IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/kap/jmgtgv/v22y2018i3d10.1007_s10997-017-9396-2.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Earnings management and audit quality: stakeholders’ perceptions

Author

Listed:
  • Yasser Barghathi

    (Heriot-Watt University)

  • David Collison

    (University of Dundee)

  • Louise Crawford

    (The Robert Gordon University)

Abstract

This paper examines the perceptions of Libyan Commercial Banks’ (LCBs) stakeholders regarding the role of the external auditor in relation to earnings management (EM). A total of 28 semi-structured interviews were carried out with a range of LCB stakeholders comprising preparers of financial statements, users, regulators and academics. A questionnaire survey of stakeholders which yielded 102 Responses (response rate 53%) was also carried out. A variety of views were held which varied to some extent according to stakeholder group. A widely held perception amongst interviewees was that the auditor has the ability to detect EM practices but may not be able to prevent it. However questionnaire respondents were, in aggregate, more confident of the auditor’s ability to deter EM due to the influence of the audit report. The paper provides insights into stakeholders’ perceptions of the quality of bank audits. The findings are of particular relevance to regulators, and specifically, the Central Bank of Libya. Perceptions of audit quality raise questions about its guidance and regulations especially in connection with audit firm rotation. Perceptions of audit quality, and therefore, of the credibility of financial statements should be of interest to all stakeholders. The importance of the banking sector for society has been amply demonstrated in recent years. A well-functioning audit function is a key component of its regulation. To the best of our knowledge, this paper is the first to examine issues related to banks’ audit quality and audit firm rotation in Libya.

Suggested Citation

  • Yasser Barghathi & David Collison & Louise Crawford, 2018. "Earnings management and audit quality: stakeholders’ perceptions," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 22(3), pages 629-659, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jmgtgv:v:22:y:2018:i:3:d:10.1007_s10997-017-9396-2
    DOI: 10.1007/s10997-017-9396-2
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10997-017-9396-2
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10997-017-9396-2?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. Nassr Ahmad & Simon Gao, 2004. "Changes, problems and challenges of accounting education in Libya," Accounting Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 13(3), pages 365-390.
    2. Jerry Sun, 2013. "Auditor industry specialization, board governance, and earnings management," Managerial Auditing Journal, Emerald Group Publishing, vol. 28(1), pages 45-64, January.
    3. Malsch, Bertrand & Gendron, Yves, 2009. "Mythical representations of trust in auditors and the preservation of social order in the financial community," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 20(6), pages 735-750.
    4. Charles Piot & Rémi Janin, 2007. "External Auditors, Audit Committees and Earnings Management in France," Post-Print halshs-00176969, HAL.
    5. Mohamed Zakari & Karim Menacere, 2012. "The challenges of the quality of audit evidence in Libya," African Journal of Accounting, Auditing and Finance, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 1(1), pages 3-24.
    6. Ritchie, Bob & Khorwatt, Esamaddin, 2007. "The attitude of Libyan auditors to inherent control risk assessment," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 39(1), pages 39-59.
    7. Lowensohn, Suzanne & Johnson, Laurence E. & Elder, Randal J. & Davies, Stephen P., 2007. "Auditor specialization, perceived audit quality, and audit fees in the local government audit market," Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, Elsevier, vol. 26(6), pages 705-732.
    8. Hannu Ojala & Mervi Niskanen & Jill Collis & Kati Pajunen, 2014. "Audit quality and decision-making in small companies," Managerial Auditing Journal, Emerald Group Publishing, vol. 29(9), pages 800-817, September.
    9. E. Johnson & Inder K. Khurana & J. Kenneth Reynolds, 2002. "Audit†Firm Tenure and the Quality of Financial Reports," Contemporary Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 19(4), pages 637-660, December.
    10. Charles Piot & Remi Janin, 2007. "External Auditors, Audit Committees and Earnings Management in France," European Accounting Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 16(2), pages 429-454.
    11. Firth, Michael & Rui, Oliver M. & Wu, Xi, 2012. "How Do Various Forms of Auditor Rotation Affect Audit Quality? Evidence from China," The International Journal of Accounting, Elsevier, vol. 47(1), pages 109-138.
    12. Asli Ascioglu & Shantaram Hegde & Gopal Krishnan & John McDermott, 2012. "Earnings management and market liquidity," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 38(2), pages 257-274, February.
    13. Andrew B. Jackson & Michael Moldrich & Peter Roebuck, 2008. "Mandatory audit firm rotation and audit quality," Managerial Auditing Journal, Emerald Group Publishing, vol. 23(5), pages 420-437, May.
    14. Alan Kilgore & Graeme Harrison & Renee Radich, 2014. "Audit quality: what’s important to users of audit services," Managerial Auditing Journal, Emerald Group Publishing, vol. 29(9), pages 776-799, September.
    15. White, Fidelma & Hollingsworth, Kathryn, 1999. "Audit, Accountability and Government," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780198262329.
    16. Corbella, Silvano & Florio, Cristina & Gotti, Giorgio & Mastrolia, Stacy A., 2015. "Audit firm rotation, audit fees and audit quality: The experience of Italian public companies," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 25(C), pages 46-66.
    17. Ahmed Anis, 2014. "Auditors' Perceptions Of Audit Firm Rotation Impact On Audit Quality In Egypt," Accounting & Taxation, The Institute for Business and Finance Research, vol. 6(1), pages 105-120.
    18. Johnson, Marilyn F. & Nelson, Karen K. & Frankel, Richard M., 2002. "The Relation Between Auditor's Fees for Non-audit Services and Earnings Quality," Research Papers 1696r, Stanford University, Graduate School of Business.
    19. Libby, Robert & Rennekamp, Kristina M. & Seybert, Nicholas, 2015. "Regulation and the interdependent roles of managers, auditors, and directors in earnings management and accounting choice," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 25-42.
    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. Juewei Wang & Jenny Jing Wang & Steve Tulig & Weidong Zhang & Zeyu Li, 2022. "A study on the effect of joint supervision between auditors and sponsors: evidence from China," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 62(2), pages 2757-2780, June.

