Blockchain Papers

V. N. Chukwuani

The rapid expansion of algorithmic decision systems, blockchain infrastructures, and autonomous operational technologies has begun to transform the structural organization of corporations. Increasingly, firms rely on automated governance mechanisms, decentralized ledgers, and smart contract frameworks that allow economic transactions and corporate decisions to occur with minimal direct human intervention. This transformation raises serious ethical and professional questions for accounting, a discipline historically grounded in human judgment, fiduciary responsibility, and professional oversight. Ethical accounting within autonomous corporate structures therefore emerges as a critical field of inquiry. The study examines how accounting ethics must evolve when financial reporting, asset transfers, contractual obligations, and performance measurement are executed through autonomous computational systems rather than traditional managerial decision chains. Particular attention is given to the implications for accountability, transparency, auditability, and stakeholder trust when algorithmic processes replace or supplement human managerial authority. Drawing upon ethical theories, accounting governance principles, and recent technological developments such as blockchain based corporate systems and algorithmic management, the study explores how ethical safeguards may be preserved in environments where corporate operations become partially or fully self executing. The analysis also considers the responsibilities of accountants, auditors, regulators, and system designers in ensuring that autonomous corporate structures remain aligned with principles of fairness, transparency, and societal responsibility. Ultimately, the discussion highlights the need for expanded ethical frameworks capable of addressing emerging technological realities within modern corporate governance systems.

Scott Shackelford, Michael Mattioli, Jeffrey P. Prince, João Marinotti

Abstract The chapter explores the economic implications of the Metaverse, focusing on its underlying economic mechanisms, consumption patterns, supply and demand dynamics, and the potential coexistence with the physical world. It discusses the concept of scarcity in the digital realm, where some goods and services may exhibit scarcity due to physical constraints or costs, while others may not be scarce, due to digital replication, non-fungible tokens (NFTs), etc. The chapter also delves into the supply and demand of the Metaverse, distinguishing between infrastructure and virtual goods/services within it, and considers the potential emergence of one or multiple Metaverses. Potentially impactful factors include technological challenges, economies of scale, barriers to entry, and regulatory considerations. Additionally, it examines how the Metaverse and physical world may interact as complements, substitutes, or independently in terms of products and services.

Ashwani Goyal

Academic honesty is the cornerstone of educational excellence. But challenges related to fraud and record tampering remain. This article explores the application of blockchain technology as a transformative solution to enhance academic integrity in educational institutions. Blockchain's decentralized and immutable ledger provides a secure framework for managing academic credentials. This reduces fraud and ensures transparency. The study begins with an overview of current challenges in managing academic records. It highlights vulnerabilities to counterfeiting and inefficiencies in the verification process. We then propose a blockchain-based system to automate and secure certificate issuance and authentication through smart contracts to existing academic records management systems. A Proof-of-Stake consensus mechanism. It is used to balance network security and integration efficiency. This ensures that stakeholders with significant investments in the system are encouraged to act honestly. Empirical results show that blockchain systems improve data security. Increase transparency and increase efficiency of record management Performance indicators such as transaction throughput Inspection time and the efficiency of the consensus mechanism It emphasizes the system's ability to handle large volumes of data while maintaining operational integrity. This research concludes that blockchain technology offers a robust solution to contemporary challenges in academic integrity. By providing a transparent method effective and more secure academic record management. Additionally, this article suggests avenues for future research. Including scalability and integration with lifelong learning certification.

