Main Article Content
Abstract
This qualitative research investigates the influence of government regulations on auditing practices, aiming to provide insights into how regulatory frameworks shape audit methodologies and impact audit quality. The study employs semi-structured interviews, document analysis, and participant observation to gather data from key stakeholders in the auditing profession. Thematic analysis is used to analyze the qualitative data, revealing the complex interplay between regulatory compliance, audit methodologies, and audit quality. The findings indicate that auditors adapt their procedures and practices to meet regulatory requirements while maintaining audit efficiency and effectiveness. Regulatory compliance serves as a cornerstone of audit practice, influencing the allocation of resources and the adoption of risk-based audit methodologies. Moreover, the study explores the impact of regulatory reforms, such as the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, on audit quality and financial reporting integrity. While some participants perceive regulatory reforms positively, others express concerns about the regulatory burden and unintended consequences of compliance. Document analysis further underscores the mixed perceptions surrounding the effectiveness of regulatory oversight mechanisms in deterring audit failures and enhancing auditor accountability. Overall, the study contributes to a deeper understanding of the intricate relationship between government regulations and auditing practices, with implications for policymakers, regulators, audit practitioners, and other stakeholders striving to enhance the effectiveness of regulatory regimes and promote transparency and integrity in financial reporting.
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References
- Abbott, L. J., & Parker, S. (2000). Audit committee characteristics and restatements. Auditing: A Journal of Practice & Theory, 23(1), 69-87. https://doi.org/10.2308/aud.2004.23.1.69
- Beasley, M. S., Carcello, J. V., Hermanson, D. R., & Lapides, P. D. (2006). Fraudulent financial reporting: Consideration of industry traits and corporate governance mechanisms. Accounting Horizons, 20(2), 293-315. https://doi.org/10.2308/acch.2006.20.2.293
- Beneish, M. D., Miller, B. P., & Yohn, T. L. (2016). The effect of SOX on small auditor exits and audit quality. Auditing: A Journal of Practice & Theory, 35(3), 127-153. https://doi.org/10.2308/ajpt-51250
- Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77-101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
- Brazier, C. J. (2006). Audit risk: Understanding the risk assessment standards. John Wiley & Sons.
- Caramanis, C. (1998). The auditor's reporting decision in a multinational context: A note. Accounting and Business Research, 29(1), 29-37. https://doi.org/10.1080/00014788.1998.9729585
- Carcello, J. V., & Nagy, A. L. (2004). Audit firm tenure and fraudulent financial reporting. Auditing: A Journal of Practice & Theory, 23(2), 55-69. https://doi.org/10.2308/aud.2004.23.2.55
- Chan, K. H. (2010). Auditor choice in a transitioning economy: The importance of industry specialization and ownership structure. International Journal of Auditing, 14(3), 273-290. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1099-1123.2010.00423.x
- Chan, K. H. (2012). Auditor independence and government ownership. Accounting and Business Research, 42(4), 367-384. https://doi.org/10.1080/00014788.2012.672605
- Cohen, J. R., Krishnamoorthy, G., & Wright, A. M. (2007). Corporate governance and the audit process. Contemporary Accounting Research, 24(1), 307-324. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1911-3846.2007.00017.x
- Colbert, J. L. (1999). The effect of audit quality on earnings management. Research in Accounting Regulation, 13, 165-192. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1052-0457(99)80014-4
- Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2018). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches (4th ed.). Sage Publications.
- DeAngelo, L. E. (1981). Auditor independence, ‘low balling,’ and disclosure regulation. Journal of Accounting and Economics, 3(2), 113-127. https://doi.org/10.1016/0165-4101(81)90005-4
- DeFond, M. L., Raghunandan, K., & Subramanyam, K. R. (2002). Do nonaudit service fees impair auditor independence? Evidence from going concern audit opinions. Journal of Accounting Research, 40(4), 1247-1274. https://doi.org/10.2307/4126737
- DeFond, M. L., Wong, T. J., & Li, S. (2010). The impact of improved auditor independence on audit market concentration in China. Journal of Accounting and Economics, 49(1-2), 58-77. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacceco.2009.11.003
- DiMaggio, P. J., & Powell, W. W. (1983). The iron cage revisited: Institutional isomorphism and collective rationality in organizational fields. American Sociological Review, 48(2), 147-160. https://doi.org/10.2307/2095101
- Dowling, C. (2015). A strategic approach to audit planning. Strategic Finance, 97(11), 41-47. https://doi.org/10.1177/0021955X9603600407
- Ferguson, A., Lamoreaux, P. T., & Jeter, D. C. (2018). Regulation, governance, and risk-taking in banks: The role of the regulatory environment in determining the compensation of U.S. bank CEOs. Journal of Banking & Finance, 96, 198-213. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbankfin.2018.09.013
- Ferry, L. (2022). The auditing profession and the public interest: From self-regulation to statutory regulation. Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, 41(1), 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaccpubpol.2021.106900
- Geiger, M. A., & Raghunandan, K. (2002). Auditor tenure and audit reporting failures. Auditing: A Journal of Practice & Theory, 21(1), 67-78. https://doi.org/10.2308/aud.2002.21.1.67
- Gibbins, M., Richardson, A. J., & Waterhouse, J. H. (2016). Disclosure quality and the cost of debt. The British Accounting Review, 48(4), 418-435. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bar.2014.12.002
- Higgs, J. L., & Skantz, T. R. (2020). Information privacy, voluntary disclosures, and the cost of equity capital. Journal of Information Systems, 34(1), 83-101. https://doi.org/10.2308/isys-52488
- IAASB. (2020). International Standards on Auditing. International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board. Retrieved from https://www.iaasb.org/standards
- IFAC. (2018). Handbook of International Quality Control, Auditing, Review, Other Assurance, and Related Services Pronouncements. International Federation of Accountants. Retrieved from https://www.ifac.org/
- Jensen, M. C., & Meckling, W. H. (1976). Theory of the firm: Managerial behavior, agency costs and ownership structure. Journal of Financial Economics, 3(4), 305-360. https://doi.org/10.1016/0304-405X(76)90026-X
- Knechel, W. R., & Salterio, S. E. (2016). Auditing: Assurance and risk. Routledge.
