IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/ers/ijebaa/vviy2018i3p21-46.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Drivers and Drawbacks of an External Auditing Career

Author

Listed:
  • P.J. Baldacchino
  • N. Tabone
  • L.G. Micallef
  • S. Grima

Abstract

With this study the authors shed light on Maltese auditors’ perceptions about a professional career in auditing. They examine the motivational factors that steer individuals towards a career in auditing. In addition, an analysis of the drawbacks encountered in the auditing profession from the perspective of the Maltese auditors is also carried out. An explanatory sequential mixed method design was employed. A questionnaire was first distributed to audit practitioners working within Maltese audit firms, and 205 responses were received. This was followed by ten semi-structured interviews with auditors. Findings highlight job security as the most significant career driver and that if Maltese auditors had to look for another job, the majority would not opt for an audit-related post but would instead move towards other accountancy-related jobs. Moreover, it was concluded that factors such as heavy workload, stress and problems with managing work-life balance are associated with the auditing profession, especially by respondents working within Big Four audit firms in Malta.

Suggested Citation

  • P.J. Baldacchino & N. Tabone & L.G. Micallef & S. Grima, 2018. "Drivers and Drawbacks of an External Auditing Career," International Journal of Economics & Business Administration (IJEBA), International Journal of Economics & Business Administration (IJEBA), vol. 0(3), pages 21-46.
    • Handle: RePEc:ers:ijebaa:v:vi:y:2018:i:3:p:21-46
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.ijeba.com/journal/163/download
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Rhode, John Grant & Sorensen, James E. & Lawler, Edward III, 1977. "Sources of professional staff turnover in public accounting firms revealed by the exit interview," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 2(2), pages 165-175, March.
    2. Simon Grima & Sharon Seychell & Frank H. Bezzina, 2017. "Investigating Factors Predicting Derivative Mishandling: A Sociological Perspective," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(4A), pages 3-17.
    3. Peter J Baldacchino & Rosalene Caruana & Simon Grima & Frank H. Bezzina, 2017. "Selected Behavioural Factors in Client-Initiated Auditor Changes: The Client-Auditor Perspectives," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(2A), pages 16-47.
    4. O.I Averin & N.F. Kolesnik & L.M. Makarova, 2016. "The Integration of the Accounting System for Implementing World Class Manufacturing (WCM) Principles," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(3A), pages 53-69.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. repec:ers:journl:v:vi:y:2018:i:3:p:21-46 is not listed on IDEAS
    2. Md. Mominur Rahman & Bilkis Akhter, 2021. "The impact of investment in human capital on bank performance: evidence from Bangladesh," Future Business Journal, Springer, vol. 7(1), pages 1-13, December.
    3. Nexhmie Berisha Vokshi, 2018. "The Connection between Accounting and Taxation from the Perspective of Preparing the Financial Statements," International Journal of Economics & Business Administration (IJEBA), International Journal of Economics & Business Administration (IJEBA), vol. 0(4), pages 34-47.
    4. V.M. Morais Pereira & J.A. Candeias Bonito Filipe, 2018. "Quality of Board Members’ Training and Bank Financial Performance: Evidence from Portugal," International Journal of Economics & Business Administration (IJEBA), International Journal of Economics & Business Administration (IJEBA), vol. 0(3), pages 47-79.
    5. repec:ers:journl:v:vi:y:2018:i:4:p:34-47 is not listed on IDEAS
    6. repec:ers:journl:v:volumexxi:y:2018:i:issue4:p:109-118 is not listed on IDEAS
    7. A.K. Zhukova & A.L. Zhukov, 2018. "Materiality in Audit of Financial Reporting Party Conducting Accounting of Joint Activity," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(4), pages 109-118.
    8. repec:ers:journl:v:vi:y:2018:i:3:p:47-79 is not listed on IDEAS
    9. Lara Scicluna & Sharon Seychell & Jonathan Spiteri & Simon Grima, 2019. "The Maltese Financial Services Industry’s Perception on the Regulators: An Empirical Analysis," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(1), pages 16-51.
