IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/taf/acctbr/v35y2005i1p53-67.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

A basic study of agency-cost source and municipal use of internal versus external control

Author

Listed:
  • Kevan Jensen

Abstract

This study examines the association between agency-cost source and the use of internal control versus external control in municipal control systems. Specifically, I focus on the differences between internal and external control to determine whether characteristics of underlying organisations might lead to differential demand for internal and external control. Differential demand is argued to be linked to the manager's position as principle or agent (or alternatively the presence of internal or external agency costs, respectively). Internal control is posited to be used specifically to address internal agency costs; external control is posited to be used specifically to address external agency costs. Results are consistent with these hypotheses. Cities facing high levels of agency costs from voters and creditors tend to hire Big 5 auditors or auditors with municipal experience, but generally do not employ internal auditors or certified finance officers. Also, cities facing high levels of agency costs from employees tend to employ internal auditors or certified finance officers, but generally do not hire Big 5 auditors or auditors with municipal experience. There does not appear to be widespread substitution of internal and external control to address agency problems in municipal organisations. For data availability contact the author.

Suggested Citation

  • Kevan Jensen, 2005. "A basic study of agency-cost source and municipal use of internal versus external control," Accounting and Business Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 35(1), pages 53-67.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:acctbr:v:35:y:2005:i:1:p:53-67
    DOI: 10.1080/00014788.2005.9729662
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/00014788.2005.9729662
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1080/00014788.2005.9729662?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. Simunic, Da, 1980. "The Pricing Of Audit Services - Theory And Evidence," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 18(1), pages 161-190.
    2. Hackenbrack, K & Jensen, KL & Payne, JL, 2000. "The effect of a bidding restriction on the audit services market," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(2), pages 355-374.
    3. Jensen, Michael C. & Meckling, William H., 1976. "Theory of the firm: Managerial behavior, agency costs and ownership structure," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 3(4), pages 305-360, October.
    4. Craswell, Allen T. & Francis, Jere R. & Taylor, Stephen L., 1995. "Auditor brand name reputations and industry specializations," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 20(3), pages 297-322, December.
    5. Zimmerman, Jl, 1977. "Municipal Accounting Maze - Analysis Of Political Incentives," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 15, pages 107-155.
    6. Copley, Pa & Gaver, Jj & Gaver, Km, 1995. "Simultaneous Estimation Of The Supply-And-Demand Of Differentiated Audits - Evidence From The Municipal Audit Market," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(1), pages 137-155.
    7. Gaver, Jennifer J & Gaver, Kenneth M, 1995. "Simultaneous Estimation of the Demand and Supply of Differentiated Audits," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 5(1), pages 55-70, March.
    8. Watts, Ross L & Zimmerman, Jerold L, 1983. "Agency Problems, Auditing, and the Theory of the Firm: Some Evidence," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 26(3), pages 613-633, October.
    9. DeAngelo, Linda Elizabeth, 1981. "Auditor size and audit quality," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 3(3), pages 183-199, December.
    10. Baber, William R., 1983. "Toward understanding the role of auditing in the public sector," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 5(1), pages 213-227, April.
    11. Marks, Barry R. & Raman, K. K., 1986. "State audit budgets and market assessments of credit risk," Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, Elsevier, vol. 5(4), pages 233-250.
    12. Sati P. Bandyopadhyay & Jennifer L. Kao, 2001. "Competition and Big 6 Brand Name Reputation: Evidence from the Ontario Municipal Audit Market," Contemporary Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 18(1), pages 27-64, March.
    13. Margaret A. Abernethy & Wai Fong Chua, 1996. "A Field Study of Control System “Redesign†: The Impact of Institutional Processes on Strategic Choice," Contemporary Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 13(2), pages 569-606, September.
    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. Claire Dambrin & Hélène Löning, 2008. "R.Simons, un piagétien qui s'ignore ? Systèmes de contrôle interactifs et processus de formation de l'intelligence et d'accès à la connaissance," Post-Print halshs-00522503, HAL.
    2. Sanghee Park & Byong Kim, 2014. "Who is Appointed to What Position? The Politics of Appointment in Quangos of Korea," Public Organization Review, Springer, vol. 14(3), pages 325-351, September.
    3. Weetman, Pauline, 2006. "Discovering the ‘international’ in accounting and finance," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 38(4), pages 351-370.
    4. Dambrin, Claire & Löning, Hélène, 2008. "Uncovering Simons’ structuralism with cognitive theories: Interactive control systems and processes of learning," HEC Research Papers Series 896, HEC Paris.
    5. Justin Davis & G. Tyge Payne & Gary McMahan, 2007. "A Few Bad Apples? Scandalous Behavior of Mutual Fund Managers," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 76(3), pages 319-334, December.
    6. Furqan, Mehreen & Ijaz, Maha, 2014. "Publication Trends and Methodological Advancements in the Area of Agency Cost," Sukkur IBA Journal of Management and Business, Sukkur IBA University, vol. 1(1), pages 57-86, October.

