Managerial Auditing Journal最新文献

{"title":"Judicial hellholes and other differential characteristics: is state-level legal risk reflected in audit fee pricing?","authors":"James C. Hansen, S. Murray, S. H. Park, NaRi Shin","doi":"10.1108/maj-11-2020-2917","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/maj-11-2020-2917","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Purpose\u0000This study aims to examine the effect of state-level legal risk on audit fee pricing in the USA. This study hypothesizes that auditors are more likely to charge higher audit fees to clients headquartered in states with higher legal risk in terms of probability of being sued, expected size of damages allocated to the auditors and breadth of third parties able to claim damages.\u0000\u0000\u0000Design/methodology/approach\u0000This study hypothesizes that higher state-level legal risk leads to higher audit fees. To test this, this study estimates ordinary least squares regressions of audit fees for 56,576 company years from 2001 to 2018 with the three measures of state legal risk and other factors known to affect audit fees.\u0000\u0000\u0000Findings\u0000This study finds that state-level legal risk is positively associated with audit fee pricing for two of three measures. Interestingly, the third measure, breadth of third parties able to claim damages, is negatively associated with audit fees.\u0000\u0000\u0000Originality/value\u0000To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper fulfills an identified need and is the first study to comprehensively test the association between state-level differentials in legal risk and audit fees.\u0000","PeriodicalId":47823,"journal":{"name":"Managerial Auditing Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2022-04-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46045616","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Relation among corporate environmental disclosure, earnings management and accounting conservatism: evidence from Chinese listed firms","authors":"Jianqun Xi, He Xiao","doi":"10.1108/maj-05-2021-3129","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/maj-05-2021-3129","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Purpose\u0000This paper aims to examine the relationship among corporate environmental disclosure (CED), earnings management (EM) practices and accounting conservatism in Chinese listed firms and determine how internal corporate governance (CG) mechanisms moderate these relationships.\u0000\u0000\u0000Design/methodology/approach\u0000This study uses two different EM practices, accrual-based EM (AEM) and real EM (REM), to analyze the relationship between CED and EM practices, as well as accounting conservatism. The final sample consisted of 1,619 observations, documented between 2015 and 2019. The panel data method was applied to estimate the relationship among CED, AEM and REM, as well as the moderating effect of CG on this relationship.\u0000\u0000\u0000Findings\u0000This study finds a negative relationship between CED and EM (both AEM and REM) and a positive relationship between CED and accounting conservatism. Further, CG, measured as the independent director ratio, institutional ownership and state-owned entities, was found to moderate these relationships.\u0000\u0000\u0000Practical implications\u0000Chinese policymakers should reinforce CED because it reduces corporate EM practices and improves accounting conservatism. Further, CED, as a mandatory requirement, may be expanded to all industries, that is, beyond the highly polluting industries listed on China’s stock exchanges.\u0000\u0000\u0000Originality/value\u0000This study is among the first to examine the relationship between CED and EM practices from both the AEM and REM perspectives and the one between CED and accounting conservatism. It also extends extant analyses by investigating the moderating effect of CG on these relationships in China.\u0000","PeriodicalId":47823,"journal":{"name":"Managerial Auditing Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2022-04-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"62028303","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"MASs, alliance and performance: an evidence of SOX effects","authors":"Yahn-Shir Chen, Enny Susilowati Mardjono, Yi-Fang Yang","doi":"10.1108/maj-05-2021-3164","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/maj-05-2021-3164","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Purpose\u0000To maintain auditor independence, Section 201 of the Sarbanes–Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX) imposes restrictions on audit firms in rendering management advisory services (MASs) to audit clients. Responding to the requirement, audit firms establish a strategic alliance with consulting companies to expand their scope of services to alleviate the impairment of auditor independence. Taiwan follows the spirit of SOX in related laws and regulations. To investigate the effects of SOX on Taiwanese auditing industry, this study aims to examine the relationship between MASs and operating performance of audit firms.\u0000\u0000\u0000Design/methodology/approach\u0000This study obtains empirical data from the 1989–2017 Survey Report of Audit Firms in Taiwan, published by the Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC). FSC administers the survey across all registered audit firms annually to collect business information on the auditing industry for macro-economic analysis and industrial policy development. The authors group audit firms into three categories: national, regional and local firms. Based on the structure-conduct-performance (S-C-P) theoretical framework, this study establishes the following cross-sectional regression equation to test the authors’ hypotheses.