Decentralized autonomous organization

Michel Avital and Nina-Birte Schirrmacher

Chapter 13 in Elgar Encyclopedia of Cryptocurrencies, Blockchain and DLT, 2026, pp 65-70 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: Decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) refers to an organizational form powered by blockchain technology that enables decentralized governance through smart contracts and digital tokens. Unlike traditional hierarchical organizations, DAOs operate via community-driven decision-making, which promotes transparency, inclusivity, and democratization. Widely utilized across sectors such as finance, technology, and philanthropy, DAOs empower global communities to collaboratively govern resources and collectively shape grassroots-driven outcomes. Despite their transformative potential, DAOs face some challenges, including voter engagement, scalability, and incompatible legal frameworks. As blockchain technology continues to evolve, DAOs are poised to reshape the prevailing organizational paradigms and to foster decentralized ecosystems that exemplify equality, solidarity, and democratic principles.

Keywords: Decentralized organization; Community-driven organizations; Democratic organization; Blockchain technology; Digital tokens; DAO challenges (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781035339952
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.elgaronline.com/doi/10.4337/9781035339969.00019 (application/pdf)
Our link check indicates that this URL is bad, the error code is: 403 Forbidden

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:elg:eechap:23612_14

Ordering information: This item can be ordered from
http://www.e-elgar.com

Access Statistics for this chapter

More chapters in Chapters from Edward Elgar Publishing
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Jack Sweeney ().