نشریه مطالعات اخلاق و رفتار در حسابداری و حسابرسی
سال چهارم شماره 2 (پیاپی 12، تابستان 1403)

The purpose of this research is to expand the existing body of knowledge, address gaps in understanding, and develop a theoretical foundation and conceptual framework for the ethical application of blockchain technology in professional fields like accounting and auditing.

The research employs a mixed, systemic, and interdisciplinary approach, drawing on the teleological approach as a foundational methodology. It analyzes the fundamental concepts of blockchain technology across 137 scientific and citation sources in the Elsevier and Web of Science databases. The analysis utilizes the coding and monitoring method in Atlas.ti software.

The findings of this study have led to the formulation of a scientific model, derived from the analysis of content through a systematic and philosophical approach. This model presents a structure of vital moral concepts that are effective and influenced by professions, social, economic, cultural, and political issues. These concepts include responsibility and accountability, transparency and disclosure, justice and equality, trust and confidence, security and privacy, guidance, planning, and moral control.

Ethics, as the essence of right and truth, are intricately connected with the natural world and are an essential part of it. They stem from human desires, beliefs, and noble values and are oriented towards collectivism and community. This is a necessary condition for survival and progress, regardless of one's perspective. Consequently, the growing integration of technology into human affairs, society, values, and institutions has made the study of ethics in the context of technological progress a crucial research area. Innovative technologies and approaches, such as blockchain, not only signify a forward-thinking mindset but also serve as an excellent tool for bringing about transformation and reconstruction in various sectors, including accounting and auditing. These technologies have the ability to comprehensively encompass the principles, standards, practices, and ethical conduct that are essential for the survival, development, and expansion of any profession, including accounting and auditing.

The purpose of the present study is to identify key factors and provide a model to enhance the efficiency of the capital market.

This study was part of the Qualitative Research Group. In line with the research's purpose, data was collected through interviews with 14 capital market experts and university faculty members in 2023. The information gathered was analyzed using the data theory method. The qualitative section utilized deep and semi-structured interviews as the research tool, and the research sample was selected through a combination of unquestioned methods and snowball sampling.

Legal infrastructure, participants, market information systems, internal factors, political factors, and economic factors have been identified as central issues that explain the capital market performance model. The patterns and concepts presented in the present study open a new door in strengthening the efficiency of the capital market in developing countries, including Iran. The efficiency of the capital market at a semi-strong level will be implemented as a result of its implementation.

The pattern outlined in this study can assist stock market managers and policymakers in enhancing the efficiency of the capital market.

This research examines the impact of the ethical environment at the top of the organization and professional skepticism on auditors' judgment of fraud risk. Initially, the components of the ethical environment were identified, followed by an introduction to the concept of risk. The incorrect judgment by internal auditors regarding the risk of fraud is a significant factor in failing to detect fraud before it escalates into a major scandal. Consequently, the judgment of fraud risk by internal auditors, along with its influencing factors, has emerged as a crucial issue for researchers seeking to enhance internal audit fraud risk assessment.

In this research, the influence of the moral climate at the head of the organization and professional doubt on the judgment of fraud risk among internal auditors was investigated based on information collected from questionnaires distributed among 124 internal auditors who are members of the Iranian Internal Auditors Association. This research is practical in terms of its purpose, and the research method is a descriptive survey. A questionnaire was used to collect information.

The results of the research hypotheses test showed that the ethical atmosphere at the top has an effect on the internal auditor's fraud risk judgment. Additionally, the auditor's professional skepticism has a positive and significant effect on the internal auditor's fraud risk judgment. As the ethical climate at the top improves, the internal auditor's fraud risk judgment also increases. Consequently, the first research hypothesis is confirmed. Moreover, based on the coefficient of the path of the auditor's professional skepticism on the auditor's judgment of fraud risk, the resulting significance level for this path is 0.038, which is lower than 0.05. In other words, the internal auditor's fraud risk judgment increases with the auditor's professional skepticism, thereby confirming the second hypothesis of the research.