\u0000\u0000\u0000Findings\u0000Main results indicate that national firms have better post-SOX firm and alliance performance. Both firm and alliance MASs contribute more to the performance of national firms after SOX.\u0000\u0000\u0000Practical implications\u0000This study claims that national firms establish alliance with consulting companies for resource sharing but regional and local firms for tax-saving.\u0000\u0000\u0000Originality/value\u0000Consistent with the economic theory of regulation and resource-based theory, SOX matters in Taiwan.\u0000","PeriodicalId":47823,"journal":{"name":"Managerial Auditing Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2022-03-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44134572","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impacts of reporting lines and joint reviews on internal audit effectiveness","authors":"Yusun Jung, M. Cho","doi":"10.1108/maj-10-2020-2862","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/maj-10-2020-2862","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Purpose\u0000This paper aims to examine the extent to which two commonly recommended information sharing and communication interventions, direct reporting lines between the internal audit function (IAF) and the audit committee (AC) and their joint reviews of internal audit standards and procedures, improve the internal audit in the continuous audit control and monitoring efforts.\u0000\u0000\u0000Design/methodology/approach\u0000This study uses data from the Audit Intelligence Suite-Benchmarking (AIS) Report for the years 2007 to 2016 published by the Institute of Internal Auditors. The authors test the research hypotheses using the ordinary least squares regression method.\u0000\u0000\u0000Findings\u0000Functional reporting lines from the IAF to the AC positively impact the internal audit, but administrative lines have a negative impact. Reviews conducted jointly between the IAF and the AC positively influence the internal audit. The impacts of reporting lines and joint reviews are also associated with accounting complexity within a given industry, organizational control structure, organizational scope and the level of IAF’s responsibilities over internal control environment to comply with Sarbanes–Oxley (SOX) Act of 2002.\u0000\u0000\u0000Research limitations/implications\u0000Because the study uses AIS data, operationalization of variables is constrained to items in the given data set. Future studies, including field studies, may identify other variables and measures using diverse data sources. This study expands the knowledge of effective means of information sharing and communication to enhance interactions between the IAF and the AC.\u0000\u0000\u0000Practical implications\u0000The results suggest that the use of reporting lines should correspond to accounting complexity, organizational control structure, organizational scope, and reliance on the IAF in handling SOX responsibilities. They also highlight the importance of joint reviews between the IAF and AC in ensuring a high-quality internal audit.\u0000\u0000\u0000Originality/value\u0000The authors envisioned reporting lines and joint reviews as an excellent tool to balance the relationship between the IAF and the AC for continuous internal auditing beyond generating internal audit reports according to the US Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission framework Principle 14.\u0000","PeriodicalId":47823,"journal":{"name":"Managerial Auditing Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2022-03-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43242642","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Auditee’s payout policies: does audit quality matter?","authors":"Mohammad Hendijani Zadeh","doi":"10.1108/maj-03-2021-3048","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/maj-03-2021-3048","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Purpose\u0000This study aims to explore whether an auditee’s audit quality influences its payout policies (i.e. each form of dividend payouts and stock repurchase payouts).\u0000\u0000\u0000Design/methodology/approach\u0000Based on a panel data of US public firms, from 2004 to 2018, and Tobit estimators, this study aims to examine whether auditees’ audit quality is related to their payouts and under which circumstances (from the standpoints of auditees’ information asymmetry, refinancing risk, corporate governance and financial constraints) the aforesaid associations are more pronounced.\u0000\u0000\u0000Findings\u0000The findings of this study imply that auditees’ audit quality is positively related to auditees’ payouts. Further examination suggests that this positive relationship is stronger for auditees with higher information asymmetry, lower financial constraints and refinancing risk and for those with weaker governance. Finally, this study documents that dividend payouts are more stable for auditees with high-quality audits than those with low-quality audits. The results support the view that auditees’ transparency (reflected in high-quality audits) could be a crucial driver and rationale for their payout policies and, ultimately, overall policies.\u0000\u0000\u0000Originality/value\u0000By combining two different research lines of audit quality and corporate payout policies, this paper adds to both literature, as it is a novel one to document the contributing function and impact of audit quality on auditee’s payout policies (tangible financial decisions and policies). The findings are significant considering that it documents high-quality audits affecting the auditees besides their financial reporting quality. This study also shows the moderating roles of the auditee’s information asymmetry, rollover risk, financial constraints and corporate governance in the relation between audit quality and an auditee’s payout decisions. Furthermore, the findings can help shareholders (aiding them in determining companies with high payout policies), regulators and policymakers who emphasize audit quality. The results indicate that policymakers’ and standard setters’ efforts fostering high-quality audits should be in conjunction with firm payout standards.