John R. Graham, Jillian Grennan, Campbell R. Harvey, Shivaram Rajgopal

Corporate culture has been likened to an organization's heartbeat—the less visible, somewhat intangible force that shapes its movements, health, and longevity. Just as humans need a strong heartbeat to live, culture is often the difference between business success and failure. Google's culture is frequently celebrated as a cornerstone of its innovation and achievement.1 Zappos's superior customer service stems from a teamwork culture, cultivated as early as the hiring stage. In contrast, the troubles at VW, Toshiba, Uber, and Wells Fargo are routinely held up as examples of cultural failures.2 Yet designing a culture that can be credited with great business success is difficult, especially when considering the global catalysts shifting workers to hybrid arrangements and placing new demands on management practices and governance structures.3 Employees are increasingly seeking work that aligns with their personal values, rather than just financial incentives.4 Similarly, employees, especially when not immersed full-time in toxic office cultures, are feeling empowered as whistleblowers and increasingly reporting to the SEC failures within their companies.5 Amidst these transformations, we believe now is the time to reflect on what corporate culture means, and how it contributes to a company's productivity, efficiency, and value creation. To do so, we analyze executives’ answers to questions about culture, including “How do companies build and maintain a culture focused on enhancing efficiency and value?” “What role do other formal institutions, such as board oversight and compensation systems, play in reinforcing (or undermining) culture?” and “How does one measure the effectiveness of a corporate culture?” It is in this context of reflection and inquiry, that we synthesize insights from a comprehensive survey of chief executives and financial officers (CEOs and CFOs, referred to interchangeably as “executives” or “managers”) of a wide range of North American public and private companies.6 Along with specific questions about corporate culture and its role in their organizations, we also conducted in-depth interviews of executives representing over 20% of the US equity market capitalization. As we review the insights, we endeavor to incorporate the perspectives on culture, most relevant to this era of unprecedented change for leaders and workers. In the pages that follow, we begin by summarizing the survey findings to provide context for the interviews and open-ended responses. Among the most important findings is that a majority of the executives responding to the survey considered corporate culture as “a top three value driver” at their companies, and almost all agreed that improving their corporate culture would increase their firm's value. And although the CEO was identified as “the most influential person” in setting the firm's current culture, corporate boards were also seen as affecting culture—but primarily through their choice and oversight of the CEO. 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Arne Nygaard, Ragnhild Silkoset

Abstract The unethical behavior of greenwashing threatens the growth of sustainable products and markets. Greenwashing degrades essential efforts to reduce climate change and pollution and to promote social justice. False marketing communication that claims products are sustainable hurts the value of green products and weakens customer capability to prefer sustainable to nonsustainable products. Greenwashing also eliminates trust in “green” products. Markets infected by fake “green” products ultimately fail to provide the necessary sustainable transformation. Our study demonstrates that consumer access to reliable transparent, traceable, and tamperproof product information counteracts perceived greenwashing among consumers of ecological foods. Furthermore, our data indicate that blockchain information significantly more than certification systems safeguard consumers against the threat of greenwashing. Information validating authenticity promotes the development of sustainable products, protects intellectual property rights for suppliers of green products, and safeguards the supply of green products to consumers. Consumers need key information that ensures the provenance of green products. Conventional wisdom endorses certifications to constrain greenwashing. However, we find that blockchain information dimensions protect brands against perceived greenwashing more robustly than certification systems.

Kuzi Charamba

No abstract is available for this record.

Claus Dierksmeier, Peter Seele

Abstract This paper provides, from a business ethics perspective, a basic clustering of the morally (a) favorable, (b) unfavorable, and (c) ambivalent dimensions of blockchain technology and its various emergent applications. Instead of proffering specific assessments on particular aspects of blockchain‐based business models, we aim to offer an initial overview that charters the territory so that future research can bring about such moral assessments in an informed and orderly fashion. The main contribution of this paper lies in identifying several morally ambivalent dimensions of blockchain technology, which we finally link to two strands of business ethics research: ethical and legal aspects of legislation as well as a link to Habermasian corporate social responsibility theory arguing for transparent data production and consumption on the blockchain. We conclude that future research is necessary for moral assessment of the ambivalent cases, since their ethical evaluation changes depending on whether one analyzes them through the lenses of utilitarianism, contractarianism, deontology, and virtue ethics, respectively.