AI-based DLT and smart contracts deployed to accelerate the development of the internet of energy towards energy provenance in energy communities. The framework supports the tracing and tracking of RES type and source consumed for charging EVs. Findings from this study will help to accelerate the production, trading, distribution, sharing, and consumption of RES in energy communities.
David King Boison, Musah Osumanu Doumbia, Ahmed Antwi-Boampong, Frank Senyo Loglo · 5 authors
This study explores the application of blockchain (BC) technology in enhancing terminal operations at West African seaports, with a specific focus on Tema Port in Ghana. The purpose is to address inefficiencies in cargo processing, traceability, and data integrity that often impede port performance. Using a multi-layered qualitative approach, including observation and value stream mapping, the study examines current operational challenges at Tema Port and proposes a BC adoption model tailored to ship operations, quay transfers, yard management, container freight stations, and receipt/delivery processes. The findings suggest that BC technology significantly improves transparency, operational efficiency, and data security across port processes, offering a unified ledger system accessible to all stakeholders. Based on these findings, the study recommends a phased BC implementation, beginning with targeted pilot programs to mitigate technological and infrastructural constraints common in developing regions. Implications for port managers, policymakers, and academics underscore BC’s potential to reduce operational costs, enhance real-time visibility, and improve compliance in port logistics. This study is limited by its focus on terminal operations at a single port; future research could explore BC’s impact on other areas of the maritime supply chain across multiple ports. The originality of this study lies in its contextualized BC model for West African ports, addressing specific challenges faced by developing regions and offering a foundational framework for future BC applications in logistics.
As intelligent transportation systems (ITSs) evolve rapidly, the increasing computational demands of connected vehicles call for efficient task offloading. Centralized approaches face challenges in scalability, security, and adaptability to dynamic network conditions. To address these issues, we propose a blockchain-based decentralized task offloading framework with network-aware resource allocation and tokenized economic incentives. In our model, vehicles generate computational tasks that are dynamically mapped to available computing nodes-including vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) resources, roadside edge servers (RSUs), and cloud data centers-based on a multi-factor score considering computational power, bandwidth, latency, and probabilistic packet loss. A blockchain transaction layer ensures auditable and secure task assignment, while a proof-of-stake (PoS) consensus and smart-contract-driven dynamic pricing jointly incentivize participation and balance workloads to minimize delay. In extensive simulations reflecting realistic ITS dynamics, our approach reduces total completion time by 12.5-24.3%, achieves a task success rate of 84.2-88.5%, improves average resource utilization to 88.9-92.7%, and sustains >480 transactions per second (TPS) with a 10 s block interval, outperforming centralized/cloud-based baselines. These results indicate that integrating blockchain incentives with network-aware offloading yields secure, scalable, and efficient management of computational resources for future ITSs.
Introduction Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs), digital organizations governed by code and community, offer new paradigms for collective governance; yet many early examples have reproduced the power asymmetries, exclusionary participation models, and inefficiencies found in traditional systems. This study examines how DAO governance can evolve to support fair, inclusive, and regenerative capital flows across distributed ecosystems, particularly in contexts where traditional coordination infrastructure is limited. Methods A qualitative case study was conducted on Hypha, an organisation that evolved from a classic DAO to a Decentralized Human Organization (DHO) and subsequently to an Adaptable Organization, or DAO 3.0. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews and document analysis, then interpreted using a People–Process–Technology framework to identify governance design principles. This was supported by a comparative taxonomy mapping the evolution from DAO 1.0 to DAO 3.0. Results Findings show a progression from early token-weighted DAO 1.0 models, through protocol-optimized DAO 2.0 structures, to DAO 3.0’s modular, relational, and context-adaptive designs. Hypha’s governance innovations include multi-layer modular voting, “leadership without control” protocols, real-time capital flow mechanisms, and trust-based safeguards that address fairness failures, enhance adaptability, and enable governance to respond dynamically to human complexity and local contexts. Discussion The Hypha case study positions DAO 3.0 as a prototype for regenerative coordination infrastructure where governance operates as a living system, balancing technological automation with human-centered design. This research expands DAO governance theory by clarifying conceptual boundaries, integrating recent literature, and providing practical guidance for policymakers, developers, and capital providers seeking to design equitable, regenerative governance and coordination systems.