\u0000","PeriodicalId":47823,"journal":{"name":"Managerial Auditing Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2022-03-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49184005","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Signing networks of audit partners and accruals quality: evidence from Taiwan","authors":"Min-Jeng Shiue, Peng-Chia Chiu, Li-Chun Kuo, Shu-ling Yeh","doi":"10.1108/maj-12-2020-2962","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/maj-12-2020-2962","url":null,"abstract":"Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the association between audit partners’ signing networks and accruals quality, using the sample of Taiwanese publicly traded companies. Design/methodology/approach This study uses four centrality measures as proxies in this study for the strength of the audit partners’ relationship networks and the absolute value of discretionary accruals to measure accruals quality. Findings Using the sample of publicly traded firms audited by the Big 4 accounting firms in Taiwan during the 2011–2017 period, this study finds that the centrality of an audit partner’s signing network is negatively associated with the absolute value of discretionary accruals. The result is robust to various discretionary accruals measures and survives the alternative explanation related to the endogenous matching between audit partners and their clients. Originality/value This study contributes to the understanding of the effect of the relationship network within an accounting firm on accruals quality. This is one of the few studies to empirically examine the strength of the audit partners’ relationship network as a factor in firms’ financial reporting quality, especially by using the sample from an emerging market. This study shows that the strength of the audit partners’ signing networks contains incremental information when assessing firms’ earnings quality. High-quality audit work is important to ensure high-quality financial reporting and the results of this study highlight that audit partners’ network linkages affect the quality of their work.","PeriodicalId":47823,"journal":{"name":"Managerial Auditing Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2022-03-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49075798","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Board gender diversity and firm risk: international evidence","authors":"Zhongtian Li, Jing Jia, L. Chapple","doi":"10.1108/maj-05-2021-3157","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/maj-05-2021-3157","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Purpose\u0000This paper aims to uncover the global trend on the relationship between board gender diversity and firm risk. In addition, this paper investigates how country characteristics affect the relationship between board gender diversity and firm risk.\u0000\u0000\u0000Design/methodology/approach\u0000This study uses a large sample of firms in 45 countries for the period from 2002 to 2018. Ordinary least square regression is used as a baseline methodology, along with firm fixed effects. Difference-in-differences regression, two-stage least squares regression (instrumental variables approach) and change-on-change regression are adopted to better mitigate endogeneity.\u0000\u0000\u0000Findings\u0000This study finds that board gender diversity is associated with lower firm risk worldwide. In addition, the negative effect of board gender diversity on firm risk is more pronounced for firms that can more easily attract female directors, and for countries with lower power distance and greater preference for individualism.\u0000\u0000\u0000Practical implications\u0000The findings offer insights into the intense debate in recent years among academics and practitioners on the effect of board gender diversity on firm outcomes. Shareholders and directors may take the findings into account when they consider appointing female directors. The findings should be of interest to policymakers in countries that have not yet promoted board gender diversity.\u0000\u0000\u0000Originality/value\u0000By using an international sample with board gender quotas in different countries, this paper provides novel and persuasive evidence regarding the impact of board gender diversity on firm risk. This paper also adds to the literature by showing that the relationship between board gender diversity on firm risk is influenced by country characteristics.\u0000","PeriodicalId":47823,"journal":{"name":"Managerial Auditing Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2022-03-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41769575","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Lessons from leveraging technology in auditing during COVID-19: an emerging economy perspective","authors":"Neeraj Sharma, Garima Sharma, Mahesh Joshi, S. Sharma","doi":"10.1108/maj-07-2021-3267","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/maj-07-2021-3267","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Purpose\u0000This study aims to examine the challenges posed by COVID-19 restrictions for audit processes in India and explore the perceptions of the profession on how technology was leveraged to conduct audits during this period. The opinions of auditors on future changes in post-COVID-19 audit practices and processes are also explored.\u0000\u0000\u0000Design/methodology/approach\u0000Semi-structured interviews were conducted with senior auditors working in various audit firms in major business centers in India and subjected to content and thematic analysis using the institutional theory perspective.