IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/kap/jbuset/v71y2007i1p89-99.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Development of a Measure of Auditors’ Virtue

Author

Listed:
  • T. Libby
  • L. Thorne

Abstract

Auditors’ virtue comprises those qualities of character that manifest the ideals of the audit community (c.f., Maclntyre, 1984, After Virtue. (University of Notre Dame Press, Notre Dame)), and are instrumental in ensuring that auditors’ professional judgment is exercised according to a high moral standard (Thorne, 1998, Research on Accounting Ethics. (JAI Press, Greenwich, CT)). Nevertheless, the lack of valid and reliable quantitative measures of auditors’ virtue impedes research that furthers our understanding of how best to promote virtue in the audit community. To address this gap, we develop two measures of auditors’ virtue. We report the results of the validity and reliability of the scales. In addition, we use the findings from the administration of these scales to professional accountants to refine and validate the theoretical characterization of virtues developed by Pincoffs (1986, Quandaries and Virtues. University Press of Kansas, Lawrence, KS) and Libby and Thorne (2004, Business Ethics Quarterly). In so doing, this study provides a foundation by which future audit research can study ways to ensure that auditors’ virtue is promoted throughout the audit community. Copyright Springer 2007

Suggested Citation

  • T. Libby & L. Thorne, 2007. "The Development of a Measure of Auditors’ Virtue," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 71(1), pages 89-99, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:71:y:2007:i:1:p:89-99
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-006-9127-0
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1007/s10551-006-9127-0
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10551-006-9127-0?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
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Windsor, Carolyn A. & Ashkanasy, Neal M., 1995. "The effect of client management bargaining power, moral reasoning development, and belief in a just world on auditor independence," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 20(7-8), pages 701-720.
    2. Aranya, N. & Pollock, J. & Amernic, J., 1981. "An examination of professional commitment in public accounting," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 6(4), pages 271-280, October.
    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. David Dawson, 2018. "Organisational Virtue, Moral Attentiveness, and the Perceived Role of Ethics and Social Responsibility in Business: The Case of UK HR Practitioners," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 148(4), pages 765-781, April.
    2. Rafael Morales-Sánchez & Manuel Orta-Pérez & M. Ángeles Rodríguez-Serrano, 2020. "The Benefits of Auditors’ Sustained Ethical Behavior: Increased Trust and Reduced Costs," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 166(2), pages 441-459, October.
    3. Anna Samsonova-Taddei & Javed Siddiqui, 2016. "Regulation and the Promotion of Audit Ethics: Analysis of the Content of the EU’s Policy," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 139(1), pages 183-195, November.
    4. Ikhlas Hentati-Klila & Saida Dammak-Barkallah & Habib Affes, 2017. "Do auditors’ perceptions actually help fight against fraudulent practices? Evidence from Tunisia," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 21(3), pages 715-735, September.
    5. Rafael Morales-Sánchez & Carmen Cabello-Medina, 2013. "The Role of Four Universal Moral Competencies in Ethical Decision-Making," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 116(4), pages 717-734, September.
    6. Cameron Graham & Martin E. Persson & Vaughan S. Radcliffe & Mitchell J. Stein, 2023. "The State of Ohio’s Auditors, the Enumeration of Population, and the Project of Eugenics," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 187(3), pages 565-587, October.
    7. Janie Bérubé & Yves Gendron, 2023. "Developing Ethical Sensitivity in Future Accounting Practitioners: The Case of a Dialogic Learning for Final-Year Undergraduates," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 183(3), pages 763-781, March.
    8. Céline Baud & Marion Brivot & Darlene Himick, 2021. "Accounting Ethics and the Fragmentation of Value," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 168(2), pages 373-387, January.
    9. Daniel P. Sorensen & Scott E. Miller & Kevin L. Cabe, 2017. "Developing and Measuring the Impact of an Accounting Ethics Course that is Based on the Moral Philosophy of Adam Smith," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 140(1), pages 175-191, January.
    10. David Dawson, 2018. "Measuring Individuals’ Virtues in Business," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 147(4), pages 793-805, February.