Hafsteinn Hjartarson, Fjölnir Thrastarson, Anna Sigríður Íslind, Gísli Hjálmtýsson
Abstract Permissioned blockchains have gained prominence as a means of decentralizing trust while retaining controlled access, particularly in enterprise settings and regulated peer-to-peer environments. These systems offer advantages in scalability, performance, and security; however, challenges persist in effectively managing membership and its interaction with consensus protocols. Ethereum’s transition to Proof-of-Stake has also been a transition to managed membership, where validators are actively monitored and penalized for non-performance. This paper examines the dynamic tension between membership management and consensus protocols in permissioned blockchains, as well as the benefits of active management in improving overall system performance. In this paper, we propose a framework for dynamic membership management that includes actively admitting, monitoring, and ejecting members. Our approach decouples membership management from the underlying blockchain construction process. Our simulations confirm the potential benefits of managed membership, in part to facilitate lightweight mechanisms for improved performance and reliability. Our findings suggest that dynamic membership management is a critical area of study with significant implications for the future design of permissioned blockchains. Our contributions provide a conceptual foundation for designing dynamic membership protocols in permissioned blockchains, filling a gap in the literature and offering practical solutions to enhance blockchain performance in controlled environments.
Rayhan Ferdous Srejon, M. Fahim, Sk. Md. Shadman Ifaz, Md. Kamrul Hasan · 6 authors
Ride-sharing platforms have revolutionized urban mobility, offering millions of users convenient and costeffective transportation. However, mainstream centralized platforms such as Uber and Lyft continue to face pressing concerns including data privacy breaches, high service charges, security vulnerabilities, and a lack of transparency due to centralized control. To address these limitations, this research proposes a semipublic blockchain-based ride-sharing platform integrating Hyperledger Fabric for secure and permissioned data management with Ethereum smart contracts for transparent ride booking, fare calculation, and payments. The platform leverages the InterPlanetary File System (IPFS) for immutable, decentralized storage and uses the Cosmos SDK to enable seamless interoperability between public and private blockchains. A user-centric pay-as-you-drive model is introduced to ensure fair and distance-based billing. Preliminary evaluations show that our system outperforms traditional blockchain consensus methods (PoW, PoA) in throughput, latency, and resource usage. At the same time, it remains economically viable with an operational cost of under 33,000 BDT per node. Future improvements include benchmarking with Hyperledger Caliper, transitioning from Vagrant to Docker for better scalability, and implementing backend services using Node.js or Golang with MongoDB for efficient metadata handling. Together, these enhancements support a secure, decentralized, and scalable alternative to existing ride-sharing systems.
Asst. Prof. Panchami M Hegde, Asst. Prof. Swetha M
Carpooling has emerged as one of the most practical strategies for reducing the growing challenges of traffic congestion, fuel consumption, and environmental pollution, yet conventional carpooling systems that are operated through centralized platforms continue to face numerous issues that restrict their effectiveness and adoption. Existing solutions largely depend on intermediaries to coordinate between drivers and passengers, creating a system that lacks transparency, suffers from high service costs, and exposes user data to privacy risks and security breaches. Moreover, traditional systems are often criticized for inefficient dispute resolution, a reliance on single points of failure such as central servers, and the absence of mechanisms that foster accountability and long-term trust among users. These weaknesses make centralized carpooling platforms vulnerable to manipulation, biased practices, and technical outages, thereby limiting their scope as sustainable mobility solutions. To address these persistent challenges, blockchain technology—specifically the Ethereum ecosystem—offers a transformative alternative. Ethereum supports the development of decentralized applications (dApps) driven by smart contracts, which are self-executing agreements coded directly onto the blockchain. By embedding business logic into these contracts, processes such as ride creation, ride booking, payment settlements, user verification, and rating are automated, ensuring that interactions remain tamper-proof, transparent, and immune to third-party manipulation.
