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Exploring audit assistants’ decision to leave the audit profession

Author

Listed:
  • Nellie Gertsson
  • Johanna Sylvander
  • Pernilla Broberg
  • Josefine Friberg

Abstract

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to explore why audit assistants leave the audit profession. By including both the perceptions held by audit assistants that left the audit profession and the perceptions of audit assistants still working in the audit profession, this study aims to explore how determinants of job satisfaction are associated with decisions to leave the audit profession. Design/methodology/approach - To explore the association between determinants of job satisfaction and decisions to leave, a survey was developed based on a literature review of determinants of job satisfaction. The survey was sent to both current and former Swedish audit assistants. The subsequent analysis was based on 231 complete surveys, of which 78 were from former audit assistants. Findings - The main finding of this study is that there is a negative association between the choice to leave the profession and audit assistants’ perceptions of the profession and between the choice to leave and work-life balance. Another finding was that met expectations and Big 4 were found to be positively associated with career change. Originality/value - By approaching both current and former audit assistants, this study contributes to the literature on audit employee turnover by exploring determinants of actual career change, rather than turnover intentions. It also contributes by identifying and testing a variable not previously used as a determinant of job satisfaction, namely, perceptions of the audit profession.

Suggested Citation

  • Nellie Gertsson & Johanna Sylvander & Pernilla Broberg & Josefine Friberg, 2017. "Exploring audit assistants’ decision to leave the audit profession," Managerial Auditing Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 32(9), pages 879-898, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:eme:majpps:maj-05-2016-1381
    DOI: 10.1108/MAJ-05-2016-1381
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Laurence Daoust & Bertrand Malsch, 2020. "When the Client Is A Former Auditor: Auditees' Expert Knowledge and Social Capital as Threats to Staff Auditors' Operational Independence†," Contemporary Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 37(3), pages 1333-1369, September.
    2. Amondarain, Josune & Aldazabal, M. Edurne & Espinosa-Pike, Marcela, 2023. "Gender differences in the auditing stereotype and their influence on the intention to enter the profession," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 37(C).
    3. Iryna Alves & Miguel Limão & Sofia M. Lourenço, 2024. "Work Overload, Work–Life Balance and Auditors' Turnover Intention: The Moderating Role of Motivation," Australian Accounting Review, CPA Australia, vol. 34(1), pages 4-28, March.
    4. Guillermina Tormo-Carbó & Zeena Mardawi & Elies Seguí-Mas, 2024. "Should I Stay or Should I Go? Auditor Ethical Conflict and Turnover Intention," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 194(2), pages 335-350, October.
    5. Chantal Mangion & Norbert Tabone & Peter J. Baldacchino & Simon Grima, 2021. "Audit Quality and Resilience beyond the Role Stress Model: A Maltese Perspective," International Journal of Finance, Insurance and Risk Management, International Journal of Finance, Insurance and Risk Management, vol. 11(3), pages 37-56.
    6. Reha Karadag & Laura Poppo, 2023. "Strategic resource decay," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 44(6), pages 1534-1561, June.
    7. Pernilla Broberg & Torbjörn Tagesson & Timur Uman, 2020. "Antecedents of Psychological Well-Being among Swedish Audit Firm Employees," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(10), pages 1-12, May.

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