    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. Salem, Rami & Usman, Muhammad & Ezeani, Ernest, 2021. "Loan loss provisions and audit quality: Evidence from MENA Islamic and conventional banks," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 345-359.
    2. Daniela Hohenfels & Reiner Quick, 2020. "Non-audit services and audit quality: evidence from Germany," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 14(5), pages 959-1007, October.
    3. Garcia-Blandon, Josep & Argiles-Bosch, Josep Maria & Castillo-Merino, David & Martinez-Blasco, Monica, 2017. "An Assessment of the Provisions of Regulation (EU) No 537/2014 on Non-audit Services and Audit Firm Tenure: Evidence from Spain," The International Journal of Accounting, Elsevier, vol. 52(3), pages 251-261.
    4. Alzoubi, Ebraheem Saleem Salem, 2018. "Audit quality, debt financing, and earnings management: Evidence from Jordan," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 69-84.
    5. Mehdi Nekhili & Fahim Javed & Haithem Nagati, 2022. "Audit Partner Gender, Leadership and Ethics: The Case of Earnings Management," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 177(2), pages 233-260, May.
    6. Persakis, Anthony & Iatridis, George Emmanuel, 2016. "Audit quality, investor protection and earnings management during the financial crisis of 2008: An international perspective," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 73-101.
    7. Mai Dao & Hua-Wei Huang & Jishan Zhu, 2012. "The Effects of Audit Committee Members' Age and Additional Directorships on the Cost of Equity Capital in the USA," European Accounting Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 22(3), pages 607-643, September.
    8. Dilek Kaçmaz & Ahmet Türel, 2021. "Audit Quality and Rotation: Perception in Turkey," Istanbul Management Journal, Istanbul University Business School, vol. 0(91), pages 109-122, December.
    9. Nooraisah Katmon & Omar Al Farooque, 2017. "Exploring the Impact of Internal Corporate Governance on the Relation Between Disclosure Quality and Earnings Management in the UK Listed Companies," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 142(2), pages 345-367, May.
    10. Benjamin T. Albersmann & Daniela Hohenfels, 2017. "Audit Committees and Earnings Management – Evidence from the German Two-Tier Board System," Schmalenbach Business Review, Springer;Schmalenbach-Gesellschaft, vol. 18(2), pages 147-178, May.
    11. Persefoni Polychronidou & George Drogalas & Ioannis Tampakoudis, 2020. "Mandatory rotation of audit firms and auditors in Greece," International Journal of Disclosure and Governance, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 17(2), pages 141-154, September.
    12. Seyed Mahmoud Hosseinniakani & Helena Inacio & Rui Mota, 2014. "A Review on Audit Quality Factors," 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. 4(2), pages 243-254, April.
    13. Murya Habbash & Salim Alghamdi, 2017. "Audit quality and earnings management in less developed economies: the case of Saudi Arabia," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 21(2), pages 351-373, June.
    14. Neal Arthur & Medhat Endrawes & Shawn Ho, 2017. "Impact of Partner Change on Audit Quality: An Analysis of Partner and Firm Specialisation Effects," Australian Accounting Review, CPA Australia, vol. 27(4), pages 368-381, December.
    15. Dafydd Mali & Hyoung‐joo Lim, 2018. "Conservative Reporting and the Incremental Effect of Mandatory Audit Firm Rotation Policy: A Comparative Analysis of Audit Partner Rotation vs Audit Firm Rotation in South Korea," Australian Accounting Review, CPA Australia, vol. 28(3), pages 446-463, September.
    16. Florio, Cristina, 2024. "A structured literature review of empirical research on mandatory auditor rotation," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 55(C).
    17. Mohammad Abedalrahman Alhmood & Hasnah Shaari & Redhwan Al-dhamari, 2022. "Audit Partner Characteristics and Real Earnings Management Practices in Jordan," Economic Studies journal, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences - Economic Research Institute, issue 6, pages 185-200.
    18. Xingqiang Du, 2019. "Does CEO-Auditor Dialect Sharing Impair Pre-IPO Audit Quality? Evidence from China," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 156(3), pages 699-735, May.
    19. García-Meca, Emma & Ramón-Llorens, Maria-Camino & Martínez-Ferrero, Jennifer, 2021. "Are narcissistic CEOs more tax aggressive? The moderating role of internal audit committees," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 129(C), pages 223-235.
    20. Nader Mansouri, 2014. "The Determinants Of Management Provisions After The Introduction Of Ias / Ifrs Standards In France [Les Determinants De La Gestion Des Provisions (Prc) Apres L’Introduction Des Normes Ias/Ifrs En F," Post-Print hal-01899131, HAL.

    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:jmgtgv:v:22:y:2018:i:3:d:10.1007_s10997-017-9396-2. 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.