Blockchain technology, underpinned by distributed ledger systems, has evolved from a novel innovation into a transformative and integral component of enterprise digitization across industries. Since its inception with Bitcoin in 2008, blockchain has expanded beyond cryptocurrencies, with applications in operations management (OM) growing rapidly across industries. Despite its promise, however, the integration of blockchain into OM is not without challenges. Scholars have identified significant barriers to successful implementation, ranging from technological and organizational hurdles to regulatory complexities (Chod et al. 2020; Hanisch et al. 2025; Lin et al. 2022; Lumineau et al. 2021; Sodhi et al. 2022; Zhan et al. 2025). This Special Issue on Operational Perspectives on Blockchain Applications presents cutting-edge research that explores blockchain's opportunities, challenges, and implications for OM. The articles in this issue provide a diverse and empirically grounded examination of blockchain applications across industries and operational contexts. We will discuss each contribution in turn. However, prior to that, it is useful to dig into the operational nuances, opportunities, and challenges presented by the focal context. Our editorial discussion opens accordingly, outlining the technological, organizational, and regulatory challenges while identifying the conditions under which blockchain can deliver value. We also touch on the broader societal implications of blockchain, addressing its political, economic, social, environmental, and legal dimensions before describing how each of the papers in the special issue contributes to understanding, critical to operations management. Finally, our editorial discussion concludes by charting a research agenda, highlighting key questions and interdisciplinary approaches needed to advance both theoretical and practical understanding of blockchain in OM. Working processes need to be discovered, described, and understood before they can be improved, controlled, and prescribed. Quite a bit of work is needed merely to describe some of the important activities, practices, processes, and operating systems utilized in diverse organizations. Only then can we begin to sink our teeth into developing better theories about how best to manage them. For this purpose, Ilk et al. (2021) conceptualize the Bitcoin blockchain (and other mainstream permissionless blockchains) as a two-side dataspace market, where users demand a certain amount of dataspace in a future block to store their transactions, and miners compete to produce such dataspace by creating new blocks. To facilitate this market in a decentralized manner—that is, with no centralized party absorbing demand and controlling supply—users attach a transaction fee (which is higher for users with a higher waiting cost) that becomes one of the miners' sources of revenue. With the increasing popularity1 of Bitcoin and Ethereum, demand frequently exceeds supply, creating contemporaneous system congestions. The congested service pricing literature, which dates back to the management of highway tolls (Naor 1969) and electric power supply (Viswanathan and Edison 1989) and extends in modern days to subscription pricing of cloud services (Cachon and Feldman 2011) and surge pricing of gig economy platforms (Cachon et al. 2017), yields a generalized conclusion. Specifically, “offering multiple service grades that each render a different delay distribution at a different price” improves both perceived customer satisfaction and service provider profit (Van Mieghem 2000, 1249). Permissionless blockchains, as congested service systems, are no exception to this rule. Although no centralized party (i.e., firm or platform) sets the priority price menu, users bid transaction fees to differentiate the service grades (i.e., transaction confirmation speeds) they desire. More details on the process view of permissionless blockchain transactions can be found in Shang et al. (2023, 106–108). Although early Ethereum-based smart contract applications were rarely associated with OM or any other real-world assets, their ingenuity inspired a whole class of permissioned blockchains (also referred to as private or consortium chains), in which only an authorized group of users can participate, setting the stage for enterprise applications (Fan et al. 2024; Pun et al. 2021). While blockchain offers considerable potential, its successful implementation is hindered by technological, organizational, and regulatory barriers. Below, we highlight seven of the most critical challenges to blockchain implementation discussed in the press and in the literature. Low throughput and high transaction fees. The primary reason that mainstream cryptocurrency systems cannot be used for day-to-day payment is their throughput limits: 3 per second for Bitcoin and 13 per second for Ethereum.2 This limitation is in sharp contrast with the processing capacity of established financial systems like Visa, which is capable of handling approximately 5000 transactions per second (Malik et al. 2022). Such scalability limits are largely inevitable