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Auditor independence, executive pay and firm performance

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  • Raghavan J. Iyengar
  • Ernest M. Zampelli

Abstract

This paper investigates whether compensation committees actively intervene to adjust accounting performance‐based incentive schemes for the real, or perceived, reduced earnings credibility signalled by the purchase of non‐audit services. Using a nonlinear, two‐stage least‐squares method that accounts for the simultaneity of executive pay, firm performance and non‐audit fees, we find a significant negative relationship between non‐audit fees and the sensitivity of chief executive officer (CEO) pay to firm performance. Point estimates suggest that the reduced weight applied to accounting performance lowers the incentive component of executive pay between roughly 5 and 8 per cent for the CEO of the ‘average firm’.

Suggested Citation

  • Raghavan J. Iyengar & Ernest M. Zampelli, 2008. "Auditor independence, executive pay and firm performance," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 48(2), pages 259-278, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:acctfi:v:48:y:2008:i:2:p:259-278
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-629X.2007.00226.x
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    Cited by:

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    2. Christiane Pott & Tobias Tebben & Christoph Watrin, 2014. "The effect of outside directors’ and auditors’ incentives on managers’ ability to manage cash bonuses," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 18(2), pages 505-540, May.
    3. Bum†Jin Park, 2017. "Auditors’ Economic Incentives and the Sensitivity of Managerial Pay to Accounting Performance," Australian Accounting Review, CPA Australia, vol. 27(4), pages 382-399, December.
    4. Pamela Kent & Kim Kercher & James Routledge, 2018. "Remuneration committees, shareholder dissent on CEO pay and the CEO pay–performance link," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 58(2), pages 445-475, June.
    5. Marco Angelo Marinoni & Anna Maria Fellegara & Andrea Lippi, 2022. "Potential Threats to Audit Firm Independence: Evidence from Italy on Audit Quality," International Business Research, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 15(6), pages 1-88, June.

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