IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/acctfi/v46y2006i1p11-30.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Internal audit outsourcing in Australia

Author

Listed:
  • Peter Carey
  • Nava Subramaniam
  • Karin Chua Wee Ching

Abstract

The present study investigates the determinants of internal audit outsourcing using survey data on 99 companies listed on the Australian Stock Exchange, where 54.5 per cent fully rely on in‐house facilities and 45.5 per cent outsource some or all of their internal audit function. Results from logistic regression analyses suggest that internal audit outsourcing is associated with perceived cost savings and the technical competence of the external provider. For a subsample of firms that have previously undertaken internal audit activities before outsourcing, contrary to expectations, the larger the organization the greater the propensity to outsource. In addition, smaller firms are found to be adopting internal audit for the first time, through outsourcing. These results suggest that internal audit outsourcing is an expanding business opportunity for professional accountants; but with 75 per cent of firms outsourcing to their external auditor, there are implications for external auditor independence.

Suggested Citation

  • Peter Carey & Nava Subramaniam & Karin Chua Wee Ching, 2006. "Internal audit outsourcing in Australia," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 46(1), pages 11-30, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:acctfi:v:46:y:2006:i:1:p:11-30
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-629X.2006.00159.x
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-629X.2006.00159.x
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1111/j.1467-629X.2006.00159.x?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Anderson, Don & Francis, Jere R. & Stokes, Donald J., 1993. "Auditing, directorships and the demand for monitoring," Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, Elsevier, vol. 12(4), pages 353-375.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Mihret, Dessalegn Getie, 2014. "How can we explain internal auditing? The inadequacy of agency theory and a labor process alternative," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 25(8), pages 771-782.
    2. David Hay & Jenny Stewart & Nives Botica Redmayne, 2017. "The Role of Auditing in Corporate Governance in Australia and New Zealand: A Research Synthesis," Australian Accounting Review, CPA Australia, vol. 27(4), pages 457-479, December.
    3. Martin Mutschmann & Tim Hasso & Matthias Pelster, 2022. "Dark Triad Managerial Personality and Financial Reporting Manipulation," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 181(3), pages 763-788, December.
    4. A. Tafuro & A. Costa & A. Fanelli & А. Тафуро & А. Коста & А. Фанелли, 2016. "Организационные аспекты внутреннего аудита в итальянских корпоративных группах // Organizational aspects of the internal audit of Italian corporate groups," Review of Business and Economics Studies // Review of Business and Economics Studies, Финансовый Университет // Financial University, vol. 4(3), pages 68-90.
    5. SAVA Raluca, 2013. "Outsourcing Accouting – Benefits And Limits In The Current Economic Environment In Romania," Studies in Business and Economics, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Faculty of Economic Sciences, vol. 8(2), pages 123-127, August.
    6. Grzegorz Gołębiowski, 2010. "The Internal Audit Outsourcing," Contemporary Economics, University of Economics and Human Sciences in Warsaw., vol. 4(2), June.
    7. Clive Gaunt & Steven Cahan, 2014. "Accounting and Finance: authorship and citation trends," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 54(2), pages 441-465, June.
    8. Ahsan Habib & Dinithi Ranasinghe & Julia Yonghua Wu & Pallab Kumar Biswas & Fawad Ahmad, 2022. "Real earnings management: A review of the international literature," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 62(4), pages 4279-4344, December.
    9. Aggelia Xanthopoulou & Andreas Delegos & Petros Kalantonis & Panagiotis Arsenos, 2021. "Exploring the Effect of Corporate Governance on the Audit Effort: The Case of Greek Port Authorities," International Journal of Economics & Business Administration (IJEBA), International Journal of Economics & Business Administration (IJEBA), vol. 0(4), pages 111-129.
    10. Jenny Stewart & Nava Subramaniam, 2010. "Internal audit independence and objectivity: emerging research opportunities," Managerial Auditing Journal, Emerald Group Publishing, vol. 25(4), pages 328-360, April.
    11. Popoola, Oluwatoyin Muse Johnson & Shehu, Aliyu Mukhtar & Aminu, Ibrahim Murtala & Nik Mat, Nik Kamariah & Nasiru, Abdullahi & Tsagem, Musa Muhammad Tsagem & Kura, Kabiru Maitama, 2012. "The Mediating Effect between Some Determinants of SME Performance in Nigeria," MPRA Paper 66775, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 2013.
    12. Saeed Rabea Baatwah & Adel Ali Al-Qadasi, 2020. "Determinants of outsourced internal audit function: a further analysis," Eurasian Business Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 10(4), pages 629-659, December.
    13. Van Cong Nguyen & Thi Ngoc Lan Nguyen & Thanh Hang Pham & Song Hoa Vu, 2019. "The Impacts of Selling Expense Structure on Enterprise Growth in Large Enterprises: A Study from Vietnam," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-22, December.
    14. Mathieu Floquet & Pierre Labardin, 2014. "Les déterminants de la sous-traitance de la fonction comptable dans les entreprises françaises," Post-Print hal-01899426, HAL.
    15. Jacqueline Christensen & Pamela Kent & Tom Smith, 2016. "The decision to outsource risk management services," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 56(4), pages 985-1015, December.
    16. Cullinan, Charles P. & Zheng, Xiaochuan, 2015. "Outsourcing accounting information systems: Evidence from closed-end mutual fund families," International Journal of Accounting Information Systems, Elsevier, vol. 17(C), pages 65-83.
