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Governance prescriptions under trial: On the interplay between the logics of resistance and compliance in audit committees

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  • Tremblay, Marie-Soleil
  • Gendron, Yves

Abstract

This paper examines linkages between discourse and social change, in the context of corporate governance in times of turbulence. Specifically, we study how regulatory prescriptions and best-practice discourse promoting a strengthening of audit committees’ work, in the aftermath of the 2001–2002 financial scandals, were received by audit committee members. Is reception characterized with a logic of compliance and/or one of resistance? Conceptually, our study is informed by the notion of trials of strength, in that prescriptions are submitted to a series of loosely connected and quite informal tests taking place within the audit committee community. Our investigative task is predicated on in-depth interviews with audit committee members of Canadian public companies. The analysis indicates that the interviews are mainly reflective of a logic of resistance, which is especially sustained through interpretive strategies ultimately attributing the collapses of Enron and Arthur Andersen to atypical and unrepresentative actors. Prescriptions calling for a strengthening of the audit committee's role are deemed irrelevant in this context; mandatory changes tend to be superficially implemented and do not translate into a significant shift in committee members’ ways of thinking and doing. However, our interviews point to one specific area where substantive change developed, that is to say committee members’ views regarding the association between audit fees and audit quality. As such, our paper consolidates literature on trials of strength in bringing further light on their complexities – specifically in showing that trials can be tentacular (being loosely related to one another), paradoxical (generating resistance and compliance simultaneously), and secretive (taking place behind closed doors). Implications in terms of democratic governance are discussed.

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  • Tremblay, Marie-Soleil & Gendron, Yves, 2011. "Governance prescriptions under trial: On the interplay between the logics of resistance and compliance in audit committees," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 22(3), pages 259-272.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:crpeac:v:22:y:2011:i:3:p:259-272
    DOI: 10.1016/j.cpa.2010.10.003
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    5. Younes Belfellah & David Carassus, 2016. "L'Accountability dans l'entreprise publique : Revue de littérature et proposition d'un cadre d'analyse," Post-Print hal-01902221, HAL.
    6. Jeff Everett & Constance Friesen & Dean Neu & Abu Shiraz Rahaman, 2018. "We Have Never Been Secular: Religious Identities, Duties, and Ethics in Audit Practice," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 153(4), pages 1121-1142, December.
    7. Maroun, Warren & van Zijl, Wayne, 2016. "Isomorphism and resistance in implementing IFRS 10 and IFRS 12," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 48(2), pages 220-239.
    8. Maroun, Warren & Solomon, Jill, 2014. "Whistle-blowing by external auditors: Seeking legitimacy for the South African Audit Profession?," Accounting forum, Elsevier, vol. 38(2), pages 109-121.
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    11. Warren Maroun, 2020. "A Conceptual Model for Understanding Corporate Social Responsibility Assurance Practice," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 161(1), pages 187-209, January.
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    15. Cerbone, Dannielle & Maroun, Warren, 2020. "Materiality in an integrated reporting setting: Insights using an institutional logics framework," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 52(3).
    16. Maroun, Warren & Atkins, Jill, 2014. "Section 45 of the Auditing Profession Act: Blowing the whistle for audit quality?," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 46(3), pages 248-263.
    17. Dillard, Jesse & Vinnari, Eija, 2017. "A case study of critique: Critical perspectives on critical accounting," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 88-109.
    18. Julia Yonghua Wu & Ronán Feehily & Beverley Rae Lord, 2022. "The Corporate Governance Role of Audit Committees: Through the Lenses of New Zealand Institutional Investors," Australian Accounting Review, CPA Australia, vol. 32(1), pages 63-76, March.
    19. Booker, Danielle D. & Pelzer, Josette R.E. & Richardson, Jeremy R., 2023. "Integrating data analytics into the auditing curriculum: Insights and perceptions from early-career auditors," Journal of Accounting Education, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    20. Barone, Elisabetta & Ranamagar, Nathan & Solomon, Jill F., 2013. "A Habermasian model of stakeholder (non)engagement and corporate (ir)responsibility reporting," Accounting forum, Elsevier, vol. 37(3), pages 163-181.
    21. Picard, Claire-France, 2016. "The marketization of accountancy," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 34(C), pages 79-97.
    22. Shrives, Philip J. & Brennan, Niamh M., 2017. "Explanations for corporate governance non-compliance: A rhetorical analysis," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 31-56.
    23. van Zijl, Wayne & Maroun, Warren, 2017. "Discipline and punish: Exploring the application of IFRS 10 and IFRS 12," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 42-58.

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