Purpose Based on the concepts confined in Ajzen's theory of planned behavior (TPB), this study investigates users' attitudes towards adoption of a blockchain-based framework in the esports industry that proposes a scheme of rewarding stakeholders for their invested attention along with blockchain technology's inherent protocols. Design/methodology/approach The present study uses RStudio (Version 1.3.1093) package RedditExtractoR for scraping and analysis of the discussion referring to the keyword âVerasityâ on the Reddit website. The final corpus of 1,913 user comments was considered for the study. Sentiment analysis was initially conducted to explore the semantic orientation of the users concerning Verasity. This was followed by generalized equation modeling to analyze the impact of social media attributed to the users' commenting behavior. Findings The study found that Redditors, in general, have a positive attitude towards the adoption of a blockchain-based esports platform. This was validated through the empirical findings. The regression model states that there is a significant positive impact of the positivity in the comments over the Redditors' attitude and in their commenting behavior. Originality/value This study offers a new understanding of key contributing attributes of sentiment formation over social media concerning a blockchain-based esports framework. The study also establishes an empirical relationship between the social media attributes and the commenting behavior of Redditors. Finally, the current study offers valuable insights into social media engagements and the selection of highly influential Redditors for practicing marketing managers.
The agriculture industry is being transformed by disruptive technologies, which is resulting in a rise in the Smart agriculture environment. In developing economies, blockchain is required to progress the traditional agriculture system, just as it is in developed countries. The purpose of this study is to look at the major constructs that influences an individual decision to adopt blockchain for agriculture firms. The proposed model uses structural equation modelling and is based on Unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT). All factors were shown to have significant impact during the blockchain adoption expect (social influence on behavioral intention), according to the findings from a study of 917 specialists working in the Pakistan agriculture firms. The study findings are used to examine the managerial consequences, albeit there are some limitations.
Purpose This study aims to blockchain facilitate information sharing among different players in the food industry, such as farmers, food suppliers and investors, enabling an effective decision-making process where the information about goods is traceable without any inherent risk. Although blockchain technology is emerging, its use in the food industry needs to be explored from different angles, such as organizationsâ policy, adoption strategies and potential technology innovations which could positively impact business processes. Design/methodology/approach For this purpose, the authors survey 84 organizations in the food industry. Further, the authors conducted in-depth- interviews with three organizations that applied blockchain technology in the production phase to address the pros and cons of this adaption and discuss how the technology could be improved based on the challenges they faced. Moreover, an overview of current and potential digital transformation uses cases of blockchain technology in the food industry has been provided. Findings The results suggested that perceived efficiency, transparency, standardization and platform development and traceability factors positively influenced intention to use (ITU). Practical implications The adoption of the blockchain cloud solution is neither time-consuming nor expensive; organizations may attempt to predict how regulations or standards will be developed to create a blockchain solution compatible with them. Originality/value This study is among the primary studies investigating the role of blockchain technology in the food sector from the organizationsâ viewpoint, highlighting the factors influencing the ITU.
Despite being one of the fastest-growing digital assets in the present day, investment in cryptocurrencies is still a matter of questionable interest. Therefore, the present study intends to study the behavioural intention of Generation Z Indians towards investment in cryptocurrencies. With the integration of Rogersâ Diffusion of Innovation Theory and the Technology Acceptance Model, the study analyses the behaviour of respondents aged between 18 and 23. Data was collected from 392 respondents using the street-intercept data collection method, which was further tested using structural equation modelling and associated tests. The study finds that complexity, compatibility, and observability influence perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use, which further influence behavioural intention. Besides offering practical implications for crypto exchanges and online trading platforms, it is also found to be novel as it integrates the two most significant theories of technology adoption, contributing significantly to the existing literature.
