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Open AccessArticle
Incentives for Sustainable Governance in Blockchain-Based Organizations †
by
Bruna Bruno
Bruna Bruno 1,*
,
Angelo Murano
Angelo Murano 1
and
Vincenzo Vespri
Vincenzo Vespri 2
1
Department of Economics and Statistics, University of Salerno, via Giovanni Paolo II, 84084 Fisciano, Italy
2
Department of Mathematics and Computer Science “Ulisse Dini”, University of Florence, P.za di San Marco 4, 50121 Firenze, Italy
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
†
This paper is an extended version of our paper published in Murano, A.; Bruno, B.; Vespri, V. Incentive Compatibility in Consensus Protocols and DAOs: A Game-Theoretic Approach. In Proceedings of the CEUR Workshop Proceedings, Aachen, Germany, 6 June 2024; p. 13.
Sustainability 2025, 17(21), 9728; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17219728 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 30 September 2025
/
Revised: 28 October 2025
/
Accepted: 30 October 2025
/
Published: 31 October 2025
Abstract
This study analyzes how blockchain technology can be interpreted through an economic perspective, viewing network nodes as rational agents whose strategic behavior affects the efficiency and sustainability of decentralized systems. Using a multi-player non-cooperative game with complete but imperfect information, we model validators’ decisions in voting-based consensus mechanisms and compare alternative incentive configurations through simulation results. The analysis shows how variations in reward schemes influence validators’ behavior and consensus reliability. Extending the framework to Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs), the study explores how blockchain-based incentives can enhance participation, accountability, and decentralized governance. The findings highlight that incentive design plays a decisive role in aligning individual motivations with collective goals, ensuring both network integrity and long-term sustainability. Overall, this study connects economic theory with blockchain governance, extending its relevance to business and organizational contexts beyond cryptocurrencies.
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MDPI and ACS Style
Bruno, B.; Murano, A.; Vespri, V.
Incentives for Sustainable Governance in Blockchain-Based Organizations. Sustainability 2025, 17, 9728.
https://doi.org/10.3390/su17219728
AMA Style
Bruno B, Murano A, Vespri V.
Incentives for Sustainable Governance in Blockchain-Based Organizations. Sustainability. 2025; 17(21):9728.
https://doi.org/10.3390/su17219728
Chicago/Turabian Style
Bruno, Bruna, Angelo Murano, and Vincenzo Vespri.
2025. "Incentives for Sustainable Governance in Blockchain-Based Organizations" Sustainability 17, no. 21: 9728.
https://doi.org/10.3390/su17219728
APA Style
Bruno, B., Murano, A., & Vespri, V.
(2025). Incentives for Sustainable Governance in Blockchain-Based Organizations. Sustainability, 17(21), 9728.
https://doi.org/10.3390/su17219728
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