Knowledge sharing via common auditors: evidence from corporate R&D investment

Purpose - Despite the importance of research and development (R&D), information on its value is not readily available to managers. This study aims to explore the role of common auditors, who audit multiple peer firms in the product market, in clients’ R&D investment decisions. This study highlights common auditors as information intermediaries who affect corporate R&D investment, focusing on the importance of knowledge resources in R&D investment and the limited ability of peers’ public information to communicate the value of R&D. Design/methodology/approach - This study employs pairwise data of firm-peer-year observations to identify a common auditor who provides audit services to the focal firm and its peer firm. This study examines how a firm’s R&D investment changes when the firm’s incumbent auditor provides audit services to peers and analyzes various factors that moderate the effect of common auditors. Findings - Peer firms audited by the same auditor make similar R&D investment decisions. This effect is more pronounced when the auditor specializes more in auditing R&D, when the auditor has a long-term client relationship, and when the firms exhibit a higher level of demand for incremental information relevant to R&D investment. Consistent with the beneficial role of common auditors, firms that are more responsive to auditor-provided information engage more actively in innovation activities in subsequent years. Originality/value - This study deepens the understanding of how networks created by common auditors facilitate information flow among client firms and shape these firms’ R&D investment decisions.