Kishore Singh, Amlan Haque, Sabitra Kaphle, Janice Joowon Ban
Background: With the progressive development of blockchain technology, its potential influence on the accounting and auditing professions is of interest to academia and practitioners. As the technology gains acceptance in businesses such as banking, stock exchanges, insurance, law, government services, and e-voting, business leaders are beginning to recognise its potential to transform their organisations. Despite concerns about how this technology will marginalise the accounting and auditing profession, blockchain continues to lag behind in adoption and there is time for accountants and auditors to reflect on their current practice and update their knowledge and skills to maintain their relevance to the industry. Motivation: The literature has not fully examined the implications of distributed ledger technology and its implications for the accounting and auditing profession. The intent of this research note is to identify opportunities for research that are of significance to the application of distributed ledger technology to accounting and auditing. Research Question: To identify possibilities that exist in researching the adoption, implementation and application of a distributed ledger solution in the context of accounting and auditing. Framework: Based on the literature, the study proposes a framework for a blockchain model of a simplified triple-entry bookkeeping system using smart contracts to automate self-verification and replication of transactions in a public distributed ledger. Findings: Drawing on the framework the article develops a series of research questions that may significantly reduce barriers and challenges facing organizations that want to implement blockchain technology in their accounting systems. Contribution: Given the complex nature of blockchain, cross disciplinary research is proposed to bring together information technology, accounting, assurance, economics and psychology resulting in further understanding of the technology as it relates to, and influences the accounting and auditing profession. In doing so, the paper makes several contributions to the literature.
Recently, the cryptocurrency market has been overgrowing, many investors from the global stock market entered the cryptocurrency business. Users interact and manage their investments and transactions through the cryptocurrency wallet, which is the gateway to buying, selling, sending, receiving, and trading. Studies and statistics show sixfold growth in cryptocurrency wallet accounts over the past 4 years (2017â2020). However, the rate of inactive trading that occurs during the same period causes market sluggishness. This paper examines the reasons behind the high adoption and low usage rate of cryptocurrency wallets, highlighting the factors impacting the utilization of cryptocurrency wallets. We aim to testify the impact of user experience (UX) on the usage level and the impact of trust on wallet usage. We designed a new model to understand the actual users' behavior on using the cryptocurrency wallets. This model combined User Experience Questionnaire (UEQ) with usability to comprehend UX and add trust as a significant construct to understand the impact of user trust in cryptocurrency wallets. The examination was performed with an actual user on an online survey. The data were analyzed using Smart-PLS. The results show good outcomes that contribute to developing and enhancing the implementation of cryptocurrency wallets. Highlighting the importance of UEQ, Usability, and Trust in a blockchain-based application and showed vital signs affecting wallet users. These results could be applied to enhance cryptocurrency wallet utilization and improving the adoption of blockchain applications.
Moinak Maiti, Đван ĐĐžŃĐťŃŃОв, V. S. Lipatnikov
The study adopts a single case study approach to bring into conversation, ideas, and views of several scholars on triple entry accounting (TEA). The development of blockchain technology already drives the conscious move towards the TEA. The TEA is currently not being used in any significant way but is in a greater debate whether it is worth adopting such alternative accounting practices as the TEA. Shifting to the TEA system is challenging and at present, it is just a fascinating mental exercise. With these backdrops, the present study discusses the likelihood cases of future accounting practice namely: (I) Sophisticated Accounting Software based on the double entry accounting (DEA); (II) Combination of Blockchain and TEA; and (III) Combination of disruptive technologies in addition to Blockchain and TEA. Finally, the study concludes with describing the basic architecture of a potential system of triple-entry accounting that could support the TEA system to deliver real-time insights into business operations. Lastly, the study plotted a hype cycle for accounting technologies to help global organizations identify the relevant accounting technologies and applications.
Purpose To empirically study the direct and mediating relationships between blockchain technology adoption strategy (BCTAS), electronic supply chain management diffusion (eSCMD), entrepreneurial orientation (EO) and human resources information system (HRIS) in Egyptian banks. This paper aims to connect the dots and show the relationships linking these related constructs after the emergence of this breakthrough blockchain technology. Design/methodology/approach The authors have undertaken a thematic review of relevant multidisciplinary business management literature and then developed a conceptual model. This model was examined through adopting a mixed-methods approach, through which 300 quantitative questionnaires were filled by information technology (IT) staff at 12 banks in Egypt utilising a snowball sample. Besides, 20 qualitative interviews were carried out with international and Egyptian blockchain experts for exploratory and explanatory purposes. The suggested hypotheses were tested using structural equation modelling. Findings The results revealed that EO affects positively and significantly BCTAS and HRIS. BCTAS affects positively and significantly both HRIS and eSCMD. Concerning the linkage between external/supply chain and internal/organisational information diffusion, HRIS has a positive and significant effect on eSCMD. The direct EOâeSCMD relationship is not supported. Yet, indirectly, BCTAS mediates significantly EOâeSCMD and EOâHRIS relationships. Further, HRIS mediates significantly the indirect BCTASâeSCMD relationship. Practical implications The findings of this research shed light on the benefits and challenges of adopting BCTAS within emerging markets in general and Egyptian banking in specific, which can support an effective and efficient decision-making process undertaken by strategic and functional banking managers with EO in similar emerging economies. Originality/value Conceptually and empirically, it is the first article that investigated direct and mediating EOâBCTASâHRISâeSCMD relationships in a promising banking industry of an emerging market. It solved an interdisciplinary research puzzle by piecing together the relevant contemporary literature on production, operations and SC management, entrepreneurship, HR management and strategic technology adoption.