    10. Inta Bruna & Kastytis Senkus & Rasa Subaciene & Ruta Sneidere, 2017. "Evaluation of Perception of Accountant`s Role at the Enterprise in Latvia and Lithuania," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(3A), pages 143-163.
    11. Dodi Permana, 2017. "Toward the Best Model of Strategy Implementation in Indonesian Islamic Banking from the Lens of Strategic Clarity," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(4B), pages 3-15.
    12. repec:ers:journl:v:volumexxi:y:2018:i:issue4:p:255-267 is not listed on IDEAS
    13. M.A. Shahab & A. Sobari & U. Udin, 2018. "Empowering Leadership and Organizational Citizenship Behavior: The Mediating Roles of Psychological Empowerment and Emotional Intelligence in Medical Service Industry," International Journal of Economics & Business Administration (IJEBA), International Journal of Economics & Business Administration (IJEBA), vol. 0(3), pages 80-91.
    14. A. Yuniawan & U. Udin & A. Abdurrahman & R. Puji Suci, 2018. "A Systematic Literature Review of Altruism: Challenges, Outcomes and Future Research Directions," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(4), pages 493-501.
    15. Simon Grima & Sharon Seychell & Frank H. Bezzina, 2017. "Investigating Factors Predicting Derivative Mishandling: A Sociological Perspective," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(4A), pages 3-17.
    16. Anna Sejtkanova & Nadezhda Maslennikova & Alexander Gryaznukhin & Mikhail Leontev & Rasul Mamadaliev, 2018. "Specificity of Theoretical Approaches to the Definition of Professional Subjectivity," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(1), pages 374-382.
    17. Peter J. Baldacchino & Matthew Abela & Simon Grima, 2018. "Financial Reporting in Maltese Voluntary Organisations," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(4), pages 3-19.
    18. repec:ers:journl:v:xx:y:2017:i:3a:p:538-553 is not listed on IDEAS
    19. Rina Yuliastuty Asmara and Rini Situanti, 2018. "The Effect of Audit Tenure and Firm Size on Financial Reporting Delays," International Journal of Economics & Business Administration (IJEBA), International Journal of Economics & Business Administration (IJEBA), vol. 0(3), pages 115-126.
    20. S. Suwanti & U. Udin & W. Widodo, 2018. "Person-Organization Fit, Person-Job Fit, and Innovative Work Behavior: The Role of Organizational Citizenship Behavior," International Journal of Economics & Business Administration (IJEBA), International Journal of Economics & Business Administration (IJEBA), vol. 0(3), pages 146-159.
    21. Eddy Soeryanto Soegoto, 2018. "Effective Enterprise Communication and Learning Attitude in Business Performance: A Case Study on SMEs," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(4), pages 55-68.
    22. V.V. Aksenov & A.V. Andreeva & G.A. Buryakov, 2017. "The Influence of Financial and Industrial Policy on Harmonization of European and Asian Integration Processes," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(1), pages 369-389.
    23. M.V. Melnichuk, 2018. "Analysis of the Investment Activity Regulation in Priority Sectors of the Economy: A Case Study of China," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(4), pages 783-793.
    24. Victor Ivanovich Tkach & Sergey Nikolaevich Shchemelev, 2017. "Development of Digital (Engineering) Entity's Capital Management Frameworks," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(3B), pages 326-332.
    25. A.U. Albekov & T.F. Romanova & O.V. Andreeva & A.A. Sukhoveeva, 2018. "Current State, Problems and Priority Areas of Social Policy in Contemporary Russia," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(Special 2), pages 3-10.
    26. repec:ers:journl:v:vi:y:2018:i:4:p:14-33 is not listed on IDEAS
    27. A.A. Alukhanyan & A.V. Andreeva & L.Yu. Andreeva, 2017. "Instruments of Marketing and Credit Support of the Large Industrial Enterprises Development: International Experience," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(1), pages 294-310.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Auditing career; external auditing; accountancy profession; career drivers; Malta;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G0 - Financial Economics - - General
    • M3 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Marketing and Advertising

    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:ers:ijebaa:v:vi:y:2018:i:3:p:21-46. 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: Marios Agiomavritis (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://ijeba.com/ .

    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.