Decentralized Autonomous Organizations — Evolution, Practice, and Prospects
This open access book explores the transformative world of DAOs, where decentralized governance meets blockchain technology. Based on a competitive peer-reviewed selection of papers presented at the third European DAO Workshop at ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences in Winterthur, Switzerland in 2026, this book provides an in-depth analysis of the current state of DAO research.
This volume captures the forefront of DAO scholarship, exploring innovative models of coordination, participation, and accountability across social, technical, and legal dimensions. Contributors examine how decentralized systems challenge traditional hierarchies, balance autonomy with governance, and interact with existing institutional frameworks.Through an interdisciplinary lens, spanning computer science, law, economics, and organizational studies, the book shed light on both the promise and paradoxes of decentralization. It offers fresh insights into legitimacy, inclusivity, and innovation within self-governing digital communities.
Engaging, rigorous, and forward-looking, it continues the European DAO Workshop series’ mission to chart the evolving landscape of decentralized governance. As such, it is essential reading for anyone interested in the future of organizations, collective action, and digital society.
Michael Lustenberger is a senior researcher and lecturer at ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences (Switzerland) and an expert in blockchain technology and DAOs. Holding a DBA from Middlesex University London (UK), his research focuses on the organizational design and governance of decentralized business applications and decentralized decision-making in virtual communities.
Florian Spychiger is a senior researcher and lecturer at the ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences (Switzerland). He specializes in decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) and blockchain governance. With a PhD in Management & Economics from the University of Zurich (Switzerland), his work focuses on organizational design and incentivization within blockchain-based systems.
Lukas Küng is a research associate at ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences (Switzerland) and Ph.D. candidate in Business Administration at the University of Nicosia (Cyprus). His research focuses on DAOs, exploring their impact on business values in the context of Web3.