The coherence of the auditor-client relationship quality and auditor tenure with client’s perceptions on added-value in SME audits: a sociological perspective

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is gaining more insight into the impact of the strength of the auditor–client relationship on the client’s perceptions about added-value of the auditor service including the role of auditor tenure. Design/methodology/approach - This study is based on both archival data (auditor tenure) and interview data (strength of the auditor–client relationship and client’s perceptions on added-value). The data comprise 497 small- and medium-sized entity (SME) audit engagements in The Netherlands. Findings - This study finds evidence of a positive relationship between the strength of the auditor–client relationship and client’s perceptions on added-value. The data do not suggest a main effect of auditor tenure on client’s perceptions on added-value. This study finds evidence that auditor tenure, combined with the strength of the auditor–client relationship, has a strong positive influence on the perceived added-value. Therefore, this study argues that a longer tenure turns out to positively influence the auditor’s client-specific knowledge. The findings are relevant to auditing research by extending the scope of application of social exchange theory (SET) to SME settings, and by suggesting that the auditor–client relationship may capture more an audit quality dimension than auditor tenure. Findings are also relevant for audit practitioners in showing the contribution of a strong auditor–client relationship to client satisfaction in terms of perceived added-value. Standard setters may consider the results of this study in proper designing a specific auditing standard for smaller, less complex entities. Originality/value - This study fits into a development in auditing research where auditing is viewed as a service. Prior studies in this area were mainly build on marketing concepts (e.g. Grönroos 2007). This study uses a sociological lens, particularly building on SET. In particular, this study focuses on the impact of relationship quality on perceived added value. Using this perspective sheds light on the importance of interactions between auditors and their clients. Both the product (audit opinion) and the process of collecting sufficient appropriate audit evidence in interaction with the client are important. This relationship perspective may serve as an explanation to why long auditor tenure can turn out to improve audit quality. Future research may build on this sociological perspective and particularly examine what conditions need to be present to realize benefits of the relationship approach and when a more transactional approach is more suitable.