Call for Papers
Blockchain: Impact on Accounting and Accountants
Guest Editors
Emilio Boulianne, John Molson School of Business, Concordia University, Canada
Erica Pimentel, Smith School of Business, Queen’s University, Canada
Denis Schweizer, John Molson School of Business, Concordia University, Canada
Matthäus Tekathen, John Molson School of Business, Concordia University, Canada
Keynote Speakers at the Paper Development Workshop
Jeremy Clark, Gina Cody School of Computer Science, Concordia University, Canada
Martin Jacob, WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management, Germany
Jan Mouritsen, Copenhagen Business School, Denmark
Aims and Scope
At the outset, blockchain was designed to revolutionize how payments could be made between computer users without the involvement of financial institutions to validate these transactions, and using a currency (i.e., cryptocurrency) not issued by a central bank instead (Nakamoto, 2008). Crypto-assets, running on a blockchain, may take different forms including cryptocurrencies (tokens used for payment), utility tokens (granting access to an application), asset tokens (securities issued) and hybrid tokens (for example, utility and payment token at once). The possibilities to create various types of tokens contribute to the debate on what they really are, challenging the accounting domain from how to audit transactions to how to present crypto-assets in financial statements. Recent blockchain applications deployed in organizations may represent at a time threats and opportunities for accountants dealing with accounting systems.
Crypto-assets running on blockchains permit the development of new business models, including the creation of cryptocurrencies, digital platform exchanges, or raising funds through initial coin offerings (ICOs) (Bourveau et al. 2022; Boulianne et al., 2020; Howell et al. 2020; Chod et al. 2021). An increasing number of organizations experiences or already accepts cryptocurrency for payments, which is a challenge for central banks. Others perform significant transactions using crypto-assets (including mining), which is a challenge for producing audited financial statements (Pimentel et al., 2021). These practice trends further highlight the importance to understand more about the potential of blockchain, and its impacts on accounting and accountants (Jans et al., 2022).
This special issue aims to respond to calls for more empirical work into actual and future blockchain applications, implementations, and utilizations (Pimentel and Boulianne, 2020). Blockchain may have a significant impact on accounting systems and the role of accountants and auditors – whether in managerial accounting, financial reporting, financing, and other accounting domains (e.g., Centobelli et al. 2022; Coyne et al., 2017; Dai & Vasarhelyi, 2017; Dyball & Seethamraju, 2022; Liu et al., 2019; Lombardi et al., 2022; Pimentel and Boulianne, 2022). Some have offered more conceptual guidance and directions on this fluid and emerging technology (eg., Carrasco & Romi, 2022, Kuruppu et al., 2022, Pflueger et al., 2022, Tyma et al., 2022). Recent literature reviews provide insightful status-updates and plant relevant research directions for future blockchain developments (Garanina et al., 2022; Lardo et al., 2022, Moll & Yigitbasioglu, 2019). With this special issue, we aim to expand the knowledge base on blockchain in the accounting context, fostering empirical and conceptual work using various frameworks, paradigms and methods.
This special issue aims to address the following topics and questions to enrich discussions and reflections on blockchain including, but not limited to:
Submission information
This special issue of the British Accounting Review (BAR) is associated with the special issue conference 4th International Conference on Digital, Innovation, Financing and Entrepreneurship (DIFE) held by the John Molson School of Business in Montreal on July 3-4, 2023 (https://dife2023.sciencesconf.org/). Relevant papers or extended abstracts should be submitted to the related Workshop “Digital and Blockchain Accounting” erica.pimentel@queensu.ca and emilio.boulianne@concordia.ca before May 31, 2023. Participation via Zoom is also possible. Acceptance to the conference is not a prerequisite for submission to the special issue.
Authors of full paper submissions at the 4th International Conference on Digital, Innovation, Financing and Entrepreneurship (DIFE) will be invited to participate in a subsequent Paper Development Workshop (PDW) during October 27-28, 2023, to be hold at the John Molson School of Business, Montreal, Canada. Participation via Zoom is also possible. New full paper submissions will also be considered. Authors of high-quality papers presented at the Paper Development Workshop meeting will be invited to submit their papers to the special issue. However, attendance or presentation at the PDW is not a prerequisite for submission to the special issue. Similarly, presentation at the conference does not guarantee acceptance in the special issue.
Articles for this special issue should be submitted to the journal by January 31, 2024. All submissions must be made via British Accounting Review’s online system and will be subject to an initial screening and reviewing by the guest editors of the special issue.
