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Audit committee financial expertise, corporate governance, and the voluntary switch from auditor-provided to non-auditor-provided tax services

Author

Listed:
  • Albring, Susan
  • Robinson, Dahlia
  • Robinson, Michael

Abstract

A prime objective of the SOX is to safeguard auditor independence. We investigate the relation between audit committee quality, corporate governance, and audit committees' decision to switch from permissible auditor-provided tax services. We find that firms with more independent boards, audit committees with greater accounting financial expertise, higher stock ownership by directors and institutions, that separate the CEO and Chairman of the board positions, and with higher tax to audit fee ratios are more likely to switch to a non-auditor provider. Further, we document that firms are more likely to switch prior to issuing equity. We find no evidence that broad financial expertise on audit committees is related to the switch decision, suggesting that the SEC's initial narrow definition of expertise is more consistent with the objective of the SOX. Overall, our results suggest that accounting financial expertise and strong corporate governance contribute to enhanced audit committee monitoring of auditor independence.

Suggested Citation

  • Albring, Susan & Robinson, Dahlia & Robinson, Michael, 2014. "Audit committee financial expertise, corporate governance, and the voluntary switch from auditor-provided to non-auditor-provided tax services," Advances in accounting, Elsevier, vol. 30(1), pages 81-94.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:advacc:v:30:y:2014:i:1:p:81-94
    DOI: 10.1016/j.adiac.2013.12.007
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    2. Seraj Hamed Bahrawe & Harashid Haron & Ali Nawari Bin Hasan, 2016. "Corporate Governance and Auditor Independence in Saudi Arabia: Literature Review and Proposed Conceptual Framework," International Business Research, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 9(11), pages 1-15, November.
    3. Samuel Akpovwre Eyenubo & Mudzamir Mohammed & Mohammad Ali, 2017. "Audit Committee Effectiveness of Financial Reporting Quality in Listed companies in Nigeria Stock Exchange," International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, Human Resource Management Academic Research Society, International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, vol. 7(6), pages 487-505, June.
    4. Liang, Deron & Lu, Chia-Chi & Tsai, Chih-Fong & Shih, Guan-An, 2016. "Financial ratios and corporate governance indicators in bankruptcy prediction: A comprehensive study," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 252(2), pages 561-572.
    5. Hidaya Lawati & Khaled Hussainey & Roza Sagitova, 2021. "Disclosure quality vis-à-vis disclosure quantity: Does audit committee matter in Omani financial institutions?," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 57(2), pages 557-594, August.
    6. Zalata, Alaa Mansour & Tauringana, Venancio & Tingbani, Ishmael, 2018. "Audit committee financial expertise, gender, and earnings management: Does gender of the financial expert matter?," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 170-183.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Auditor-provided tax service; Auditor independence; Audit committee expert;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G14 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Information and Market Efficiency; Event Studies; Insider Trading
    • G34 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Mergers; Acquisitions; Restructuring; Corporate Governance

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