for permissionless blockchains that aim to ensure decentralization and security, widely known as the “blockchain trilemma” in the industry.3 The throughput limit results in a frequently congested service system with transaction fee spikes (Ilk et al. 2021; Shang et al. 2023), which has been 2.87 USD per transaction for Bitcoin in 2020. This hinders the economic viability of small value transactions even in situations where network latency is less of a concern (e.g., users with high waiting tolerance). Meanwhile, permissioned blockchains typically do not face throughput limits, as dataspace suppliers are usually the blockchain owners and hence do not have to be incentivized via instruments such as transaction fees. However, due to the lack of public visibility and the corporate ownership of these blockchains, this solution is unlikely to be suitable for all applications. Algorithm fairness. Advocates of permissionless blockchains often highlight their morally significant goal of improving access to money transfer services for unbanked and underbanked populations (Andreasson 2022). Importantly, much of the wealth on permissionless blockchains is created through mining/staking revenue—that is, through participation on the supply side—and small users typically cannot meet the entrance threshold for this revenue stream. Further, while large senders can develop sophisticated algorithms to estimate the desired transaction fee more accurately, small senders typically rely on the free-to-use fee recommendation tools crypto wallets provide. Encouragingly, this disparity is somewhat alleviated by new transaction fee mechanism designs (Zhao, Wu, et al. 2025). Decentralization–efficiency tradeoff. The management of a cryptocurrency system is typically maintained by a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO). A DAO's daily operational tasks include the development of, voting on, and execution of crowdsourced proposals (Zhao et al. 2022). Yet, not all project decisions are strategic enough to warrant crowdsourcing of ideas from stakeholders, and the inefficiency of doing so affects operational agility and the quality of service provided by the DAO. Further, while decentralization can improve service levels for users and providers, it reduces profits for founders, reflecting a broader tension between decentralization and efficiency (Gan et al. 2023). Governance frictions are compounded by token-weighted voting, where those holding more tokens have greater influence, creating a mismatch between token ownership and subject expertise (Benhaim et al. 2023, 2025; Tsoukalas and Falk 2020). Cross-chain interoperability. A successful blockchain application often requires coordination of activities across multiple chains. This is especially true for enterprise applications, where material flow needs to be traced on a permissioned blockchain (for obvious business confidentiality reasons) and payment of goods should preferably happen on a permissionless blockchain. In general, the lack of universal standards creates a fragmented landscape in which disparate blockchain platforms are developed in isolation. This technical challenge of interoperability is further complicated by the need to integrate blockchain with legacy systems, which typically lack the flexibility to accommodate cryptographic protocols and distributed data synchronization (Babich and Hilary 2019). Standardization of input data. Many of the cargo tracking and supply chain traceability blockchain applications assume the existence of a data on-ramp that is accessible to and standardized across participants. This is far from reality. As Fan et al. (2024, 3) put it, “a small supplier, say, in India or China, is unlikely to have the resources or expertise to set up an arrangement to access blockchain.” Even if such access is set up by a large participant of the permissioned blockchain, such as a superstore retailer, the input data from thousands of small suppliers across the world might not be properly digitized and standardized. Both the invasive and non-invasive approaches to bridging the physical–digital interface in blockchain applications have merits and drawbacks (Klöckner et al. 2023). Buy-in from partner organizations. Lin et al. (2022) highlight buy-in from partners along with information complexity as two important drivers that determine the success of blockchain pilots in real life. They stress the importance of reducing information complexity as well as increasing buy-in among supply chain partners. Critically, the cost and hassle of implementation are borne by all organizations that the cargo passes through, including port authorities, customs agencies, shipment forwarders, trucking companies, and so on. Some of these organizations lack the basic incentive to even digitize their paperwork, let alone upload information onto a blockchain owned by another company. Regulatory uncertainty. Regulatory challenges present another significant barrier to blockchain adoption in OM. The regulatory framework for blockchain is still in a nascent stage, with many jurisdictions lacking clear guidelines regarding its use, especially