IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eme/aaajpp/v20y2007i5p765-788.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Audit committee effectiveness: informal processes and behavioural effects

Author

Listed:
  • Stuart Turley
  • Mahbub Zaman

Abstract

Purpose - This paper seeks to investigate the conditions and processes affecting the operation and potential effectiveness of audit committees (ACs), with particular focus on the interaction between the AC, individuals from financial reporting and internal audit functions and the external auditors. Design/methodology/approach - A case study approach is employed, based on direct engagement with participants in AC activities, including the AC chair, external auditors, internal auditors, and senior management. Findings - The authors find that informal networks between AC participants condition the impact of the AC and that the most significant effects of the AC on governance outcomes occur outside the formal structures and processes. An AC has pervasive behavioural effects within the organization and may be used as a threat, an ally and an arbiter in bringing solutions to issues and conflicts. ACs are used in organizational politics, communication processes and power plays and also affect interpretations of events and cultural values. Research limitations/implications - Further research on AC and governance processes is needed to develop better understanding of effectiveness. Longitudinal studies, focusing on the organizational and institutional context of AC operations, can examine how historical events in an organization and significant changes in the regulatory environment affect current structures and processes. Originality/value - The case analysis highlights a number of significant factors which are not fully recognised either in theorizing the governance role of ACs or in the development of policy and regulations concerning ACs but which impinge on their governance contribution. They include the importance of informal processes around the AC; its influence on power relations between organizational participants; the relevance of the historical development of governance in an organization; and the possibility that the AC's impact on governance may be greatest in non‐routine situations.

Suggested Citation

  • Stuart Turley & Mahbub Zaman, 2007. "Audit committee effectiveness: informal processes and behavioural effects," Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 20(5), pages 765-788, September.
  • Handle: RePEc:eme:aaajpp:v:20:y:2007:i:5:p:765-788
    DOI: 10.1108/09513570710779036
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/09513570710779036/full/html?utm_source=repec&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=repec
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers

    File URL: https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/09513570710779036/full/pdf?utm_source=repec&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=repec
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1108/09513570710779036?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. James Guthrie & Shann Turnbull, 1995. "Audit Committees: Is There a Role for Corporate Senates and/or Stakeholders Councils?," Corporate Governance: An International Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 3(2), pages 78-89, April.
    2. Menon, Krishnagopal & Deahl Williams, Joanne, 1994. "The use of audit committees for monitoring," Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, Elsevier, vol. 13(2), pages 121-139.
    3. Dirsmith, Mark W. & Covaleski, Mark A., 1985. "Informal communications, nonformal communications and mentoring in public accounting firms," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 10(2), pages 149-169, April.
    4. Pincus, Karen & Rusbarsky, Mark & Wong, Jilnaught, 1989. "Voluntary formation of corporate audit committees among NASDAQ firms," Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, Elsevier, vol. 8(4), pages 239-265.
    5. Paul Collier & Mahbub Zaman, 2005. "Convergence in European Corporate Governance: the audit committee concept," Corporate Governance: An International Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 13(6), pages 753-768, November.
    6. Bradbury, Michael E., 1990. "The incentives for voluntary audit committee formation," Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, Elsevier, vol. 9(1), pages 19-36.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Kwansagool Tengamnuay & Pamela Stapleton, 2009. "The role of the audit committee in Thailand: a mature monitoring mechanism or an evolving process?," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 13(3), pages 131-161, August.
    2. Johnathan Magrane & Sue Malthus, 2010. "Audit committee effectiveness: a public sector case study," Managerial Auditing Journal, Emerald Group Publishing, vol. 25(5), pages 427-443, May.
    3. Carlo Regoliosi & Alessandro d’Eri, 2014. "“Good” corporate governance and the quality of internal auditing departments in Italian listed firms. An exploratory investigation in Italian listed firms," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 18(3), pages 891-920, August.
    4. Puławska Karolina & Dobija Dorota & Piotrowska Katarzyna & Kravchenko Grygorii, 2021. "Audit Committee Formation: The Case of Poland," Journal of Management and Business Administration. Central Europe, Sciendo, vol. 29(2), pages 169-212, June.
    5. Maria Consuelo Pucheta‐Martínez & Cristina De Fuentes, 2007. "The Impact of Audit Committee Characteristics on the Enhancement of the Quality of Financial Reporting: an empirical study in the Spanish context," Corporate Governance: An International Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 15(6), pages 1394-1412, November.
    6. Adams, Mike, 1997. "Determinants of audit committee formation in the life insurance industry: New Zealand evidence," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 38(2), pages 123-129, February.
    7. Charles Piot, 2005. "Les Comités De Rémunération Et De Sélection Sont-Ils Perçus Comme Des Mécanismes De Contrôle En France ?," Post-Print halshs-00581273, HAL.
    8. Deli, Daniel N. & Gillan, Stuart L., 2000. "On the demand for independent and active audit committees," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 6(4), pages 427-445, December.
    9. Tao, Ngoc Bich & Hutchinson, Marion, 2013. "Corporate governance and risk management: The role of risk management and compensation committees," Journal of Contemporary Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 9(1), pages 83-99.
    10. Deumes, R.W.J., 2000. "Voluntary reporting on internal control by listed Dutch companies," Research Memorandum 042, Maastricht University, Maastricht Research School of Economics of Technology and Organization (METEOR).
    11. Li (Glenda) Chen & Alan Kilgore & Renee Radich, 2009. "Audit committees: voluntary formation by ASX non-top 500," Managerial Auditing Journal, Emerald Group Publishing, vol. 24(5), pages 475-493, May.
    12. Ismail Adelopo & Kumba Jallow & Peter Scott, 2012. "Multiple large ownership structure, audit committee activity and audit fees," Journal of Applied Accounting Research, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 13(2), pages 100-121, September.
    13. Akeel M. Lary & Dennis W. Taylor, 2012. "Governance characteristics and role effectiveness of audit committees," Managerial Auditing Journal, Emerald Group Publishing, vol. 27(4), pages 336-354, April.
    14. Zhou, Haiyan & Owusu-Ansah, Stephen & Maggina, Anastasia, 2018. "Board of directors, audit committee, and firm performance: Evidence from Greece," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 31(C), pages 20-36.
    15. Maja Zaman Groff & Aljoša Valentinčič, 2011. "Determinants of Voluntary Audit Committee Formation in a Two-Tier Board System of a Post-transitional Economy – The Case of Slovenia," Accounting in Europe, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 8(2), pages 235-256.
    16. George Drogalas & Michail Nerantzidis & Dimitrios Mitskinis & Ioannis Tampakoudis, 2021. "The relationship between audit fees and audit committee characteristics: evidence from the Athens Stock Exchange," International Journal of Disclosure and Governance, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 18(1), pages 24-41, March.
    17. Julia Yonghua Wu & Ronán Feehily & Beverley Rae Lord, 2022. "The Corporate Governance Role of Audit Committees: Through the Lenses of New Zealand Institutional Investors," Australian Accounting Review, CPA Australia, vol. 32(1), pages 63-76, March.
    18. Rani Hoitash & Udi Hoitash, 2009. "The role of audit committees in managing relationships with external auditors after SOX: Evidence from the USA," Managerial Auditing Journal, Emerald Group Publishing, vol. 24(4), pages 368-397, April.
    19. Z. Jun Lin & Jason Z. Xiao & Qingliang Tang, 2008. "The roles, responsibilities and characteristics of audit committee in China," Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 21(5), pages 721-751, June.
    20. Taruntej Singh Arora, 2020. "Impact of Corporate Governance on Credit Ratings: An Empirical Study in the Indian Context," Indian Journal of Corporate Governance, , vol. 13(2), pages 140-164, December.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eme:aaajpp:v:20:y:2007:i:5:p:765-788. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Emerald Support (email available below). General contact details of provider: .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.