The guest editors will manage the editorial and review process. All papers will be subject to the standard referee process of the British Accounting Review and will undergo a final review by the Editorial Board after conditional acceptance by the guest editors. Submissions must be original, unpublished works that are not concurrently under review for publication elsewhere. All submissions should conform to the British Accounting Review manuscript submission guidelines available at: https://www.elsevier.com/journals/the-british-accounting-review/0890-8389/guide-for-authors. Papers will be reviewed according to the British Accounting Review double-blind review process. For any queries, please contact the Guest Editors.
References
Boulianne, E., Fortin, M. (2020). Risks and Benefits of Initial Coin Offerings: Evidence from Impak Finance, a Regulated ICO, Accounting Perspectives, 19(4), 413-437.
Bourveau, T., De George, E.T., Ellahie, A., Macciocchi, D. 2022. The Role of Disclosure and Information Intermediaries in an Unregulated Capital Market: Evidence from Initial Coin Offerings, Journal of Accounting Research, 60, 1, p. 129-167.
Carrasco, H., & Romi, A. M. (2022). Toward an omniopticon: the potential of blockchain technology toward influencing vulnerable populations in contested markets. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, 35(7), 1685-1713.
Centobelli, P., Cerchione, R., Del Vecchio, P., Oropallo, E., Secundo, G. (2022). Blockchain technology design in accounting: Game changer to tackle fraud or technological fairy tale? Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, 35(7), 1566-1597.
Chod, J., Lyandres, E., 2021. A Theory of ICOs: Diversification, Agency, and Information Asymmetry, Management Science, 67, 10, p. 5969-5989.
Coyne, J. G., McMickle, P. L. (2017). Can blockchains serve an accounting purpose? Journal of Emerging Technologies in Accounting, 14(2), 101-111.
Dai, J., & Vasarhelyi, M. A. (2017). Toward blockchain-based accounting and assurance. Journal of Information Systems, 31(3), 5-21.
Dyball, M. C., Seethamraju, R. (2022). Client use of blockchain technology: exploring its (potential) impact on financial statement audits of Australian accounting firms. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, 35(7), 1656-1684.
Garanina, T., Ranta, M., Dumay, J. (2022). Blockchain in accounting research: current trends and emerging topics. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, 35(7), 1507-1533.
Howell, S., Niessner, M., Yermack, D. 2020. Initial Coin Offerings: Financing Growth with Cryptocurrency Token Sales, Review of Financial Studies, 33, p. 3925–74.
Jans, M., Ayslomaz, B., Corten, M., Joshi, A., van Peteghem, M. 2022. Digitalization in Accounting – Warmly Embraced or Coldly Ignored? Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, 36, 9, p. 61-85.
Kuruppu, S. C., Dissanayake, D., de Villiers, C. (2022). How can NGO accountability practices be improved with technologies such as blockchain and triple-entry accounting? Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, 35(7), 1714-1742.
Lardo, A., Corsi, K., Varma, A., Mancini, D. (2022). Exploring blockchain in the accounting domain: a bibliometric analysis. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, 35(9), 204-233.
Liu, M., Wu, K., & Xu, J. J. (2019). How will blockchain technology impact auditing and accounting: Permissionless versus permissioned blockchain. Current Issues in Auditing, 13(2), 19-29.
Lombardi, R., de Villiers, C., Moscariello, N., Pizzo, M. (2022). The disruption of blockchain in auditing–a systematic literature review and an agenda for future research. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, 35(7), 1534-1565.
Moll, J., Yigitbasioglu, O. (2019). The role of internet-related technologies in shaping the work of accountants: New directions for accounting research. The British Accounting Review, 51(6), 1-20.
Nakamoto, S. 2008. Bitcoin: A peer-to-peer electronic cash system, https://bitcoin.org/bitcoin.pdf
Pflueger, D., Kornberger, M., Mouritsen, J. A. N. (2022). What is Blockchain Accounting? A Critical Examination in Relation to Organizing, Governance, and Trust. European Accounting Review, 1-26.
Pimentel, E., Boulianne, E., (2022). Competency Map Development as an Identity Movement: A Canadian Perspective, Accounting Education, 31 (5), 453-481.
Pimentel, E., Boulianne, E., Eskandari, S., Clark. J. (2021). Systemizing the Challenges of Auditing Blockchain-Based Assets, Journal of Information Systems, 35(2), 61-75.
Pimentel, E., & Boulianne, E. (2020). Blockchain in accounting research and practice: Current trends and future opportunities. Accounting Perspectives, 19(4), 325-361.
Tyma, B., Dhillon, R., Sivabalan, P., Wieder, B. (2022). Understanding accountability in blockchain systems. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, 35(7), 1625-1655.