in non-financial contexts such as OM (Wagner et al. 2025). The cross-border nature of many supply chains makes it even more challenging to reconcile diverse regulatory environments; thereby complicating large-scale implementations (Wamba and Queiroz 2020). In summary, blockchain presents a range of unique characteristics, implementation challenges, and potential transformative impacts. Figure 1 captures many of these, as well as presenting new opportunities to apply common theoretical lenses used by researchers to understand this new technology, including Transaction Cost Economics (TCE), Principal Agent Theory (PAT), and Resource-Based View (RBV). These features are pushing the OM community to consider additional theoretical arguments regarding blockchain-related operational dynamics so as to more comprehensively understand, anticipate, and ultimately contribute to practice and scholarship in this domain. More specifically, traditional theoretical frameworks commonly applied in OM, such as transaction cost economics, principal–agent theory, and the resource-based view, have proven effective for analyzing centralized systems where information is controlled and trust is built through well-established interorganizational relationships. However, blockchain disrupts these conventional relationships by enabling peer-to-peer interactions governed not by a central authority but by cryptographic mechanisms and consensus protocols. For instance, the immutability of recorded transactions and the inherent decentralization of blockchain networks modify the traditional calculus of trust and coordination costs. These features create “trustless” environments where the need for intermediaries is significantly reduced. This shift calls into question the applicability of many preexisting theoretical models that assume reliance on centralized control and interpersonal trust (Lumineau et al. 2023). Given these fundamental differences, one promising direction for future research is to expand network theory and social capital theory in OM by integrating the notion of distributed trust. Whereas social capital theory has been used to explain performance improvements arising from strengthened interorganizational relationships (Saberi et al. 2019), blockchain technology challenges these premises by redistributing trust across the network without necessarily relying on strong personal or organizational ties (Lumineau et al. 2023). Similarly, although transaction cost theory provides insight into how blockchain can lower the costs of verification and contracting by obviating the need for costly intermediaries, the theory does not fully account for the dynamic interplays that arise when trust is engineered digitally and contractual obligations are embedded in smart contracts (Halaburda et al. 2024). As Babich and Hilary (2019) note, new theoretical models need to capture not only the cost-saving benefits of disintermediation but also the potential trade-offs in terms of data insecurity and operational inflexibility. There is also a growing recognition that hybrid frameworks, which merge elements of institutional theory and network governance with emerging blockchain paradigms, may be necessary to understand new organizational forms like DAOs (Zhao et al. 2022). The need for novel theoretical frameworks is particularly critical when considering the impact of blockchain on various stakeholders within the OM ecosystem. Traditional models generally emphasize dyadic relationships between buyers and suppliers, but blockchain enables multi-stakeholder environments in which data transparency, provenance, and auditability permeate complex, global supply networks. For example, Chod et al. (2020) show how blockchain can improve financing in agricultural supply chains by enabling farmers to use harvest inventory as loan collateral. Using multi-signature setups tied to an immutable blockchain, transactions require confirmation from both humans (e.g., lenders or warehouse operators) and automated systems (e.g., IoT sensors). This approach allows for real-time verification of collateral, reduces information asymmetry, and unlocks capital, particularly in settings prone to fraud. Together, the articles in this Special Issue make a multifaceted contribution to OM, demonstrating the impact of blockchain technology in various operational forms on strategic decision-making, worker participation, competitive and network dynamics, and intellectual property protection across different sectors. These studies use robust empirical methods and diverse theoretical frameworks to offer novel insights into the role of blockchain in OM. Some of the studies use qualitative methods for developing theory concerning conditions for successful and failed blockchain adoption. Zhan et al. (2025) develop theory through an inductive, multi-case research design revealing the influence of founder power on blockchain adoption. Meanwhile, Hanisch et al. (2025) use an in-depth, longitudinal case study to explore the centralization–decentralization paradox of a group of studies or designs at the of or a and et al. (2025) on adoption of smart