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Impact of Partner Change on Audit Quality: An Analysis of Partner and Firm Specialisation Effects

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  • Neal Arthur
  • Medhat Endrawes
  • Shawn Ho

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of audit partner rotation on audit quality and whether industry specialisation moderates such a relationship. The results of this study show that audit partner rotation can enhance audit quality but only when both the incoming audit partner and the audit firm are industry specialists. The results of the study provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of audit partner rotation and auditor industry specialisation practices, and their impact on audit quality. The results have implications for the profession as well as regulators regarding audit partner and audit firm industry specialisation. This is the first study to examine the moderating effect of industry specialisation on the auditor rotation–audit quality relationship at the partner level. The introduction of industry specialisation as a moderating factor provides additional insights into the auditor rotation–audit quality relationship at the partner level.

Suggested Citation

  • 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.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:ausact:v:27:y:2017:i:4:p:368-381
    DOI: 10.1111/auar.12150
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    1. Pornsit Jiraporn & Pandej Chintrakarn & Shenghui Tong & Sirimon Treepongkaruna, 2018. "Does board independence substitute for external audit quality? Evidence from an exogenous regulatory shock," Australian Journal of Management, Australian School of Business, vol. 43(1), pages 27-41, February.
    2. Yihan Guo & Deborah Delaney & Ammad Ahmed, 2020. "Is an Auditor's Propensity to Issue Going Concern Opinions a Valid Measure of Audit Quality?," Australian Accounting Review, CPA Australia, vol. 30(2), pages 144-153, June.
    3. 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.
    4. Stewart Jones & Nurul Alam, 2019. "A machine learning analysis of citation impact among selected Pacific Basin journals," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 59(4), pages 2509-2552, December.
    5. Lin, Hsiao-Lun & Yen, Ai-Ru, 2022. "Auditor rotation, key audit matter disclosures, and financial reporting quality," Advances in accounting, Elsevier, vol. 57(C).

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