A Framework for Identifying and Analyzing Key Drivers Affecting Future of Auditing in Iran with a Focus on Blockchain Technology

The current research seeks to identify and analyze key drivers affecting the future of auditing in Iran, focusing on blockchain technology. The current research has an applied nature in terms of orientation and its methodology is multi-method. The theoretical population of the research were the senior experts of the auditing organization, the Supreme Audit Court and the country's capital market in the field of auditing and digital financial technologies. The sampling method was done in a judgmental way according to the expertise of experts. The sample size in this study was equal to 15 people. The drivers of the research were obtained through literature review and interviews with experts. Then, for screening and prioritizing the research drivers, two questionnaires of expertise and prioritization were used, respectively. Among the drivers, 11 drivers had a defuzzy number higher than 0.6 and were selected for the final ranking. The degree of priority of the remaining drivers was evaluated by the Cocoso method. According to the indicators of Cocoso technique, the drivers of blockchain development in industries and other fields and the level of blockchain adoption by organization and audit institutions had the highest degree of priority. Teaching financial digital technologies such as blockchain to managers, auditors and financial users, integrating the policies of regulator bodies in the field of supervision and standardization and aligning global standards with blockchain technology requirements were among the most important practical proposals of the research.