\u0000\u0000\u0000Findings\u0000The auditing profession used technology to respond to COVID-19-imposed disruptions of established audit process and practices while maintaining the legitimacy of audit reports. The findings indicate that auditors now seem to strongly support the integration of emerging technologies into their auditing practices post-COVID to ensure data accuracy and transparency. The interviewees displayed keen interest in continuing remote and in-person audits to maintain audit quality in the future. The experience of COVID-19 appears to have forced the auditing profession to overcome their reluctance to adopt technologies that were previously used by only Big 4 and large audit companies.\u0000\u0000\u0000Practical implications\u0000The results will be of particular interest to various stakeholders concerned with aspects of the acceptance of technology-assisted audit reports such as legitimacy, required infrastructure, cost involvement and resistance to change. The findings will also assist professional bodies and policymakers in both developed and developing economies in devising useful strategies to promote technology-aided auditing during and after COVID-19. Limitations posed by inadequate infrastructure and resistance to changes must be overcomed before implementation of technology-aided audits.\u0000\u0000\u0000Originality/value\u0000As COVID-19 pandemic is a recent phenomenon, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is one of the first few studies that have examined the use of technology to facilitate audits during the COVID-19 period, more specifically from a developing economy perspective.\u0000","PeriodicalId":47823,"journal":{"name":"Managerial Auditing Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2022-03-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44667933","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Audit fees, board ethnicity and board independence: evidence from South Africa","authors":"Balachandran Muniandy","doi":"10.1108/maj-06-2020-2697","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/maj-06-2020-2697","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Purpose\u0000The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between ethnic diversity on corporate boards and audit fees in the context of South Africa. Additionally, this paper investigates how the interaction between board ethnicity and board independence affects audit fees.\u0000\u0000\u0000Design/methodology/approach\u0000This study uses a quantitative research method with a panel data analysis to test proposed hypotheses. This study’s sample consist of listed firms on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) from 2003 to 2018.\u0000\u0000\u0000Findings\u0000This study finds that firms with more Black directors on corporate board have higher audit fees. It also shows that the positive relation between board independence and audit fees is more pronounced for firms with greater ethnic diversity on corporate boards. Further, this study finds that the presence of Black directors on corporate board can increase board effectiveness. Lastly, firms with more Black directors on corporate board tend to be audited by Big N auditors. The findings of this study illustrate the implication of an equity narrative to board diversity for organisational outcome.\u0000\u0000\u0000Research limitations/implications\u0000The results reported in this paper have both practical and policy implications regarding the presence of ethnic diversity on corporate boards. The findings also suggest that there is a need to establish an appropriate balance of ethnic diversity on corporate boards as part of regulatory reform. Regulators should be aware of the positive impacts of the requirement for board diversity on corporate boards.\u0000\u0000\u0000Originality/value\u0000To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to examine whether the presence of Black directors on corporate boards affects audit fees. It also investigates the interaction effects between the presence of Black directors on the board and board independence.\u0000","PeriodicalId":47823,"journal":{"name":"Managerial Auditing Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2022-02-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45461650","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on earnings management and the value relevance of earnings: US evidence","authors":"Guoping Liu, Jerry Sun","doi":"10.1108/maj-05-2021-3149","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/maj-05-2021-3149","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Purpose\u0000The purpose of this study is to examine whether the COVID-19 pandemic has affected earnings management and the value relevance of earnings in the USA.\u0000\u0000\u0000Design/methodology/approach\u0000Discretionary accruals, the explanatory power and slope coefficient of earnings are compared between 2019 (prepandemic year) and 2020 (pandemic year). Univariate and regression analyses are performed.\u0000\u0000\u0000Findings\u0000There was a significant decline in discretionary accruals from 2019 to 2020, suggesting that firms engaged in more income-decreasing earnings management to take a big bath in reporting earnings in the pandemic year. Meanwhile, the explanatory power and slope coefficient of earnings both were lower in 2020 than in 2019, consistent with the notion that the pandemic has impaired the value relevance of earnings.\u0000\u0000\u0000Originality/value\u0000This study explores the consequences of the pandemic from accounting perspective. It also enriches accounting research on economic crises.\u0000","PeriodicalId":47823,"journal":{"name":"Managerial Auditing Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2022-02-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42026784","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}