    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. William E. Shafer, 2009. "Ethical climate, organizational‐professional conflict and organizational commitment," Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 22(7), pages 1087-1110, September.
    2. Zaini Ahmad & Dennis Taylor, 2009. "Commitment to independence by internal auditors: the effects of role ambiguity and role conflict," Managerial Auditing Journal, Emerald Group Publishing, vol. 24(9), pages 899-925, October.
    3. Carole Drucker-Godard & Thierry Fouque & Mathilde Gollety & Alice Le Flanchec, 2015. "Career Plateauing, Job Satisfaction and Commitment of Scholars in French Universities," Post-Print hal-01625213, HAL.
    4. Natalia M. Mintchik & Timothy A. Farmer, 2009. "Associations Between Epistemological Beliefs and Moral Reasoning: Evidence from Accounting," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 84(2), pages 259-275, January.
    5. Breda Sweeney & Don Arnold & Bernard Pierce, 2010. "The Impact of Perceived Ethical Culture of the Firm and Demographic Variables on Auditors’ Ethical Evaluation and Intention to Act Decisions," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 93(4), pages 531-551, June.
    6. Nguyen, Thi Tuyet Mai, 2017. "An examination of independent directors in Vietnam," OSF Preprints ay6dv, Center for Open Science.
    7. A. Greenfield & Carolyn Norman & Benson Wier, 2008. "The Effect of Ethical Orientation and Professional Commitment on Earnings Management Behavior," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 83(3), pages 419-434, December.
    8. Papirakis, Rachel, 2022. "Auditors’ self-actualization and ability to resist client pressure: Evidence from Canada," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 47(C).
    9. Svanberg, Jan & Öhman, Peter, 2015. "Auditors' identification with their clients: Effects on audit quality," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 47(4), pages 395-408.
    10. Eileen Taylor & Mary Curtis, 2010. "An Examination of the Layers of Workplace Influences in Ethical Judgments: Whistleblowing Likelihood and Perseverance in Public Accounting," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 93(1), pages 21-37, April.
    11. Marcela Mucalová, 2015. "Causes of conflicts of Czech accountants with their superiors and job satisfaction," Acta Universitatis Bohemiae Meridionales, University of South Bohemia in Ceske Budejovice, vol. 18(1), pages 17-29.
    12. Abdul Hamid Habbe & Andi Kusumawati & Alimuddin & Yohanis Rura & Iskandar Muda, 2020. "Cognitive Moral Development, Organizational Situation and Ethical Decision Making in Business and Accounting," International Journal of Financial Research, International Journal of Financial Research, Sciedu Press, vol. 11(5), pages 93-104, October.
    13. Roberta Bampton & Christopher Cowton, 2013. "Taking Stock of Accounting Ethics Scholarship: A Review of the Journal Literature," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 114(3), pages 549-563, May.
    14. Neil Crosby & Steven Devaney & Colin Lizieri & Patrick McAllister, 2018. "Can Institutional Investors Bias Real Estate Portfolio Appraisals? Evidence from the Market Downturn," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 147(3), pages 651-667, February.
    15. Quick, Reiner & Gauch, Kevin, 2021. "Is assurance on risk management systems relevant for bankers’ decisions?," Advances in accounting, Elsevier, vol. 55(C).
    16. Loggar Bhilawa & Achmad Kautsar, 2018. "The Determinants of Relationship Between Budgetary Participation and Budgetary Slack," International Journal of Academic Research in Accounting, Finance and Management Sciences, Human Resource Management Academic Research Society, International Journal of Academic Research in Accounting, Finance and Management Sciences, vol. 8(2), pages 155-163, April.
    17. Marc Demery-Lebrun, 2006. "Quelle opérationnalisation de l'implication pour concilier théories de la motivation et théories de l'implication ?Réflexion en faveur d'une nouvelle échelle de mesure de l'implication dans le métier," Post-Print halshs-00077682, HAL.
    18. Barrainkua, Itsaso & Espinosa-Pike, Marcela, 2018. "The influence of auditors’ professionalism on ethical judgement: Differences among practitioners and postgraduate students," Revista de Contabilidad - Spanish Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 21(2), pages 176-187.
    19. Abdulsalam Nasiru, Kaoje (Ph.D) & Abubakar Sabo, Yabo(Ph.D) & Modibbo, Abubakar & Abdulhadi, Nanafirdausi, 2020. "Forensic Accounting and Firms Performance of Cement Companies in Nigeria: A Study of Cement Company of Northern Nigeria," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 4(1), pages 06-13, January.
    20. Peter Öhman & Einar Häckner & Dag Sörbom, 2012. "Client satisfaction and usefulness to external stakeholders from an audit client perspective," Managerial Auditing Journal, Emerald Group Publishing, vol. 27(5), pages 477-499, May.

    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:kap:jbuset:v:71:y:2007:i:1:p:89-99. 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: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.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.