Increasing the moral environment within the organization, particularly at the leadership level, such as in auditing institutes, leads to improved risk assessment. While some studies suggest that senior management may be involved in fraudulent activities and create conflicts with internal audit teams, this research demonstrates that leaders play a crucial role in determining the organization's integrity. When leaders denounce corruption, it positively influences internal auditors, motivating them to enhance their efforts in detecting fraud risks aligned with management's expectations. The study's second hypothesis also indicates that as internal auditors' skepticism grows, their ability to judge fraud risks improves. These findings suggest that internal auditors with a high level of professional skepticism are more likely to detect errors and anticipate fraud early on.

The purpose of this research is to investigate the effect of the relationship between internal auditors and external auditors on the ethical commitment of internal auditors. Auditing is one of the fundamental elements in ensuring the accuracy and reliability of companies' financial reports. Internal auditors and external auditors play crucial roles in this process, and establishing effective relationships between them is vital.

This research adopts a quantitative approach from the perspective of the implementation process. It is an applied and developmental research in terms of the results. The research is descriptive in nature, utilizing a survey method. The logic of the research is inductive analogy, and it is a longitudinal study in terms of the time dimension. Data was collected using a questionnaire, and analysis was conducted using SPSS and Amos software. The statistical population included all active internal auditors in Iran, with a final sample of 66 internal auditors from the financial sector and 54 from the non-financial sector.

Establishing effective relationships between internal auditors and external auditors significantly contributes to enhancing the ethical commitment of internal auditors. This collaboration can improve the auditing process and enhance public trust in companies' financial reports.

A positive and robust working relationship between internal auditors and external auditors can boost the moral commitment of internal auditors, foster trust and cooperation between the two groups, and encourage internal auditors to demonstrate greater moral commitment in their duties. Focusing on the relationship between internal auditors and external auditors, and promoting cooperation and coordination between them, can enhance the performance of internal auditors and increase the trust of users of companies' financial statements.

The purpose of this study is to investigate investment decisions based on behavioral biases, considering the disposition effect, mass behavior, and blue-chip stocks in the Tehran capital market.

In this research, to collect data, an online questionnaire was distributed among 420 individual investors, of which 395 were received and analyzed. The data were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) with Smart PLS software.

The results show that the disposition effect, mass behavior, and blue-chip stocks have a positive and significant effect on risk perception. Risk perception, in turn, has a positive and significant impact on investors' decisions. The results also indicate that desire and mass behavior positively and significantly influence investors' decisions.

This research challenges the concepts of market efficiency and rational decision-making by highlighting the factors that affect financial bias in investment decision-making. This suggests that financial markets may not always function efficiently, and mispricing in markets where inefficiencies are evident can lead to economic distortions and affect resource allocation, potentially resulting in a market bubble.

Companies are affected over time by external factors such as technological advances and regulatory changes. For effective performance and long-term success, companies update production lines, which may involve a break in company operations. The aim of the present study is to investigate the impact of the CEO's power on the suspension of operational activities of companies listed on the Tehran Stock Exchange.

The present research is applied in terms of purpose and descriptive and correlational in terms of nature. For this purpose, research hypotheses were developed and tested using the information of 150 Iranian stock market companies over a period of 7 years (i.e., from the fiscal year 2014 to 2020).

In Iran's stock market, the CEO's authority has a significant negative impact on the voluntary suspension of operational activities. Conversely, the CEO's authority has a significant positive impact on the mandatory cessation of operational activities. The CEO leverages their authority to optimize production line capacity utilization and refrains from doing so during periods when they could voluntarily halt production lines for maintenance or upgrades. Consequently, continuous production line operation raises the risk of sudden stoppages due to equipment failures.

Considering that the power of the CEO can impact the optional stoppage of operational activities, it is recommended that corporate governance elements (Board of Directors and Audit Committee) evaluate the CEO's decisions regarding servers and maintenance of production lines to prevent damage or forced stoppage of activities. Implement operational preventive measures. It is also advised to investors and financial analysts that when assessing companies' performance for buying and selling shares, they should consider non-financial criteria such as the CEO's power, in addition to financial performance evaluation criteria. This is because, as per the current research findings, the CEO's power can lead to an increase in forced stoppage of companies' operational activities, which can significantly impact their financial performance and stock prices.