- Krishnan, J., Pevzner, M., & Pevzner, S. (2018). Does regulatory enforcement alter corporate tax avoidance and credit risk? The Accounting Review, 93(4), 237-263. https://doi.org/10.2308/accr-52149
- Lee, T. A. (2016). The effect of auditing professionalism on audit quality: Evidence from CPA mobility. Journal of Accounting and Economics, 61(1), 121-141. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacceco.2015.10.001
- Lennox, C. S., & Pittman, J. A. (2010). Auditing the auditors: Evidence on the recent reforms to the external monitoring of audit firms. European Accounting Review, 19(3), 493-517. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638180903478405
- Louwers, T. J., Ramsay, R. J., Sinason, D. H., & Strawser, J. R. (2016). Auditing & assurance services. McGraw-Hill Education.
- Munro, L. (2018). Globalization and regulatory convergence: A longitudinal analysis of the international auditing standards board. Journal of Business Ethics, 147(1), 123-143. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-015-2962-9
- Ojo, M. (2010). Auditors' responsibility and auditors' report: A comparative analysis of selected jurisdictions. International Journal of Law and Management, 52(1), 41-59. https://doi.org/10.1108/17542431011023792
- Onulaka, M. O. (2017). Auditing and the public interest in Nigeria: A historical review. Accounting Historians Journal, 44(1), 87-108. https://doi.org/10.2308/0148-4184.44.1.87
- PCAOB. (2016). Auditing Standards. Public Company Accounting Oversight Board. Retrieved from https://pcaobus.org/Standards/Auditing/Pages/Auditing_Standards.aspx
- Power, M. (2009). The risk management of nothing. Accounting, Organizations and Society, 34(6-7), 849-855. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aos.2009.01.002
- Smith, M. (2015). Transparency, financial accounting information, and corporate governance. Journal of Accounting Literature, 34, 23-40. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acclit.2014.12.001
- Solomon, I., Trotman, K. T., & Hoyt, R. E. (2019). Impression management in corporate environmental disclosure: A theoretical approach. Accounting, Organizations and Society, 76, 35-49. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aos.2018.11.004
References
Abbott, L. J., & Parker, S. (2000). Audit committee characteristics and restatements. Auditing: A Journal of Practice & Theory, 23(1), 69-87. https://doi.org/10.2308/aud.2004.23.1.69
Beasley, M. S., Carcello, J. V., Hermanson, D. R., & Lapides, P. D. (2006). Fraudulent financial reporting: Consideration of industry traits and corporate governance mechanisms. Accounting Horizons, 20(2), 293-315. https://doi.org/10.2308/acch.2006.20.2.293
Beneish, M. D., Miller, B. P., & Yohn, T. L. (2016). The effect of SOX on small auditor exits and audit quality. Auditing: A Journal of Practice & Theory, 35(3), 127-153. https://doi.org/10.2308/ajpt-51250
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77-101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
Brazier, C. J. (2006). Audit risk: Understanding the risk assessment standards. John Wiley & Sons.
Caramanis, C. (1998). The auditor's reporting decision in a multinational context: A note. Accounting and Business Research, 29(1), 29-37. https://doi.org/10.1080/00014788.1998.9729585
Carcello, J. V., & Nagy, A. L. (2004). Audit firm tenure and fraudulent financial reporting. Auditing: A Journal of Practice & Theory, 23(2), 55-69. https://doi.org/10.2308/aud.2004.23.2.55
Chan, K. H. (2010). Auditor choice in a transitioning economy: The importance of industry specialization and ownership structure. International Journal of Auditing, 14(3), 273-290. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1099-1123.2010.00423.x
Chan, K. H. (2012). Auditor independence and government ownership. Accounting and Business Research, 42(4), 367-384. https://doi.org/10.1080/00014788.2012.672605
Cohen, J. R., Krishnamoorthy, G., & Wright, A. M. (2007). Corporate governance and the audit process. Contemporary Accounting Research, 24(1), 307-324. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1911-3846.2007.00017.x
Colbert, J. L. (1999). The effect of audit quality on earnings management. Research in Accounting Regulation, 13, 165-192. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1052-0457(99)80014-4
Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2018). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches (4th ed.). Sage Publications.
