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Audit Team Attributes Matter: How Diversity Affects Audit Quality

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  • Mara Cameran
  • Angelo Ditillo
  • Angela Pettinicchio

Abstract

How audit teams are structured and function plays a crucial role in determining the level of audit service quality. Despite this claim, little empirical research has been conducted on this effect. Using private data from two of the Big 4 audit firms, we fill this gap and document how diversity of audit teams influences audit quality. By combining the existing work in psychology and sociology with that in auditing, we develop our model by arguing that teams are composed not simply of single auditors but of sub-teams of individuals whose various combinations affect team performance. Starting from this premise, we study how the diversity of audit teams in terms of the different mix of work assigned to staff, seniors, managers, and partners influences audit quality and how this effect varies depending upon years of tenure. We also show that the proportion of leading auditors characterized by a common educational background and the percentage of female leading auditors affect audit quality. As an additional analysis, we examine how team diversity affects audit efficiency. The same elements found relevant for audit quality also affect audit efficiency.

Suggested Citation

  • Mara Cameran & Angelo Ditillo & Angela Pettinicchio, 2018. "Audit Team Attributes Matter: How Diversity Affects Audit Quality," European Accounting Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 27(4), pages 595-621, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:euract:v:27:y:2018:i:4:p:595-621
    DOI: 10.1080/09638180.2017.1307131
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    Cited by:

    1. Owusu, Andrews & Zalata, Alaa Mansour, 2023. "Credit rating agency response to appointment of female audit partners: Evidence from the UK," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 50(C).
    2. 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.
    3. Hyoung-Joo Lim & Dafydd Mali, 2024. "An analysis of the effect of audit effort (hours) on stock price volatility: evidence of increasing demand reducing uncertainty," International Journal of Disclosure and Governance, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 21(3), pages 359-375, September.
    4. Bustos-Contell, Elisabeth & Porcuna-Enguix, Luis & Serrano-Madrid, José & Labatut-Serer, Gregorio, 2022. "Female audit team leaders and audit effort," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 140(C), pages 324-331.
    5. Jaehong Lee & Suyon Kim & Eunsoo Kim, 2022. "Environmental Responsibility, Social Responsibility, and Governance from the Perspective of Auditors," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-14, September.
    6. Muhammad Nadeem & Ernest Gyapong & Ammad Ahmed, 2020. "Board gender diversity and environmental, social, and economic value creation: Does family ownership matter?," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(3), pages 1268-1284, March.
    7. 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).
    8. Rita Lamboglia & Daniela Mancini, 2021. "The relationship between auditors’ human capital attributes and the assessment of the control environment," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 25(4), pages 1211-1239, December.
    9. Carrera, Nieves & Mareque, Mercedes, 2023. "Does gender affect qualifying decisions? Evidence from public sector audits," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    10. Asare, Stephen K. & van Brenk, Herman & Demek, Kristina C., 2024. "Evidence on the homogeneity of personality traits within the auditing profession," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    11. Wang, Ying & Liu, Zisen & Wang, Xin, 2022. "The supply of analysts and earnings forecasts," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    12. Kevin Koh & Li Li & Xuejiao Liu & Chunfei Wang, 2023. "The Effect of Audit Partner Diversity on Audit Quality: Evidence from China," Abacus, Accounting Foundation, University of Sydney, vol. 59(1), pages 340-380, March.
    13. Tarek Abdelfattah & Mohamed Elmahgoub & Ahmed A. Elamer, 2021. "Female Audit Partners and Extended Audit Reporting: UK Evidence," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 174(1), pages 177-197, November.

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