A Strategic Framework for Managing Smart Contract–Driven Access Control in Industrial Internet of Things Ecosystems
Keywords:
Industrial Internet of Things; Smart Contracts; Blockchain; Access Control; Identity and Access Management; Cybersecurity; Distributed Ledger TechnologyAbstract
The objective of this study was to develop and empirically validate a strategic framework for managing smart contract–driven access control in Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) ecosystems by integrating organizational, technological, governance, identity-management, security, and risk-management dimensions into a comprehensive model. This study employed an exploratory sequential mixed-methods design conducted in Tehran, Iran. In the qualitative phase, 21 Industrial Internet of Things experts were selected using purposive and snowball sampling, and semi-structured interviews were conducted until theoretical saturation was achieved. The qualitative findings were analyzed using thematic analysis through open, axial, and selective coding in MAXQDA. The extracted themes were subsequently transformed into a researcher-developed questionnaire. In the quantitative phase, 246 Industrial Internet of Things experts participated in the survey. The reliability and validity of the measurement instrument were assessed using Cronbach’s alpha, composite reliability, average variance extracted, and discriminant validity. The proposed framework was evaluated using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) in SmartPLS, while bootstrapping with 5,000 resamples was used to test the significance of the structural relationships. The structural model demonstrated that all hypothesized relationships were statistically significant. Continuous monitoring, auditability, and risk management had the strongest direct effect on effective management of smart contract–driven access control (β = 0.284, p < 0.001), followed by security and privacy assurance (β = 0.257, p < 0.001), smart contract governance and policy management (β = 0.214, p < 0.001), decentralized identity and trust management (β = 0.146, p = 0.003), organizational and regulatory readiness (β = 0.138, p = 0.003), and technological infrastructure and interoperability (β = 0.119, p = 0.012). Organizational and regulatory readiness significantly predicted smart contract governance and policy management (β = 0.412, p < 0.001), while security and privacy assurance (β = 0.391, p < 0.001) and technological infrastructure and interoperability (β = 0.367, p < 0.001) significantly predicted continuous monitoring, auditability, and risk management. Significant indirect effects confirmed the mediating roles of governance and monitoring. The proposed model explained 68.4% of the variance in effective management of smart contract–driven access control. The findings demonstrate that effective smart contract–driven access control in Industrial Internet of Things ecosystems requires an integrated strategic approach that combines decentralized identity management, smart contract governance, organizational readiness, technological interoperability, security and privacy assurance, and continuous monitoring within a unified governance framework.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Hourieh Alsadat Hosseini (Author); Alireza Hedayati (Corresponding author); Vahe Aghazarian (Author)
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