    17. Philip Law, 2008. "An empirical comparison of non-Big 4 and Big 4 auditors' perceptions of auditor independence," Managerial Auditing Journal, Emerald Group Publishing, vol. 23(9), pages 917-934, October.
    18. Dessalegn Getie Mihret & Getachew Zemenu Woldeyohannis, 2008. "Value-added role of internal audit: an Ethiopian case study," Managerial Auditing Journal, Emerald Group Publishing, vol. 23(6), pages 567-595, June.
    19. Philip Law, 2010. "CPAs' employment with former audit clients and auditor independence in the post-Enron era," Managerial Auditing Journal, Emerald Group Publishing, vol. 25(3), pages 240-258, March.
    20. Paul Coram & Colin Ferguson & Robyn Moroney, 2008. "Internal audit, alternative internal audit structures and the level of misappropriation of assets fraud," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 48(4), pages 543-559, December.
    21. Isabel Z. Wang & Neil Fargher, 2017. "The effects of tone at the top and coordination with external auditors on internal auditors’ fraud risk assessments," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 57(4), pages 1177-1202, December.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Clement Chow & Michael Fung & Kevin Lam & Heibatollah Sami, 2012. "Investment opportunity set, political connection and business policies of private enterprises in China," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 38(3), pages 367-389, April.
    2. Hutchinson, Marion & Gul, Ferdinand A., 2004. "Investment opportunity set, corporate governance practices and firm performance," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 10(4), pages 595-614, September.
    3. Ujkan Bajra & Simon Cadez, 2018. "The Impact of Corporate Governance Quality on Earnings Management: Evidence from European Companies Cross†listed in the US," Australian Accounting Review, CPA Australia, vol. 28(2), pages 152-166, June.
    4. Mak, Y. T. & Roush, M. L., 2000. "Factors Affecting the Characteristics of Boards of Directors: An Empirical Study of New Zealand Initial Public Offering Firms," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 47(2), pages 147-159, February.
    5. Bliss, Mark A. & Gul, Ferdinand A. & Majid, Abdul, 2011. "Do political connections affect the role of independent audit committees and CEO Duality? Some evidence from Malaysian audit pricing," Journal of Contemporary Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 7(2), pages 82-98.
    6. Pascal Dumontier & Sonda Chtourou & Soumaya Ayedi, 2006. "La qualité de l'audit externe et les mécanismes de gouvernance des entreprises : Une étude empirique menée dans le contexte tunisien," Post-Print halshs-00548115, HAL.
    7. How, Janice C. Y. & Yeo, Julian J. L., 2000. "The pricing of underwriting services in the Australian capital market," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 8(3-4), pages 347-373, July.
    8. Hutchinson, Marion & A Gul, Ferdinand, 2006. "The effects of executive share options and investment opportunities on firms’ accounting performance: Some Australian evidence," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 38(3), pages 277-297.
    9. Juan Manuel San Martín Reyna, 2012. "An Empirical Examination of Ownership Structure, Earnings Management and Growth Opportunities in Mexican Market," International Journal of Business and Social Research, MIR Center for Socio-Economic Research, vol. 2(7), pages 103-123, December.
    10. Julie Cotter & Mark Silvester, 2003. "Board and Monitoring Committee Independence," Abacus, Accounting Foundation, University of Sydney, vol. 39(2), pages 211-232, June.
    11. Gani, Lindawati & Jermias, Johnny, 2006. "Investigating the effect of board independence on performance across different strategies," The International Journal of Accounting, Elsevier, vol. 41(3), pages 295-314.
    12. Javad Moradi & Hashem Valipour & Zahra Pahlavan, 2012. "Earnings Management, Board Independence And Audit Fees Considering The Firm‘s Profitability Level," Asian Economic and Financial Review, Asian Economic and Social Society, vol. 2(2), pages 358-366, June.
    13. Zoltan Matolcsy & Donald Stokes & Anna Wright, 2004. "Do Independent Directors Add Value?," Australian Accounting Review, CPA Australia, vol. 14(32), pages 33-40, March.
    14. Juan M. San Martin-Reyna & Jorge A. Durán-Encalada, 2012. "Ownership Structure, Earnings Management and Investment Opportunity Set: Evidence from Mexican Firms," Journal of Entrepreneurship, Management and Innovation, Fundacja Upowszechniająca Wiedzę i Naukę "Cognitione", vol. 8(3), pages 35-57.
    15. Adams, Mike, 1997. "Determinants of audit committee formation in the life insurance industry: New Zealand evidence," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 38(2), pages 123-129, February.
    16. Wan-Hussin, Wan Nordin & Bamahros, Hasan Mohammed, 2013. "Do investment in and the sourcing arrangement of the internal audit function affect audit delay?," Journal of Contemporary Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 9(1), pages 19-32.
    17. Srinidhi, Bin & Lim, Chee Yeow & Hossain, Mahmud, 2009. "Effects of country-level legal, extra-legal and political institutions on auditing: A cross-country analysis of the auditor specialization premium," Journal of Contemporary Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 5(1), pages 34-46.
    18. Zoltan Matolcsy & Jonathan Tyler & Peter Wells, 2011. "The Impact of Quasi-Regulatory Reforms on Boards and Their Committees During the Period 2001–2007," Australian Accounting Review, CPA Australia, vol. 21(4), pages 352-364, December.
    19. Muniandy, Balachandran & Hillier, John, 2015. "Board independence, investment opportunity set and performance of South African firms," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 35(PA), pages 108-124.
    20. Saeed Rabea Baatwah & Adel Ali Al-Qadasi, 2020. "Determinants of outsourced internal audit function: a further analysis," Eurasian Business Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 10(4), pages 629-659, December.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bla:acctfi:v:46:y:2006:i:1:p:11-30. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/aaanzea.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.