DECENTRALIZED BUSINESS IN THE BLOCKCHAIN ERA: MAPPING RESEARCH TRENDS AND IDENTIFYING FUTURE RESEARCH DIRECTIONS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47918/70wevc54Keywords:
Blockchain, Decentralized Business, Business Models, Bibliometric Analysis, DeFi, Smart Contract.Abstract
The evolution of decentralized business models (DBMs) has transformed the global economic landscape, shifting from cryptocurrency-centric origins to diverse industrial applications. This study aims to map research trends and identify critical gaps in decentralized business during the blockchain era. Using a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) and bibliometric analysis through the PRISMA framework, 142 eligible documents from the Scopus database (2017–2023) were analyzed. Findings reveal three evolutionary phases: initiation (2017–2018), stable development (2019–2021), and acceleration (2022–2023). Keyword clustering identifies Decentralized Finance (DeFi), Smart Contracts, and Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs) as dominant themes. Geographically, a "triad" of leaders China, the United States, and India dominates the discourse. Despite rapid growth, significant gaps persist in scalability, regulatory frameworks, and domain-specific security. This study provides a strategic roadmap for future research, emphasizing the convergence of blockchain with IoT and AI to foster automated and secure industrial ecosystems.
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