This research critically examines Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs) and their governance mechanisms within the blockchain ecosystem, aiming to assess the true extent of decentralization. Employing a positivist research approach, the study integrates a systematic literature review with quantitative analysis, leveraging blockchain transaction data to evaluate decentralization levels objectively. By analyzing governance structures and identifying gaps in existing methodologies, the research proposes a novel framework for quantifying decentralization in DAOs. This work contributes to the discourse on blockchain governance, highlighting the balance between theoretical decentralization and practical centralization. A key outcome is the development and application of the Apokedro Index, a new metric designed to provide enhanced sensitivity in measuring decentralization across various governance layers. The study underscores the multi-layered nature of DAOs, the evolving dynamics of decentralization, and the challenges associated with governance vulnerabilities such as voting manipulation and token accumulation.
A Decentralization Monitoring Framework for DAOs - Identifier: 6442
Internal display of the 6442 entity interconnections (Node labels correspond to identifiers)