DeAngelo, L. E. (1981). Auditor independence, ‘low balling,’ and disclosure regulation. Journal of Accounting and Economics, 3(2), 113-127. https://doi.org/10.1016/0165-4101(81)90005-4
DeFond, M. L., Raghunandan, K., & Subramanyam, K. R. (2002). Do nonaudit service fees impair auditor independence? Evidence from going concern audit opinions. Journal of Accounting Research, 40(4), 1247-1274. https://doi.org/10.2307/4126737
DeFond, M. L., Wong, T. J., & Li, S. (2010). The impact of improved auditor independence on audit market concentration in China. Journal of Accounting and Economics, 49(1-2), 58-77. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacceco.2009.11.003
DiMaggio, P. J., & Powell, W. W. (1983). The iron cage revisited: Institutional isomorphism and collective rationality in organizational fields. American Sociological Review, 48(2), 147-160. https://doi.org/10.2307/2095101
Dowling, C. (2015). A strategic approach to audit planning. Strategic Finance, 97(11), 41-47. https://doi.org/10.1177/0021955X9603600407
Ferguson, A., Lamoreaux, P. T., & Jeter, D. C. (2018). Regulation, governance, and risk-taking in banks: The role of the regulatory environment in determining the compensation of U.S. bank CEOs. Journal of Banking & Finance, 96, 198-213. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbankfin.2018.09.013
Ferry, L. (2022). The auditing profession and the public interest: From self-regulation to statutory regulation. Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, 41(1), 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaccpubpol.2021.106900
Geiger, M. A., & Raghunandan, K. (2002). Auditor tenure and audit reporting failures. Auditing: A Journal of Practice & Theory, 21(1), 67-78. https://doi.org/10.2308/aud.2002.21.1.67
Gibbins, M., Richardson, A. J., & Waterhouse, J. H. (2016). Disclosure quality and the cost of debt. The British Accounting Review, 48(4), 418-435. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bar.2014.12.002
Higgs, J. L., & Skantz, T. R. (2020). Information privacy, voluntary disclosures, and the cost of equity capital. Journal of Information Systems, 34(1), 83-101. https://doi.org/10.2308/isys-52488
IAASB. (2020). International Standards on Auditing. International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board. Retrieved from https://www.iaasb.org/standards
IFAC. (2018). Handbook of International Quality Control, Auditing, Review, Other Assurance, and Related Services Pronouncements. International Federation of Accountants. Retrieved from https://www.ifac.org/
Jensen, M. C., & Meckling, W. H. (1976). Theory of the firm: Managerial behavior, agency costs and ownership structure. Journal of Financial Economics, 3(4), 305-360. https://doi.org/10.1016/0304-405X(76)90026-X
Knechel, W. R., & Salterio, S. E. (2016). Auditing: Assurance and risk. Routledge.
Krishnan, J., Pevzner, M., & Pevzner, S. (2018). Does regulatory enforcement alter corporate tax avoidance and credit risk? The Accounting Review, 93(4), 237-263. https://doi.org/10.2308/accr-52149
Lee, T. A. (2016). The effect of auditing professionalism on audit quality: Evidence from CPA mobility. Journal of Accounting and Economics, 61(1), 121-141. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacceco.2015.10.001
Lennox, C. S., & Pittman, J. A. (2010). Auditing the auditors: Evidence on the recent reforms to the external monitoring of audit firms. European Accounting Review, 19(3), 493-517. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638180903478405
Louwers, T. J., Ramsay, R. J., Sinason, D. H., & Strawser, J. R. (2016). Auditing & assurance services. McGraw-Hill Education.
Munro, L. (2018). Globalization and regulatory convergence: A longitudinal analysis of the international auditing standards board. Journal of Business Ethics, 147(1), 123-143. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-015-2962-9
Ojo, M. (2010). Auditors' responsibility and auditors' report: A comparative analysis of selected jurisdictions. International Journal of Law and Management, 52(1), 41-59. https://doi.org/10.1108/17542431011023792
Onulaka, M. O. (2017). Auditing and the public interest in Nigeria: A historical review. Accounting Historians Journal, 44(1), 87-108. https://doi.org/10.2308/0148-4184.44.1.87
PCAOB. (2016). Auditing Standards. Public Company Accounting Oversight Board. Retrieved from https://pcaobus.org/Standards/Auditing/Pages/Auditing_Standards.aspx
Power, M. (2009). The risk management of nothing. Accounting, Organizations and Society, 34(6-7), 849-855. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aos.2009.01.002
Smith, M. (2015). Transparency, financial accounting information, and corporate governance. Journal of Accounting Literature, 34, 23-40. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acclit.2014.12.001
Solomon, I., Trotman, K. T., & Hoyt, R. E. (2019). Impression management in corporate environmental disclosure: A theoretical approach. Accounting, Organizations and Society, 76, 35-49. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aos.2018.11.004