    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. DeFond, Mark & Zhang, Jieying, 2014. "A review of archival auditing research," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 58(2), pages 275-326.
    2. Ray Ball, 2009. "Market and Political/Regulatory Perspectives on the Recent Accounting Scandals," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 47(2), pages 277-323, May.
    3. Pascal Dumontier & Sonda Chtourou & Soumaya Ayedi, 2006. "La qualité de l'audit externe et les mécanismes de gouvernance des entreprises : Une étude empirique menée dans le contexte tunisien," Post-Print halshs-00548115, HAL.
    4. Baber, William R. & Gore, Angela K. & Rich, Kevin T. & Zhang, Jean X., 2013. "Accounting restatements, governance and municipal debt financing," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 56(2), pages 212-227.
    5. Chen, Charles J.P. & Su, Xijia & Wu, Xi, 2007. "Market competitiveness and Big 5 pricing: Evidence from China's binary market," The International Journal of Accounting, Elsevier, vol. 42(1), pages 1-24.
    6. David C. Hay & W. Robert Knechel & Norman Wong, 2006. "Audit Fees: A Meta†analysis of the Effect of Supply and Demand Attributes," Contemporary Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 23(1), pages 141-191, March.
    7. Lin, Z. Jun & Liu, Ming, 2009. "The impact of corporate governance on auditor choice: Evidence from China," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 18(1), pages 44-59.
    8. Charles Piot, 2000. "Relations D'Agence, Opportunites De Croissance Et Notoriete De L'Auditeur Externe : Une Etude Empirique Du Marche Français," Post-Print halshs-00587501, HAL.
    9. Torbj�rn Tagesson & Nicoletta Glinatsi & Martina Prahl, 2015. "Procurement of audit services in the municipal sector: the impact of competition," Public Money & Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 35(4), pages 273-280, July.
    10. Manuel Cano Rodríguez & Santiago Sánchez Alegría, 2012. "The value of audit quality in public and private companies: evidence from Spain," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 16(4), pages 683-706, November.
    11. Charles Piot, 2001. "Agency costs and audit quality: evidence from France," European Accounting Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 10(3), pages 461-499.
    12. Sophie Audousset-Coulier, 2015. "Audit Fees in a Joint Audit Setting," European Accounting Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(2), pages 347-377, June.
    13. Adam Esplin & Karim Jamal & Shyam Sunder, 2018. "Demand for and Assessment of Audit Quality in Private Companies," Abacus, Accounting Foundation, University of Sydney, vol. 54(3), pages 319-352, September.
    14. Sarhan, Ahmed A. & Ntim, Collins G. & Al-Najjar, Basil, 2019. "Antecedents of audit quality in MENA countries: The effect of firm- and country-level governance quality," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 35(C), pages 85-107.
    15. Arrunada, Benito & Paz-Ares, Candido, 1997. "Mandatory rotation of company auditors: A critical examination," International Review of Law and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 17(1), pages 31-61, March.
    16. van Lent, L.A.G.M., 1999. "Incomplete contracting theory in empirical accounting research," Other publications TiSEM 088f797d-9fa4-4081-98f4-1, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    17. Knechel, W. Robert & Thomas, Edward & Driskill, Matthew, 2020. "Understanding financial auditing from a service perspective," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    18. Brähler, Gernot & Brune, Philipp & Göttsche, Max, 2011. "Determinanten der Prüfungshonorare von Unternehmen aus der Medienbranche - eine empirische Untersuchung unter Einsatz einer Regressionsanalyse," Ilmenauer Schriften zur Betriebswirtschaftslehre, Technische Universität Ilmenau, Institut für Betriebswirtschaftslehre, volume 9, number 92011.
    19. Michael Peel & Roydon Roberts, 2003. "Audit fee determinants and auditor premiums: evidence from the micro-firm sub-market," Accounting and Business Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 33(3), pages 207-233.
    20. Vivien Beattie & Alan Goodacre & Ken Pratt & Joanna Stevenson, 2001. "The determinants of audit fees—evidence from the voluntary sector," Accounting and Business Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 31(4), pages 243-274.

    More about this item

    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:taf:acctbr:v:35:y:2005:i:1:p:53-67. 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: Chris Longhurst (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.tandfonline.com/RABR20 .

    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.