Research paper

Blockchain-based token system for incentivizing peer review: A design science approach

The paper proposes formal design principles for peer-review incentive mechanisms and a concrete blockchain-based token system that lets editors offer incentives while reviewers flexibly utilize them, implemented through the design features of tokenization, immutability and decentralized storage.

Paper

Overview

Publication metadata and narrative from the current library record.

Authors: Chad Anderson, Pratiksha Shrestha, Suman Bhunia, Arthur Carvalho, Younghwa Lee
Year: 2025
Venue: Decision Support Systems 197 (2025) 114514
Methodology: Design science research; literature review and interviews with scholars; cost analysis; survey-based field study and qualitative interviews.
DOI: 10.1016/j.dss.2025.114514
Design knowledge: View design knowledge on GitHub

blockchaindesign-science-researchincentivespeer-reviewpeer-review-token-incentivestokenizationtrust

Summary

Artifact

A blockchain-based token system enabling editors to offer flexible review incentives.

Methodology

Design science research; literature review and interviews with scholars; cost analysis; survey-based field study and qualitative interviews.

DSR grid

Six dimensions represented in the current paper record.

Problem description

Editors struggle to secure sufficient reviewers, leading to prolonged review times and potentially diminished review quality.

Input knowledge

Self-determination theory (types of motivation/regulation) and Vroom's expectancy theory as justificatory knowledge; trust in IS use; tokenization; literature on peer review.

Research process

Design science research: literature review and interviews with scholars, a cost analysis, and a survey-based field study with qualitative interviews.

Key concepts

Peer review, design science, blockchain, incentives, flexibility, tokenization, trust.

Solution description

A blockchain-based token system that lets editors offer flexible reviewer incentives through tokenization, immutability and decentralization. Solution-space representation: Instantiation (prototype) plus a formal design theory (principles and features).

Output knowledge

Three design principles (incentives, flexibility, trust) and three design features, framed as a formal design theory for peer-review systems.

Paper design map

The default semantic design map canonicalizes stored design relationships; Raw links retains the complete technical Markdown-link view.

Design-knowledge map

6 stored concepts / 4 canonical semantic relationships

Concept types

Show relationship labels

Design knowledge

Directly linked concepts, grouped by their represented design-knowledge category.

3 Design Features

design-knowledge/peer-review-token-incentives-df1

DF1 - Tokenization

Tokenization creates unique digital representations of incentives, with non-fungible and fungible tokens enabling different types of extrinsic incentive.

design-featureincentivespeer-reviewpeer-review-token-incentives+2

design-knowledge/peer-review-token-incentives-df2

DF2 - Immutability

Blockchain immutability ensures that recorded incentive and reward data cannot be altered or deleted, guaranteeing integrity.

design-featureincentivespeer-reviewpeer-review-token-incentives+2

design-knowledge/peer-review-token-incentives-df3

DF3 - Decentralization

Decentralized storage across a distributed network removes central authorities and single points of failure and avoids vendor lock-in.

design-featureincentivespeer-reviewpeer-review-token-incentives+2

3 Design Principles

design-knowledge/peer-review-token-incentives-dp1

DP1 - Motivation-appropriate incentives

Provide incentives to reviewers that appeal to their specific motivations, since understanding and leveraging different types of motivation ensures the system effectively encourages participation.

design-principleincentivespeer-reviewpeer-review-token-incentives+2

design-knowledge/peer-review-token-incentives-dp2

DP2 - Flexibility

Support customizable functionality that can accommodate varying incentive schemes depending on the specific needs and preferences of each journal, since flexibility increases the likelihood of securing enough willing reviewers while respecting the diversity in reviewer motivations.

design-principleincentivespeer-reviewpeer-review-token-incentives+2

design-knowledge/peer-review-token-incentives-dp3

DP3 - Trust

Ensure that reviewers' identities are protected in blind review processes and that incentives are allocated properly, since trust in the peer review process is critical for maintaining the credibility of published research.

design-principleincentivespeer-reviewpeer-review-token-incentives+2

Publication metadata

Additional metadata represented in the current library record.

Show additional metadata

{
  "type": "paper",
  "title": "Blockchain-based token system for incentivizing peer review: A design science approach",
  "description": "The paper proposes formal design principles for peer-review incentive mechanisms and a concrete blockchain-based token system that lets editors offer incentives while reviewers flexibly utilize them, implemented through the design features of tokenization, immutability and decentralized storage.",
  "resource": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dss.2025.114514",
  "authors": "Chad Anderson, Pratiksha Shrestha, Suman Bhunia, Arthur Carvalho, Younghwa Lee",
  "year": 2025,
  "venue": "Decision Support Systems 197 (2025) 114514",
  "methodology": "Design science research; literature review and interviews with scholars; cost analysis; survey-based field study and qualitative interviews.",
  "dsr_grid": true,
  "dsr_solution_space": "Instantiation (prototype) plus a formal design theory (principles and features).",
  "tags": [
    "peer-review-token-incentives",
    "peer-review",
    "incentives",
    "tokenization",
    "trust",
    "design-science-research",
    "blockchain"
  ]
}

Research paper

Blockchain-based token system for incentivizing peer review: A design science approach

Paper

Overview

Publication metadata and narrative from the current library record.

