The audit expectations gap firms listed on the Palestine Stock Exchange: empirical evidence on Palestinian stakeholders

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to empirically evaluate the audit expectations gap among stakeholders in listed firms in Palestine. The purpose of the investigation is to determine whether or not there is a gap in audit expectations between auditors and investors, auditors and board directors, as well as among auditors and financial managers and also among auditors and shareholders.

Design/methodology/approach

To attain its ultimate objective, this study was created using an exploratory descriptive methodology grounded in the use of quantitative methods. A structured questionnaire was used to gather study data from 81 respondents, and a statistical package for the social sciences-26 was then used for analysis.

Findings

The results of this research showed that there is a sizable difference in audit expectations among shareholders, financial managers and board directors, as well as among auditors and investors. The findings also demonstrate that, in comparison to the difference between auditors and financial managers, the gap between auditors and board directors and auditors and shareholders is very narrow.

Research limitations/implications

This investigation, which examines the audit expectations gap in great detail, has some significant limitations. This study was limited to the Palestinian market alone. Future research might compare or examine the variations in audit expectations in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Iran, among different countries. In addition, the demand for accurate and reliable financial reports has sparked a recent increase in interest in auditing, a long-standing sector that has expanded in recent years.

Practical implications

The study has several practical implications, for example, it underlines how crucial it is to make stakeholders aware of the limitations and difficulties related to the auditing process. By doing this, the situation that audit committees and listed firms find themselves in will be easier for investors, board directors, financial managers and shareholders to understand. The way that auditors and stakeholders communicate can help reduce this gap since it affects how much each party underestimates or understates the other’s obligations.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the literature by analysing and identifying the causes of the audit expectations gap in companies listed on the Palestine Stock Exchange and providing useful insights and potential solutions to close or mitigate it. It also adds a new contribution to the literature related to the audit expectation gap. This investigation offers unambiguous evidence of a sizable discrepancy between audit expectations and actual performance in terms of formal auditor obligations as outlined by current law, as well as auditor reliability standards and practices, between auditors, board directors, investors, shareholders and financial managers in listed Palestinian firms.