Supply Chain Finance (SCF) faces the complex problem of implementing inventory, purchase order and accounts receivable financing automation in terms of transaction data trust and validation. This paper aims to explore how blockchain technology adoption solves the SCF problem using a multi-case method based on the Technological Acceptance Model (TAM). With purposive sampling, 30 cases were selected on the criteria of perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use in solving SCF problems. The results show that trust, validity and distributed ledger transaction data as perceived usefulness are the main drivers of blockchain adoption because it provides solutions to SCF automation problems such as Know Your Customer (KYC), accounting, and transaction settlement. Smart contracts offer easy and fast transactions such as in L/C export processing as perceived ease to use. Of the 30 blockchain projects, 21 offer the usefulness of automated accounts receivable financing, 15 offer easy-to-use purchase order financing and 8 offer easy-to-use inventory financing processes. This study provides the current state of blockchain technology adoption by exploring 30 real application cases in SCF globally. Blockchain advantages provide automation solutions in global supply SCF practices with smart contracts, transparency and security of distributed ledger data feature.
MSMEs in Indonesia are expected to be able to face competition in the era of industrial revolution 4.0. However, there are many problems and obstacles in competitiveness, especially facing global competition, including access to capital, access to information and technology, access to organization and management, and access to business networks and partnerships. Besides, it is often difficult for them to get additional capital through banks or other lenders to increase their business scale. Moreover, a lack of financial and digital literacy causes the low validity of MSMEs' data to lenders. The adoption of blockchain technology is one of the considerations to minimize these MSMEs problems. Meanwhile, this technology is still relatively new to be applied to MSMEs but positively impacts the future. This study aims to measure and analyze MSMEs' readiness in using blockchain technology on a business scale with the TRAM model. This model integrates the Technology Readiness Index (TRI) and Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) models. This study aims to test several variables, including TRI, perceive ease of use, perceive ease of usefulness, attitude toward, and intense use of blockchain technology. Data processing uses the partial least square path modelling (PLS-PM) method. The results showed that TRI was significant on perceived ease of usefulness and perceived ease of usefulness. Then, perceive ease of use is significant towards perceive ease of usefulness and intention to use. Besides, perceive ease of usefulness is significant for attitude. The attitude toward variable is significant for the intention to use in the acceptance of blockchain technology.
Redhwan Al-Amri, Shuhd Al-shami, Hussein Mohammed Abualrejal, Mohammed A. AlâSharafi ¡ 5 authors
Cryptocurrency is the first successful application of blockchain technology that represents a breakthrough in the financial industry. Cryptocurrencies are decentralized currencies with no central issuer, allowing users to perform transactions, such as virtual payment for goods and services and fund transfer with low fees independently and effectively by utilizing blockchain platforms to ensure the legitimacy and validity of the transactions conducted. However, the acceptance rate of cryptocurrency globally and in Malaysia, is not at the desired level because of consumers' concerns such as Shariah compliance. Therefore, this paper attempts to examine user perception of the acceptance of the cryptocurrency system application from the Shariah perspectives. UTAUT is utilized in this paper, together with a Shariah compliance integration to formulate and evaluate various hypotheses that would establish the proposed conceptual model. The study used a sample of 496 persons. The hypothesis testing revealed that Performance Expectancy, Effort Expectancy, Social Influence, and Shariah compliance all affect behavioral intention to adopt cryptocurrency from a Shariah perspective in Malaysia.