Authors: Chad Anderson, Pratiksha Shrestha, Suman Bhunia, Arthur Carvalho, Younghwa Lee
Year: 2025
Venue: Decision Support Systems 197 (2025) 114514
Methodology: Design science research; literature review and interviews with scholars; cost analysis; survey-based field study and qualitative interviews.
DOI: 10.1016/j.dss.2025.114514
Design knowledge: View design knowledge on GitHub

blockchaindesign-science-researchincentivespeer-reviewpeer-review-token-incentivestokenizationtrust

Summary

Artifact

A blockchain-based token system enabling editors to offer flexible review incentives.

Methodology

Design science research; literature review and interviews with scholars; cost analysis; survey-based field study and qualitative interviews.

DSR grid

Six dimensions represented in the current paper record.

Problem description

Editors struggle to secure sufficient reviewers, leading to prolonged review times and potentially diminished review quality.

Input knowledge

Self-determination theory (types of motivation/regulation) and Vroom's expectancy theory as justificatory knowledge; trust in IS use; tokenization; literature on peer review.

Research process

Design science research: literature review and interviews with scholars, a cost analysis, and a survey-based field study with qualitative interviews.

Key concepts

Peer review, design science, blockchain, incentives, flexibility, tokenization, trust.

Solution description

Output knowledge

Three design principles (incentives, flexibility, trust) and three design features, framed as a formal design theory for peer-review systems.

Paper design map

The default semantic design map canonicalizes stored design relationships; Raw links retains the complete technical Markdown-link view.

Design-knowledge map

6 stored concepts / 4 canonical semantic relationships

Concept types

Show relationship labels

Design knowledge

Directly linked concepts, grouped by their represented design-knowledge category.

3 Design Features

design-knowledge/peer-review-token-incentives-df1

DF1 - Tokenization

Tokenization creates unique digital representations of incentives, with non-fungible and fungible tokens enabling different types of extrinsic incentive.

design-featureincentivespeer-reviewpeer-review-token-incentives+2

design-knowledge/peer-review-token-incentives-df2

DF2 - Immutability

Blockchain immutability ensures that recorded incentive and reward data cannot be altered or deleted, guaranteeing integrity.

design-featureincentivespeer-reviewpeer-review-token-incentives+2

design-knowledge/peer-review-token-incentives-df3

DF3 - Decentralization

Decentralized storage across a distributed network removes central authorities and single points of failure and avoids vendor lock-in.

design-featureincentivespeer-reviewpeer-review-token-incentives+2

3 Design Principles

design-knowledge/peer-review-token-incentives-dp1

DP1 - Motivation-appropriate incentives

Provide incentives to reviewers that appeal to their specific motivations, since understanding and leveraging different types of motivation ensures the system effectively encourages participation.

design-principleincentivespeer-reviewpeer-review-token-incentives+2

design-knowledge/peer-review-token-incentives-dp2

DP2 - Flexibility

design-principleincentivespeer-reviewpeer-review-token-incentives+2

design-knowledge/peer-review-token-incentives-dp3

DP3 - Trust

design-principleincentivespeer-reviewpeer-review-token-incentives+2

Publication metadata

Additional metadata represented in the current library record.

Show additional metadata

{
  "type": "paper",
  "title": "Blockchain-based token system for incentivizing peer review: A design science approach",
  "description": "The paper proposes formal design principles for peer-review incentive mechanisms and a concrete blockchain-based token system that lets editors offer incentives while reviewers flexibly utilize them, implemented through the design features of tokenization, immutability and decentralized storage.",
  "resource": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dss.2025.114514",
  "authors": "Chad Anderson, Pratiksha Shrestha, Suman Bhunia, Arthur Carvalho, Younghwa Lee",
  "year": 2025,
  "venue": "Decision Support Systems 197 (2025) 114514",
  "methodology": "Design science research; literature review and interviews with scholars; cost analysis; survey-based field study and qualitative interviews.",
  "dsr_grid": true,
  "dsr_solution_space": "Instantiation (prototype) plus a formal design theory (principles and features).",
  "tags": [
    "peer-review-token-incentives",
    "peer-review",
    "incentives",
    "tokenization",
    "trust",
    "design-science-research",
    "blockchain"
  ]
}