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An empirical investigation of the impact of audit and auditor characteristics on auditor performance

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  • Alissa, Walid
  • Capkun, Vedran
  • Jeanjean, Thomas
  • Suca, Nadja

Abstract

We use a unique and confidential database of 15,392 tax audits performed by the Croatian Tax Administration during the 2002–2006 period to examine the impact of task complexity, auditor experience, and auditor effort on audit performance. We provide external validation to prior experimental and analytical research showing that task complexity decreases while auditor experience and effort increase audit performance. We also extend this literature by examining the roles of task complexity and experience in moderating the impact of the effort on audit performance. We find that task complexity mitigates, while experience enhances the positive relationship between auditor effort and performance. However, we also find that auditor experience reinforces the positive effect of auditor effort on performance to a greater degree when complexity is high. Taken together, our findings provide new evidence on how audit and auditor characteristics impact audit performance, and new insight into how task complexity and auditor experience separately and jointly moderate the impact of auditor effort on performance.

Suggested Citation

  • Alissa, Walid & Capkun, Vedran & Jeanjean, Thomas & Suca, Nadja, 2014. "An empirical investigation of the impact of audit and auditor characteristics on auditor performance," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 39(7), pages 495-510.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:aosoci:v:39:y:2014:i:7:p:495-510
    DOI: 10.1016/j.aos.2014.06.003
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Cleston Alexandre dos Santos & Paulo Roberto da Cunha, 2021. "Effect of Trust between the Time Pressure and Complexity in Judging and Decision-Making in Auditing," RAC - Revista de Administração Contemporânea (Journal of Contemporary Administration), ANPAD - Associação Nacional de Pós-Graduação e Pesquisa em Administração, vol. 25(5), pages 200037-2000.
    3. Bucaro, Anthony C., 2019. "Enhancing auditors' critical thinking in audits of complex estimates," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 35-49.
    4. Rita Lamboglia & Daniela Mancini, 2021. "The relationship between auditors’ human capital attributes and the assessment of the control environment," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 25(4), pages 1211-1239, December.
    5. Blaufus, Kay & Lorenz, Daniela & Milde, Michael & Peuthert, Benjamin & Schwäbe, Alexander N., 2022. "Negotiating with the tax auditor: Determinants of tax auditors' negotiation strategy choice and the effect on firms’ tax adjustments," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    6. Florian Hoos & Jorien Louise Pruijssers & Michel W. Lander, 2019. "Who’s Watching? Accountability in Different Audit Regimes and the Effects on Auditors’ Professional Skepticism," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 156(2), pages 563-575, May.
    7. Gholamhossein Mahdavi & Abbas Ali Daryaei, 2016. "Auditing marketing and corporate governance," International Journal of Business Forecasting and Marketing Intelligence, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 2(3), pages 190-214.
    8. Skoczylas-Tworek Agnieszka, 2022. "Internal Audit as a Tool to Reduce the Risk of Fraud and Abuse," Journal of Intercultural Management, Sciendo, vol. 14(4), pages 4-20, December.
    9. Blaufus, Kay & Schöndube, Jens Robert & Wielenberg, Stefan, 2020. "Strategic interactions between tax and statutory auditors and different information regimes: Implications for tax audit efficiency," arqus Discussion Papers in Quantitative Tax Research 249, arqus - Arbeitskreis Quantitative Steuerlehre.
    10. Gholamhossein Mahdavi & Abbas Ali Daryaei, 2017. "Attitude toward business environment of auditing, corporate governance and balance between auditing and marketing," Contaduría y Administración, Accounting and Management, vol. 62(3), pages 1019-1040, Julio-Sep.

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