Opportunities for auditing research: back to our interdisciplinary roots

Purpose - This paper aims to review potential areas for interdisciplinary research in auditing. Approach - The paper reflects on the relevance of the findings from auditing research, and discusses an example from medical research. The medical example highlights how unexpected results can lead to surprising research findings. The paper then examines the areas in which further auditing research should be most valuable. Findings - Auditing research is generally based on practical problems. It can be qualitative, quantitative, use mixed methods or be interdisciplinary. There are examples of each of these, including interdisciplinary research that has contributed to the auditing literature. The paper describes areas in which future research in auditing is likely to be valuable. These include research in developing countries, smaller entities and other settings that have not been widely researched; research in the public sector, including the impact of armchair auditors; research about the place of auditing in corporate governance; and research about the function of auditing in confirming earlier unaudited announcements. Practical implications - Standard setters are becoming more aware of research and more likely to make evidence-based decisions about auditing standards. Originality/value - The paper evaluates existing research and provides suggestions for future research.