scholarly journals An empirical analysis of the effect of audit quality on financial reporting fraud

2012 ◽  
Vol 9 (4-4) ◽  
pp. 391-399
Author(s):  
Fujen Daniel Hsiao ◽  
Jerry W. Lin ◽  
Joon S. Yang

Several highly publicized financial reporting fraud cases (e.g., Enron, Tyco International, and WorldCom) have put the role of external auditors and quality of their audit in ensuring corporate financial reporting quality under considerable scrutiny. Much research has been conducted on the determinants of earnings management. Since earnings management is inherently unobservable, most studies use various measures of accruals as proxies for earnings management. This study examines the relationship between audit quality and a more direct measure of earnings management – financial reporting fraud. Contrary to the concerns that nonaudit services are the primary reason for auditor independence impairment that results in lower audit and earnings quality, this study finds no significant relationship between reporting fraud and fees paid to auditors for various services.

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 25-35
Author(s):  
Citrawati Jatiningrum ◽  
Fauzi ◽  
Rita Irviani ◽  
Mujiyati ◽  
Shahanif Hasan

Purpose of study: This study sought to investigate the effect of the audit committee on Financial Reporting Quality (FRQ), explicitly focuses on the period pre- and post-mandatory IFRS adoption in Malaysia. The Financial Reporting Quality in this study proxied by earnings management. Malaysian. Methodology: The sample study has covered 81 listed companies on Bursa Malaysia, with 567 observations, which examined the time of 2009 to 2015. The relationship was analyzed by statistical multiple regression linear methods and also examined the significance of differences between pre and post IFRS adoption by paired sample t-test. Result: The main finding reveals that the relationship between the audit committee and financial reporting quality after IFRS adoption in Malaysia has more significant. However, empirical evidence showed that the post period of mandatory IFRS evidently no significant difference level of earnings management practice. This result indicates that the IFRS adoption cannot reduce managerial discretion yet and the possibility for EM manipulation for Malaysian companies. Implication/Application: This finding has critical implications for regulators and policymakers, that the consequences of IFRS adoption do not increase the quality of financial reporting when EM practices still continue in the different forms. Novelty/Originality of this study: This study gives empirical evidence that there are differences in relationship level between audit quality and earnings management in the period before and after IFRS mandatory adoption in Malaysia companies.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sana Mardessi

Purpose The purpose of this study is to address the impact of audit quality on financial reporting quality proxied by real earnings management. To further clarify the mentioned links, this study empirically assesses the moderating effect of audit quality. Design/methodology/approach The study is based on a sample consisting of 90 non-financial companies that are listed in the Amsterdam stock exchange in AEX all share index over the 2010–2017 period. This study applies a quantitative approach and secondary data as the main source of information for analysis. This paper performs an ordinary least squares regression to examine the moderating effect of audit quality on the relationship between financial reporting quality. Findings Empirical findings demonstrate that corporate governance mechanism, mainly independence members, financial expert and audit committee size has a statistically significant relationship with real earnings management. However, the effect of audit committee meetings on real earnings management is not significant. There is also evidence that audit quality moderates the audit committee – real earnings management links. Originality/value This study extends the existing literature by examining the moderating effect of audit quality on the relationship between financial reporting quality proxied by real earnings management in the Dutch context.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 67
Author(s):  
Auwalu Musa

This study examines the role of International Financial Reporting Standards on financial reporting quality and the global convergence. The IFRS adoption is already an issue of global relevance across countries of the world due to the quest for uniformity, reliability and comparability of financial statements of companies. The adoption of IFRS in Europe is an example of accounting quality across-borders with different institutional frameworks and enforcement rules. This allows investigating whether, and to what extent accounting regulation per se can affect the quality of financial reporting and leads to convergence in financial reporting. Specifically, the study review how the change in the recognition and measurement of firms operating accrual item, the loan loss provision, affects income smoothing behaviour and timely loss recognition. The study found that the IFRS convergence reduces the scope for earnings management, is related to more timely loss recognition and leads to more value relevant accounting measures. Thus, the study reviews background and guidance on the change in financial reporting quality following extensive IFRS adoption around the world countries. The study found that a difference in accounting quality is related to country’s overall infrastructure setting. The study also highlights the importance of investor protection for financial reporting quality and the need for regulators to design mechanisms that limit managers' earnings management practice. The study found from different literatures that the adoption of IFRS leads to higher quality of accounting numbers and improve foreign direct investment across countries.


2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 19-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sana Mardessi Masmoudi

The purposes of this study are to shed light, on the one hand, on the effect of audit committee characteristics, namely independent members in audit committee, a financial expert in audit committee, frequency of meetings and audit committee size on financial reporting quality proxied by real earnings management. On the other hand, it aims to investigate the moderating role of audit quality in the relationship between audit committee characteristics and financial reporting quality. The objective is to contribute to the new evidence on the role of audit committee characteristics towards the financial reporting quality with audit quality as a moderator, particularly the appointment of Big 4 company. This study uses the ordinary least squares (OLS) regression to achieve the research purpose by evaluating the data collected from 90 public listed companies from 2010 to 2019 in the Dutch context. The results state that audit committee characteristics have a statistically significant relationship with real earnings management. However, the effect of audit committee meetings on abnormal operating cash flow and discretionary expenses is not significant. There is also evidence that audit quality positively moderates the audit committee and real earnings management links. Lastly, the findings of this study will help professional accountancy bodies and governments to highlight the relevance of earnings management in safeguarding trustworthy financial information, owners’ wealth and to enhance audit committee characteristics in improving audit quality, especially after the enforcement of the Dutch Corporate Governance Code in 2016.