contracts and their operational studies use data from network or blockchain platforms Ethereum, and For example, (2025) and approaches to the operational impact of different consensus protocols on and worker et al. (2025) a by integrating ownership theory, and approaches to explore how decentralized ownership in DAOs et al. (2025) further develop the discussion by analyzing the transformative of blockchain on the protection of in In a et al. (2025) the impact of a on the operational the and et al. (2025) use an to the of on a decentralized and a centralized social These articles theoretical and empirical approaches to blockchain in OM, a on its strategic and operational most of the articles on or methods data from blockchain while a articles case studies and This may be due to the lack of large-scale data on OM Below, we will into the of each Zhan et al. 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Fog Radio Access Networks (F-RAN) offload computational processes to the network edge and transmit the processed results to the cloud, significantly reducing the load on cloud servers and improving service efficiency. While this architecture offers convenience, it inevitably raises severe privacy concerns. To address these issues, this paper proposes a blockchain-integrated F-RAN architecture. It employs smart contracts to ensure the security of user requests and introduces Zero-Knowledge Proof (ZKP) technology to minimize the frequent transmission of user private information across the network, thereby providing more effective privacy protection for users.
Rayhan Ferdous Srejon, M. Fahim, Sk. Md. Shadman Ifaz, Saha Reno · 5 authors
Traditional ride-sharing platforms rely on centralized architectures, leading to concerns about data privacy, transparency, and security vulnerabilities. These issues, coupled with high service fees and susceptibility to cyber threats, highlight the need for a decentralized, privacy-preserving alternative. To address these challenges, we propose a semi-public blockchain-based ride-sharing platform that leverages Hyperledger Fabric for secure, permissioned data storage and IPFS for distributed data management. Our system integrates Ethereum smart contracts for transaction transparency and incorporates the Cosmos SDK to enable seamless interoperability between private and public blockchains. Additionally, we introduce a fair “pay-as-you-drive” mechanism, replacing conventional time-locked deposit protocols to ensure users only pay for the distance traveled. By combining permissioned blockchain security with decentralized storage and efficient cross-chain communication, our approach ensures privacy, scalability, and real-world applicability. Our performance analysis demonstrate that our Proof-of-Stake consensus mechanism achieves 15–20 percent higher throughput and 30–40 percent lower latency compared to PoW and PoA, alongside reduced CPU usage under high transaction loads. With a monthly operational cost of approximately 30,000 BDT per node, the platform proves both affordable and scalable, offering a practical path toward decentralized, secure ride-sharing solutions.
Eleonóra Bassi, Michael Lustenberger, Srebrenka Letina
This research examines the structure of blockchain-based voluntary carbon market (VCM) and the factors shaping their formation. Conducted as part of the 2023–2025 Innosuisse project 104.664 IP-EE, it aims to provide insights to support participants in strategic positioning within the network. To our knowledge, this is one of the first empirical attempts to map the blockchain-enabled VCM ecosystem with social-network analysis, thereby extending digital-transition research into the climate-finance domain. Specifically, the study focuses on three exploratory aims: identifying the network position of key participants, evaluating the influence of blockchain platform affiliation on collaboration, and analyzing the relationship between standardization methods and network positioning. Using network analysis, the study categorizes participants like project owners, certification bodies, blockchain platforms, and carbon credit marketplace into distinct roles such as key hubs, strategic bridges, local connectors, and peripheral nodes. Participants using the same blockchain platform exhibit a moderate clustering tendency, suggesting shared infrastructure plays a role in fostering partnerships. Additionally, the choice of standardization methods for carbon credits correlates with specific network positions. These findings offer a structure-based view of how technical design choices may redistribute influence across the market–an issue of growing interest as regulators and standards bodies debate digital registry architectures. By uncovering these dynamics, the study emphasizes the importance of strategic positioning within blockchain-based VCMs. Native tokenization strategies are shown to simplify supply chains, while the decentralized ecosystem fosters diverse approaches to collaboration. The conceptual framework may be transferable to other emerging green-finance networks, providing a springboard for comparative and longitudinal analyses.