Mauro Sciarelli, Anna Prisco, Mohamed Hani Gheith, Valerio Muto
Purpose The present research aims to identify the determinants for users' behavioral adoption of Blockchain, exploring the relationships among these variables and investigating whether the proposed model can provide a more comprehensive manner to understand the adoption of Blockchain technology. Design/methodology/approach This study adopts the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) approach and extends it with external constructs: âreduced costâ and âefficiency and securityâ. This paper used a quantitative and exploratory approach through the collection and analysis of data from a total of 108 Italian innovative SME. We have used the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation modeling (PLS-SEM) approach using SmartPLS for model evaluation. Findings The results show that âefficiency and securityâ is an important driver of firms' decision-making process to adopt Blockchain. Moreover, the results show that perceived usefulness is a strong predictor of the intention to use Blockchain in business processes. Originality/value This research advances the literature on technology adoption in business processes, focusing on a particular technology: Blockchain. The field has been strengthened by investigating the determinants of technology adoption, adding new perspectives; both reduced cost and efficiency, and security.
Purpose: The study aimed to determine why Turkish participants are voluntary or hesitant to use cryptocurrencies and to assess which factors affected cryptocurrencies usage. Method: Technology acceptance model (TAM) was used in the study to analyze Turkish individualsâ cryptocurrency usage behavior. Structural equation (regression) modeling (SEM) was used to test the research model. AMOS and SPSS programs were used for analysis. Findings: The study model showed that cryptocurrency usage was exposed to the most effect by perceived benefit. Contrary to expectations, perceived risk did not make any significant effect on usage behavior. A causality relation between perceived benefit and decentralization factor was found more than other benefit sub-factors. Perceived ease of use had no positive direct relation with usage behavior in the study. Perceived ease of use had a positive relation with perceived benefit in the study.
Katiso Molati, Appolonia Ifeanyi Ilorah, Michael Nthabiseng Moeti
The adoption of blockchain necessitates the attention of a wide range of elements, much beyond the primarily technological focus of most present investigations. The present inquiries do not provide appropriate models as to how SMEs ought to go about blockchain adoption. Thus, this research study sort to investigate the key factors that drive blockchain adoption and propose a research model that could be used to inform blockchain adoption by SMEs in the context of South Africa. Drawing on the innovation diffusion theory and technological, organizational and environmental factors a model was proposed. Quantitative study was carried out; survey data was collected from 167 SMEs. SPSS was used to analyze the collected data and AMOS to fit the model. The results revealed that organizational readiness, trading partner pressure, perceived benefits, complexity, top management support, and compatibility could significantly influence the adoption of blockchain. However, in the South African context, competitive pressure and government regulations & support were found to be insignificant.
Purpose The purpose of the research is to investigate usersâ adoption of blockchain-based games in China. Design/methodology/approach This research applied existing technology diffusion theories to develop a research model to examine usersâ adoption of blockchain-based games. As a result, a research model with nine research hypotheses was developed. The developed research model was empirically tested using data collected from a survey of 210 blockchain-based games users. Structural equation modeling was applied to analyse the collected data. Findings The results indicated that seven of nine research hypotheses were supported. It was found that trust, perceived usefulness, perceived enjoyment and perceived ease of use were key determinants for usersâ behavioural intention to use blockchain-based games. The most influential relationship in the research model appeared to be the effect of perceived usefulness on usersâ behavioural intention to use blockchain-based games. However, subjective norms did not have significant positive impacts on usersâ behavioural intention to use blockchain-based games. Practical implications The regulatory support from governmental authorities is essential to provide additional legal certainty to build usersâ trust in playing blockchain-based games. Blockchain-based games providers should arrange the training program targeted to the general users to enhance their understanding of the key features associated with blockchain-based games. Blockchain-based games developers should come up with good design solutions to maximize user enjoyment with blockchain-based games by considering additional entertainment elements. Originality/value To the best of the authorsâ knowledge, this study is first of its kind in investigating the adoption of blockchain-based games from usersâ perspectives. This study contributes to the existing literature on the adoption of blockchain technology.
G. Steven Farris, Andrea Pinna, Gavina Baralla, Roberto Tonelli ¡ 6 authors
Blockchain technology is an emerging technology which is making a significant contribution to the ongoing digital evolution by influencing companies, business models and value creation. Since its invention, this technology was receiving great interest in different areas, starting from the financial one by also including the tourism sector. This work proposes the study of a software system, based on blockchain, to facilitate disintermediation in the tourism sector and promoting its sustainability simultaneously. The system is designed to take advantage of blockchain technology both to guarantee the security and reliability of the system, and to manage the roles and responsibilities of numerous types of actors. Thanks to the continuous collaboration of the all involved stakeholders, and to the data come from IoT devices, the system will be able to monitor a specific tourist destination by making use of ETIS indicators we specifically use for the assessment of sustainability into all aspects. The study also includes an overview of the barriers to blockchain adoption in tourism that can undermine the sustainability of the system.