2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 185-221
Author(s):  
Nor Irdawati Mahyuddin ◽  

"This paper aims to empirically investigate firms’ earnings management (EM) behaviour, representing an issue in the realm of corporate financial reporting. Specifically, it explores the strategic roles of two common governance elements of ownership (managerial, institutional and family) and external audit in shaping the firms’ EM behaviour based on the two common EM attributes of Discretionary Accruals (DA) and Real Activities EM (REM). The analyses based on 227 survived Malaysian listed firms throughout the sixteen-year period from 2001 to 2016 (3,632 firm-year observations) indicate a dynamic EM behaviour depending on the presence of different ownership structures. Whilst a high percentage of family and institutional ownership mitigates DA, it however does not hold true for REM. Further, this paper also shows that the external control mechanism of audit quality is not significant in mitigating both EM attributes. The empirical results suggest that firms facing different challenges would affect the firms’ financial reporting behaviours in their choice of EM. The paper adds to the growing body of empirical knowledge dealing with the determinants of DA and REM from the lens of an emerging economy like Malaysia. KEYWORDS: Earnings management, discretionary accruals, real earnings management, accrual earnings management, financial reporting quality."


2009 ◽  
Vol 84 (4) ◽  
pp. 1255-1280 ◽  
Author(s):  
Douglas F. Prawitt ◽  
Jason L. Smith ◽  
David A. Wood

ABSTRACT: Internal auditors perform work that is relevant to their host entities' financial reporting processes; yet, little research attention has focused on the effects of internal auditing on companies' external financial reporting. Using a unique and previously unavailable data set, we investigate the relation between internal audit function (IAF) quality and earnings management. We measure IAF quality using a composite measure comprising six individual components of IAF quality based on SAS No. 65, which guides external auditors in assessing the quality of an IAF with respect to its role in financial reporting. Earnings management is measured using two separate proxies: (1) abnormal accruals and (2) the propensity to meet or barely beat analysts' earnings forecasts. We find evidence that IAF quality is associated with a moderation in the level of earnings management as measured by both proxies.


2010 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 108-116
Author(s):  
Hafiza Aishah Hashim ◽  
Susela Devi Suppiah

This paper examines the relationship between the role of non-executive (independent) chairman and the quality of reported earnings. Recent corporate governance reforms recommend firms to appoint an independent leader to ensure the success of a split leadership structure (The Combined Code on corporate Governance, 2006; Higgs Report, 2003). Research on leadership structure to date has tended to focus solely on role duality and find weak or insignificance relationship between role duality and financial reporting quality. Although separating the roles of the chairman and the CEO seems appropriate, researcher argue that it would not necessarily lead to independence of the board if the chairman is not independent. Consistent with recent recommendations to strengthen board leadership by appointing an independent chair, this study evidences a positive and significant association between non-executive chairman and earnings quality in Malaysia. The study suggests that the non-executive status of the chairman is an important mechanism in enhancing the board‟s independence, thus improving earnings quality.