Kristián Košťál, Lukas Mastilak, Dušan Morháč, Adam Valach
This paper presents a decentralized short-term rental platform based on Ethereum and IOTA. The proposed framework aims to improve the privacy, security, and decentralization of the rental market by incorporating decentralized identity, reputation mechanisms, and escrow services. Specifically, the proposed framework utilizes Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKPs) to facilitate the creation of property listings and the secure exchange of funds between renters and tenants. Moreover, it employs an open-source smart contract to enhance trust between users and developers while preventing unilateral alterations to contract logic or platform fee structures. Ultimately, the presented prototype illustrates the viability of deploying a blockchain-enabled short-term rental platform by effectively incorporating essential functionalities, such as the creation and exchange of renters’ funds. This research underscores the transformative potential of blockchain technology in the accommodation rental industry. As blockchain technology continues to evolve, further advancements in decentralized governance and smart contract scalability will be instrumental in driving mainstream adoption.
The Smart Mobility vision calls for dynamic resource and service discovery to cope with the intrinsic topology volatility of Internet of Things (IoT) platforms without sacrificing the required business continuity and service flexibility. For an extended automation of collaboration within and across enterprise boundaries, trust management is equally important, granting security, reliability and scalability at the same time. To tackle the above challenges, this paper proposes the integration of a semantic-based service management layer in an IoT infrastructure grounded on the Hyperledger Sawtooth blockchain. Every service in the outlined framework is annotated with reference to a domain ontology, so that smart contracts can exploit knowledge representation and non-standard reasoning for service registration, discovery, outcomes explanation and service selection. A case study on power management of Plug-in Electric Vehicles (PEVs) is proposed to clarify the benefits of the proposal. Early performance evaluation results support the feasibility and sustainability of the approach.
Geet Bawa, Harmeet Singh, Sita Rani, Aman Kataria · 5 authors
Existing organ transportation management systems face significant limitations as they do not allow patients to monitor the condition of the transplantable organ during its transportation from the donor's place to the recipient's venue. This undermines patients' confidence that the organ allotted to them remains uncontaminated, healthy, and unaffected by fluctuations in parameters including temperature, humidity, and the container's vibration, and orientation. Additionally, there is a lack of technology to ensure that the organ container remains securely closed throughout the shipment. Furthermore, the shipment data is often stored in centralized or with third-party systems, which are potentially vulnerable to security risks and single points of failure. These limitations highlight the need for a more secure, transparent, and reliable solution to improve organ transportation safety and data integrity. This paper addresses these challenges by proposing a cost-efficient, decentralized, and transparent framework for managing organ transportation that enhances data security and traceability. The proposed framework integrates Internet of Things sensors within the organ container and connects them to smart contracts via the InterPlanetary File System. The blockchain ensures data security, immutability, and decentralization, while sensors safeguard the organ by providing real-time updates on its condition. The smart contracts generate alerts for issues and notify stakeholders for prompt action. A key contribution of this work is the novel use of IPFS for off-chain data storage, which reduces blockchain storage requirements, Ether consumption, and overall system costs. A comparative analysis with existing IoT, IPFS, and blockchain-based transportation approaches demonstrates that the proposed framework consumes a negligible amount of Ether; approximately, 0.000023004, equivalent to approximately 5.52 INR; for deployment, while ensuring safe, transparent, cost-effective, and traceable organ transportation.