In recent years, fake news has begun spreading rapidly via social media platforms. Several companies and civil organizations have set up crowdsourcing platforms to combat the spread of fake news. However, these platforms usually encounter the problem of insufficient manpower. Research has proven that gamification is an effective way to increase public participation in crowdsourcing. Based on this, this study proposes a fake news checking platform named "One For All" comprising smart contracts combined with game crowdsourcing. We added the core drives of Octalysis in gamification during platform design and executed the platform rules using smart contracts to ensure transparency and fairness of the platform. This is expected to increase the public's intention to use the platform and their trust in it.
Purpose Blockchain is a relatively new technology. Although it has a high potential to influence organizational strategies for adoption into respective operations, it has not been widely explored yet. This study aims to assess the sectoral diversity in the timing of organizational adoption of blockchain through selected organizational factors. Design/methodology/approach A survey was conducted based on a sample of 208 IT professionals. The data was collected using an instrument containing 17 questions. The existence of sector diversity was statistically analyzed using the Least Square Regression method. Findings The results indicate that, except for management support and perceived ease of use, all the other factors in the analysis significantly influence sector diversity in terms of blockchain adoption timing. Originality/value Although blockchain has received attention from researchers, to the best of the authors' knowledge, there is no published work in the literature that explores the organizational factors influencing sectoral differences in the timing of blockchain technology adoption. Therefore, our work is unique in the related literature since we present analyses for the diversity between public and private sectors by modeling the factors affecting the intentions for the timing of blockchain adoption as part of the organizations' IT infrastructure.
More and more platform-based companies are adopting blockchain technology to solve problems such as opaque fundraising processes in their respective public service sectors. We conduct a scenario-based questionnaire survey to test usersâ views and willingness to use blockchain technology on the online fundraising platform by combining design theory and innovation diffusion theory. We find that: (1)Compared with the traditional ones, the different combination of blockchainâs design features significantly changed the usersâ willingness to use. Users of the blockchain-based online fundraising platform that reflect the design features of distributed ledger(DLT) and peer-to-peer network(P2P) have the highest willingness to use, and users of the platforms that reflect the characteristics of P2P have the most obvious increase; (2)The perceived technical credibility is the main driving factor for users to use the platform, while the intermediary factor of perceived risk which considered by scholars to be influential has not been confirmed and verified. Through post-event interviews, we learn about the reasons and explain them. Our research provides enlightenment for managers on how to use these driving factors to influence usersâ willingness to use and also provides a reference for platform-based enterprisesâ application of blockchain technology.
Purpose The purpose of this study is to empirically examine the factors influencing consumer behavioral intention ( BI ) to use cryptocurrency as a medium of transaction. Constructs from the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology model and an added variable, perceived risk ( PR ), are examined to predict BI . Age and gender as moderators are retained in this model. Design/methodology/approach An online survey was used to gather the respondentsâ responses on a five-point Likert scale. G * Power was used to calculate the required minimum sample size. A non-probability sampling technique was used to gather data from the 290 respondents based in Malaysia. The final data set was analyzed using the statistical package for the social sciences and SmartPLS software using structural equation modeling. Findings The results show that three of the five proposed factors (performance expectancy, effort expectancy and facilitating condition) are significant predictors of BI to adopt cryptocurrency as a medium of transaction. Interestingly, PR is not a significant predictor even though prior research studies showed otherwise. Likewise, the relationship between BI and social influence became significant only when age is added as a moderator. Practical implications Malaysians are still wary of cryptocurrency, even though global tech firms such as Amazon and Microsoft are already accepting Bitcoin as a payment method. This study aims to provide relevant authorities and businesses (i.e. central bank, retail merchants and cryptocurrency exchangers) insights toward understanding the factors consumers focus on if they were to use cryptocurrency as a medium of transaction. Originality/value Most cryptocurrency research are done in developed countries (i.e. USA, UK and EU) perspective. This research addresses the lack of quantitative literature on significant factors influencing BI to use cryptocurrency in developing country context while taking a PR , age and gender into consideration.