Welcome to my personal homepage, and thanks for visiting!
I am Daniel, a postdoctoral researcher at the New York University (NYU) Stern School of Business. My research focuses on how new technologies may reshape the future of our platform economy. Curiosity and a deep interest in new digital technologies drive my passion for research and my eagerness to provide novel insights that help to create a more inclusive, transparent, and fair digital economy. I firmly believe that Artificial Intelligence and Blockchain hold immense potential in shaping a future that is fair and transparent for all stakeholders within the digital realm. However, to attain this vision, a comprehensive understanding and rigorous quantification of the economic forces underpinning these new technologies are imperative. Together, let’s delve into the exciting journey of unraveling the profound economic implications of the digital age.

Some of the questions my ongoing research intends to understand are:

1. To what extent and what type of trust is still necessary on blockchain platforms?
2. What undesirable consequences result from replacing a platform intermediary with a market mechanism?
3. Can fully decentralized systems be neutral (e.g., no prioritization based on willingess to pay)?
4. How can we set up decentralized governance structures to balance decision-making rights between platform owners and contributers?
5. How much decentralization do we really need?
6. What drives multihoming decisions on blockchain platforms?

Research Focus: Platform competition, platform governance, blockchain technology

Methodology: Econometrics, ML (Textual analysis, deep learning), blockchain analytics

Beyond the research world (if time allows), I love to dabble in cyber security, explore the culinary world through cooking, play beach volleyball, and compete in online gaming.

About my work

• My research: I am passionate about new technologies that hold the potential to have a great impact on our digital economy. I firmly believe that academic research is necessary to create a better understanding of best to leverage new technology for a positive societal impact. Therefore, my research focused on exploring the transformative potential of blockchain and smart contracts to promote fairness and inclusivity in the platform economy. My approach encompasses theoretical exploration, empirical analysis, and practical implementations, my research aims to develop novel solutions that address existing inequalities, enhance transparency, and facilitate equitable value distribution among platform participants. By leveraging econometric identification strategies, my empirical research endeavors to provide evidence-backed insights into the effectiveness of blockchain-based interventions in real-world platform environments. With a strong focus on rigorous methodologies and targeting top-tier journals such as MISQ, ISR, Management Science, and Organization Science. Although my current research projects are mainly phenomenon-driven and focus on blockchain technology, I aim to contribute to the larger conversion on digital platforms. I am not a blockchain purist and do not claim that blockchain is the answer to everything, but I am convinced that we can use some blockchain principles to learn how to improve current platform designs.

• Teaching: I firmly believe that educating others is one of the fastest ways to create an impact. Therefore, teaching always was and will be an integral part of my academic career. As an educator, I strive to impart a comprehensive understanding of emerging technologies such as blockchain and AI and guide students in utilizing these tools to drive positive societal change. By emphasizing hands-on learning and practical applications, I aim to empower the next generation with the ability to navigate the intricacies of the digital landscape and leverage technology as a force for societal advancement. To realize these ambitions, among others, I have already taught courses such as Current Issues in Technology Management, a Master-level seminar where students learn to write scientific papers; the Lead User Project, a practice-oriented seminar where students follow a technology-push approach and learn to find use cases for new technologies (e.g., innovative hydrophobic wax cotton that can be used as an environmentally friendly oil binder to clean up pollution in water), or the TUM certified DLT manager program, where I taught practitioners about smart contracts.

• Service: I strongly believe that collaboration and collective efforts are key to pushing the boundaries of knowledge. To actively contribute to the academic discourse, I regularly engage in conferences (AOM, ICIS, CIST, WISE, INFORMS), where I share my research findings, seek valuable feedback from peers, and participate in scholarly discussions. In the spirit of giving back to the research community, I also serve as a reviewer for top journals like Organization Science, Management Science, or MISQ, offering my expertise to evaluate and enhance the quality of scientific work. Additionally, I enjoy organizing focused workshops centered around blockchain technology, fostering a supportive community that encourages knowledge exchange and mutual growth. In this spirit, I organized the TUM Blockchain and Smart Contract Workshop for three consecutive years, where we invited a group of distinguished international scholars to present their work and collect feedback. If you want to become part of this community, please reach out to me.

My intellectual communities

My intellectual communities span the academic fields of Management, Economics, and Information Systems. As I completed my Ph.D. in Management (technology and innovation management, more specifically), it was the entry point into my academic life. Today, I still read the latest work in journals like the Academy of Management Journal or Academy of Management Discovers, participate in the Academy of Management Annual Meeting, and draw inspiration from prior theories for my work. From the field of economics, I draw my methodological skill set and rigor regarding the economic forces underlying the platforms I study. Although I am not an economist by training, I follow the latest methodological advances by reading up on the latest identification strategies and packages. Finally, from the field of Information Systems, I draw my inspiration for phenomenon-driven research and rigor regarding technical details. Similarly to the field of Management, I regularly visit conferences like ICIS, CIST, WISE, and INFORMS and read the latest publications in journals like MISQ or ISR.