Factors Influencing Audit Technology Acceptance by Audit Firms: A New I-TOE Adoption Framework

Many businesses are now moving to e-business and implementing computerized accounting information systems. This phenomenon has given impact to audit profession in performing IT audit, financial reports audit and tracing electronic source documents. Computer-Assisted-Auditing Techniques and Tools (CAATTs) are audit technologies that allow IT audit work to be performed efficiently, effectively and reduce audit time. However, little is known about CAATTs adoption by public audit firms. This paper presents a new paradigm of Individual-Technology-Organization-Environment (I-TOE) to investigate the acceptance of CAATTs in audit firms. There are gaps that exist in prior literatures which studied CAATTs acceptance from only individual auditor views and did not deliberate on issues from both organizational and individual perspectives. Consequently, this paper contributes to extend the literature by providing a better understanding on relationship of both organizational and individual factors in foreseeing CAATTs adoption and investment. A combination of Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology 2, and Technology-Organization-Environment framework are used as the underlying theories. In addition to that, this paper complements the framework with new variables of technology risk, technology task fit, organization readiness and top management commitment. I-TOE framework contributes to professional audit firms that need to measure CAATTs acceptance for the advancement of audit profession. Future experimental studies may be done to provide evidence and empirically validate I-TOE framework in other domain.