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This paper aims to determine how forensic accounting contributes to fraud detection and prevention and answer the following research questions: What are the standard techniques for fraud detection and prevention; and What are the significant challenges that hinder the application of forensic accounting in fraud prevention and detection?

The authors use the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) method to carry out a systematic literature review (SLR) to identify and assess the existing literature on forensic accounting.

There exists a positive correlation between forensic accounting and fraud detection and prevention. Moreover, in both the empirical and non-empirical findings, the authors note that fraud is complex, and in carrying out fraud investigations, one must be aware of its complexity.

Although drug counterfeiting is a sector where forensic accountants have paid less attention, it is a rapidly expanding fraud area. This paper finds that to detect fraud at an early stage, one must increase consumer understanding of basic forensic accounting techniques by implementing accurate supply chain monitoring systems and inventory management controls and conducting adequate and effective regulatory, honest and legitimate customs inspections.

The major factors that restrict forensic accounting are a lack of awareness and education. Hence, it is essential to incorporate forensic accounting in undergraduate and post-graduate courses.

From the existing literature, it has been observed that very few studies have been conducted in this field using the PRISMA and SLR techniques. Also, the authors carried out a holistic study that focuses on three different areas – fraud detection, fraud prevention and the challenges in forensic accounting.

Purpose: The purpose of the study is to investigate how blockchain, a new emergent technology, has spread throughout the insurance industry by evaluating incidents reported in the literature, either academic or trade publications. This study specifically aims to develop a comprehensive understanding of the main effects of blockchain on the insurance sector’s core operations.

Design/Methodology/Approach: Review based approach has been utilised by evaluating incidents reported in the literature, either academic or trade publications.

Findings: Blockchain is a technology attracting more and more interest from academics and business professionals. It can be seen that the technological advancements and benefits of blockchain in the insurance industry can help it expand manifold. The wise use of technology can only provide the same. If applied without thought, it can be disastrous too. With the future integration of AI and other machine learning technologies, the authors can see that clerical work in the industry can completely shift to computers and humans can use more of their time in more developmental activities and results.

Practical Implications: The sector is moving in the direction of digital transformation employing emerging technologies and is ready for disruptions and change shortly regarding processes, industry structure, rivalry, and organisational structure.

Research Limitations: Future researchers could investigate the existing technique to examine the dissemination of upcoming technologies, such as cognitive computing, blockchain, and artificial intelligence, in certain industries or organisational functions.

Purpose: Worldwide economies have been shattered by the alarming increase in Non-Performing Assets (NPAs) in Banking Sector. In India, the rise in NPA levels gives a clear insight into the health of industry and state. This study aims to determine how NPAs in India impact the profitability of eight banks chosen from the public and private sectors; specifically: Punjab National Bank (PNB), Bank of India (BOI), UCO Bank, Punjab and Sind Bank (PSB), HDFC Bank, Axis Bank, ICICI Bank, and Yes Bank; during the period 2009/2010 to 2017/2018.

Design/methodology/approach: The study utilised IBM SPSS version 20 application to carry out our statistical analysis of measures of central location (mean and median), measures of dispersion (standard deviation), to carry out the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test to check the normality of data, the Mann–Whitney U test (for two groups) for median comparison between private and public sector banks and the Kruskal–Wallis test (for more than two groups) for median comparison for more than two banks. p ≤0.01 and p ≤0.05 were the two-tailed significance level used for determining the significance of all statistical tests.

Findings: Trend analysis and statistical tests show that the trend in public sector banks to have NPAs is higher compared to private sector banks, and losses arising from NPA impact the banks’ profitability.

Practical implications: It is apparent that NPAs are a large threat to banks in India as it reflects the state of the Indian economy. The growth of the economic cycle is predominantly dependent on the smooth and profitable functioning of private and public sector banks. This current study focusses on and compares the impact of NPAs on the profitability of public and private sector banks. NPAs have grown exponentially more in the case of public sector banks than private sector banks, which has affected the former banks’ financial health and performance. Increases in the level of NPAs adversely affect the working style and long-term stability of public and private sector banks in the economy.

Social Implications: NPAs have a negative influence on the profitability of the banks as well as on the economic growth of the country too. However, it is recommended that management in the banking sector, particularly the public banks, should use various preventive and recovery strategies to reduce the risk of failure and to keep track of NPAs to stay safe.

Originality/value: This study aims to determine how NPAs in India impact the profitability of eight banks chosen from the public and private sectors; specifically: PNB, BOI, UCO Bank, PSB, HDFC Bank, Axis Bank, ICICI Bank, and Yes Bank; during the period 2009/2010 to 2017/2018.

Purpose: Tax fraudulence is not an aberration, but it is a deliberate attempt to get rid of the tax burden. The government took enormous measures to curtail tax fraud, which seems dispensable. Taxation is the largest area that needs to be explored as individuals make discrete stings while filing taxes. Since compliance-focussed systems for tax collection are missing, this department is facing difficulties in providing quality data. This chapter will cover blockchain operations in the tax system to streamline the entire process and highlight the challenges.

Need of the Study: As the growth of technology is in the boom stage, research should be carried out to create more awareness regarding its usage and its possible threats. This study will spark more light on taxation by taking blockchain as the torch to improvise the vision.

Design/methodology/approach: The researcher did a comprehensive analysis of the Indian Tax Department and determined whether simplifying taxation could be possible through blockchain. The study gathered concrete facts about the various challenges faced while implementing this system.

Finding: Blockchain technology is rapidly making a roadmap in the taxation system, and there is tremendous potential to create a future vision with blockchain.

Practical Implications: This study will accentuate the function of blockchain technology that is becoming more prominent in the global technology sphere. This study will aid scholars in elaborating on the role of blockchain technology.