Proof-of-Stake (PoS) is an energy-efficient consensus where proposer election based on validator stakes causes centralization, especially in stake pools. However, existing reward allocation mechanisms aim to address centralization but increase the risk of Sybil attacks. Therefore, designing a reward allocation mechanism for stake pools that reconciles decentralization and Sybil resilience remains a key challenge. In this paper, we propose Dream-SR, a reward allocation mechanism established with formal function properties. Dream-SR enhances decentralization by imposing reward constraints to limit the dominance of large stake pools. Sybil resilience is ensured by aligning reward allocation with both the economic incentives and the influence, effectively addressing utility-maximizing and influence-maximizing Sybil attacks. Furthermore, we leverage a multi-leader-multi-follower (MLMF) Stackelberg game model to capture the interactions between validators and users regarding commission pricing and stake delegation within stake pools. The game model is used to analyze the impact of the reward allocation mechanism on the strategies of participants and the system equilibrium. Compared with other relevant mechanisms, numerical results reveal that Dream-SR effectively improves decentralization and resilience to Sybil attacks at equilibrium.
Blockchain or Distributed Ledger Technology’s (DLT) disruptive architecture will revolutionise both economic activity and social structure. Institutional crypto economics is a new analytic framework for studying that evolutionary process in general, and bitcoin in particular, it presents us with a new method of organising the world, just like the Internet did. Bitcoin will have a similar effect on economy, money and finance. Developing countries face multiple problems such as lack of financial services and infrastructure (road, railways, telecommunication, and others). The disruptive architecture of Blockchain or Distributed Ledger Technology is well suited to benefit developing countries. This will be clearly visible in the implementation and application of Internet of Things (IoT) in emerging services. The nature of innovation in service-sector-based technology in developing countries differs, and the nature of IoT as a potentially disruptive emergent service product technology enabler emphasises this difference. The conventional productprocess innovation divide may no longer be applicable: the true value in IoT rests in neither. It is present in the system as well as the data collected by all devices everywhere in the world. The services income, which is generated by a combination of intelligent apps, analytics, and system integration services, represents a considerably greater revenue possibility for both developers and consumers of IoT enabled use cases. This paper presents how a peer-to-peer network that provides coverage for low-power IoT devices bringing a new viewpoint to the cellular telecommunications market. The network is a decentralised IoT infrastructure that is built on a Blockchain or Directed Acyclic Graph (DAG) by the people, communities, and individuals to offer hotspots wireless to the communities that help creates opportunities in financial freedom, helps supply chains traceability, forestry control and others. The paper demonstrates that decentralised IoT networks based on Tangle DAG can reduce infrastructure costs by 35-40% while increasing wireless coverage by 60%, with 1.5 million devices per 100 hotspots. It makes a unique and significant contribution to the deployment of IoT on Blockchain or Distributed Ledger Technology, as well as its potential to reduce poverty by improving the effectiveness and efficacy of existing procedures in various sectors of developing countries.
Peter Kimemiah Mwangi, Stephen Njenga, Gabriel Kamau
Agent-Based Modelling (ABM) tools provide a cost-effective way to simulate complex systems like an Internet of Things Distributed Ledger Technology (IoT-DLT) networks, where nodes operate as autonomous agents. While physical testbeds are expensive, ABMs offer scalable and efficient alternatives. However, few studies compare ABM performance on standard consumer hardware. In this research, we evaluate NetLogo 6.3 and Agents.jl (Julia 1.9) by simulating an IoT-DLT model across two laptop configurations. Results show that Agents.jl runs up to 9× faster on newer hardware and 4× faster on older hardware compared to NetLogo, though it requires more setup. NetLogo remains user-friendly but underutilises system resources like GPU and multicore processing. The research uses inferential analysis tools, such as regression analysis, to rigorously evaluate the performance differences between the ABM tools and hardware configurations. This research helps researchers choose efficient ABM tools for large-scale simulations on personal computers, demonstrating that emerging tools like Agents.jl are promising candidates for future simulations.