The Impact of Adopting Blockchain Accounting on the Perceived Audit Quality: A Structural Analysis of Audit Practice Challenges with a Field Study

This research aims to analyze the impact of the characteristics of blockchain accounting systems on perceived audit quality, highlighting the inherent challenges of adopting these systems, whether individual, organizational, or structural, which may limit their ability to benefit from the potential advantages of this technology in the accounting and auditing profession. Using PLS-SEM, findings revealed that while the adoption of blockchain-based accounting systems contributes to improving audit quality through the automation of accounting processes, reduction of human errors, and mitigation of risks related to financial fraud and manipulation, auditors may encounter difficulties in working with these systems due to their complex features, such as encryption, smart contracts, and decentralized distributed ledgers. This is particularly true for those who lack sufficient technical expertise, which increases their anxiety and stress when interacting with these systems, creating what is known as "technostress". Additionally, the difficulty in obtaining digital audit evidence in an environment lacking specialized auditing standards for blockchain accounting systems negatively impacts audit quality. According to the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), resource-based, and diffusion of innovations theories, this necessitates that auditors possess the required technical skills and expertise to effectively engage with and benefit from these systems. Furthermore, the results indicated that technostress could serve as a positive motivator for enhancing auditors' adaptability to modern technologies. However, there remains a need to develop specialized auditing standards tailored to the blockchain environment and to enhance auditors' technical skills to enable them to capitalize on this technology fully.