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. 2024 Oct 17:15:1419766.
doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1419766. eCollection 2024.

Chartered Accountants' perception of the Fourth Industrial Revolution

Chené Brands  1 , Claude-Hélène Mayer  1 , Rudolf M Oosthuizen  2
Affiliations

Chartered Accountants' perception of the Fourth Industrial Revolution

Chené Brands et al. Front Psychol. .

Abstract

The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) is an era of enormous technical progress that has impacted professionals across industries, including Chartered Accountants (CAs). This study explored how CAs view the impact of the 4IR on their profession, focusing on the shifting roles, competencies, and challenges they face during this transitional period. The research adopted a qualitative approach to data collecting, including 14 semi-structured interviews with participants from various CA backgrounds. This research provides a thorough knowledge of the 4IR's consequences for the profession and the perceptions of CA's of the 4IR. Rapid task automation via technologies such as AI is posing a challenge to traditional CA roles, forcing a change towards more analytical thinking and strategic insight. CAs need to develop critical thinking abilities and data analysis ability. Older generations might need support to adapt to the technological changes. Despite fears about job loss due to technology, members were largely optimistic about the 4IR's professional development potential. Conclusions are drawn and recommendations are given.

Keywords: Chartered Accountants (CAs); Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR); acceptance; adoption; automation; perception; technology.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. The author(s) declared that they were an editorial board member of Frontiers, at the time of submission. This had no impact on the peer review process and the final decision.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Chartered Accountants’ perceptions and acceptance and adoption of Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Chartered Accountants’ perception of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Chartered Accountants’ acceptance and adoption of Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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