Author(s):  
Phung Anh Thu ◽  
Nguyen Vinh Khuong

The investigation was conducted to contribute empirical evidence of the association between going concern and financial reporting quality of listed firms on the Vietnam stock market. Based on data from 279 companies listed on the HNX and HOSE exchanges in Vietnam for the period 2009-2015, the quantitative research. Results found that the relationship between the going concern and financial reporting quality of listed firms. Research results are significant for investors, regulators to the transparency of financial reporting information. Keywords Going concern, financial reporting quality, listed firms References Agrawal, K., & Chatterjee, C. (2015). Earnings management and financial distress: Evidence from India. Global Business Review, 16(5_suppl), 140S-154S.Bergstresser, D., & Philippon, T. (2006). CEO incentives and earnings management. Journal of Financial Economics, 80(3), 511–529.Burgstahler, D., & Dichev, I. (1997). Earnings management to avoid earnings decreases and losses. Journal of Accounting and Economics, 24(1), 99–126.Charitou, A., Lambertides, N., & Trigeorgis, L. (2007a). Earnings behaviour of financially distressed firms: The role of institutional ownership. Abacus, 43(3), 271–296.Chen, Y., Chen, C., & Huang, S. (2010). An appraisal of financially distressed companies’ earnings management: Evidence from listed companies in China. Pacific Accounting Review, 22(1), 22–41Dechow, P., & Dichev, I. (2002). The Quality of Accruals and Earnings: The Role of Accrual Estimation Errors. The Accounting Review, 77, 35-59.DeFond, M., & Jiambalvo, J. (1994). Debt covenant violation and manipulation of accruals. Journal of Accounting and Economics, 17(1), 145–176.DeFond, M.L., & Park, C.W. (1997). Smoothing income in anticipation of future earnings. Journal of Accounting and Economics, 23(2), 115–139.Dichev, I., & Skinner, D. (2004). Large sample evidence on the debt covenant hypothesis. Journal of Accounting Research, 40(4), 1091–1123.Đinh Thị Thu T., Nguyễn Vĩnh K. (2016). Tác động của hành vi điều chỉnh thu nhập đến khả năng hoạt động liên tục trong kế toán: Nghiên cứu thực nghiệm cho các doanh nghiệp niêm yết tại Việt Nam, Tạp chí phát triển khoa học và công nghệ, Quí 3, tr.96-108.Đỗ Thị Vân Trang (2015). Các mô hình đánh giá chất lượng báo cáo tài chính, Tạp chí chứng khoán Việt Nam, 200, tr 18-21.Habib, A., Uddin Bhuiyan, B., & Islam, A. (2013). Financial distress, earnings management and market pricing of accruals during the global financial crisis. Managerial Finance, 39(2), 155-180.Jaggi, B., & Lee, P. (2002). Earnings management response to debt covenant violations and debt restructuring. Journal of Accounting, Auditing & Finance, 17(4), 295–324.Kasznik, R., (1999). On the association between voluntary disclosure and earnings management. Journal of accounting research, 37(1), pp.57-81.Lu, J. (1999). An empirical study of earnings management by loss-making listed Chinese companies. KuaijiYanjiu (Accounting Research), (9), 25–35.McNichols, M.F. and Stubben, S.R., (2008). Does earnings management affect firms’ investment decisions?. The accounting review, 83(6), pp.1571-1603.Selahudin, N.F., Zakaria, N.B., & Sanusi, Z.M. (2014). Remodelling the earnings management with the appear- ance of leverage, financial distress and free cash flow: Malaysia and Thailand evidences. Journal of Applied Sciences, 14(21), 2644–2661.Skinner, D.J., & Sloan, R. (2002). Earnings surprises, growth expectations, and stock returns or don’t let an earnings torpedo sink your portfolio. Review of Accounting Studies, 7(2/3), 289–312.Sweeney, A.P., (1994). Debt-covenant violations and managers' accounting responses. Journal of Accounting & Economics, 17(3): 281-308.Trần Thị Thùy Linh, Mai Hoàng Hạnh (2015). Chất lượng báo cáo tài chính và kỳ hạn nợ ảnh hưởng đến hiệu quả hoạt động của doanh nghiệp Việt Nam, Tạp chí phát triển kinh tế, 10, tr.27-50.Trương Thị Thùy Dương (2017). Nâng cao chất lượng báo cáo tài chính công ty đại chúng, Tạp chí tài chính, 1(3), tr.55-56.Uwuigbe, Ranti, Bernard, (2015). Assessment of the effects of firm’s characteristics on earnings management of listed firms in Nigeria, Asian Economic and Financial Review,5(2):218-228.


2011 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 287 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nurul Nazlia Jamil ◽  
Sherliza Puat Nelson

Financial reporting quality has been under scrutiny especially after the collapse of major companies. The main objective of this study is to investigate the audit committee’s effectiveness on the financial reporting quality among the Malaysian GLCs following the transformation program. In particular, the study examined the impact of audit committee characteristics (independence, size, frequency of meeting and financial expertise) on earnings management in periods prior to and following the transformation program (2003-2009). As of 31 December 2010, there were 33 public-listed companies categorized as Government-Linked Companies (GLC Transformation Policy, 2010) and there were 20 firms that have complete data that resulted in the total number of firm-year observations to 120 for six years (years 2003-2009).  Results show that the magnitude of earnings management as proxy of financial reporting quality is influenced by the audit committee independence. Agency theory was applied to explain audit committee, as a monitoring mechanism as well as reducing agency costs via gaining competitive advantage in knowledge, skills, and expertise towards financial reporting quality. The study is important as it provides additional knowledge about the impact of audit committees effectiveness on reducing the earnings management, and assist practitioners, policymakers and regulators such as Malaysian Institute of Accountants, Securities Commission and government to determine ways to enhance audit committees effectiveness and improve the financial reporting of GLCs, as well as improving the quality of the accounting profession.     


Author(s):  
Lars Helge Hass ◽  
Monika Tarsalewska

Financial intermediaries such as venture capitalists (VCs) not only provide financing, they also play an active role in firm governance and in financial practices before a firm goes public. Venture capitalists are actively engaged in monitoring and advising their portfolio firms. Thus, one also expects them to exert significant influence over the development of financial reporting practices. This chapter reviews recent literature and empirical evidence on VCs and financial reporting quality in newly public firms. It surveys the role of VCs in such activities as earnings management. In particular, it discusses how their monitoring activities and reputation can impact how their portfolio firms establish financial reporting practices. Subsequently, it also reviews the consequences of misreporting, and whether they affect VC behavior ex ante. Finally, the chapter uses recent data to provide empirical evidence on the effect of VCs on accrual and real earnings management.


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