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The international firms as new entrants to the statutory audit market: an empirical analysis of auditor selection in Greece, 1993 to 1997

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  • David Citron
  • Gikas Manalis

Abstract

This paper investigates choice of statutory auditor in Greece in the five years subsequent to the 1992 liberalization of the audit market. We analyse auditor choices by 205 companies which, by 1997, represented almost 90% of companies listed on the Athens Stock Exchange. We find that the level of shareholdings by foreign shareholders is positively associated with choice of a Big Six versus any other auditor both immediately after liberalization in 1993 and still in 1997, indicative of the role of the Big Six in providing audit credibility in the eyes of international investors. In addition, Big Six auditors strengthened their position in the finance sector and, outside the finance sector, among larger companies over the period studied. We also find that in both 1993 and 1997 Big Six firms were distinguished specifically from the second-tier international firms, consistent with the view that, in post-liberalization Greece, companies by their choice of auditor appear to be distinguishing Big Six firms from all others but not between second-tier international firms and local auditors. These findings shed light on the hitherto unresearched area of which companies Big Six auditors target in order to gain market share when they are new entrants in an environment radically changed by regulatory reform. In addition the research extends the auditor name brand reputation debate by its finding that, in post-liberalization Greece, second-tier international firms appear to be distinguished from the Big Six but not from the local audit firms.

Suggested Citation

  • David Citron & Gikas Manalis, 2001. "The international firms as new entrants to the statutory audit market: an empirical analysis of auditor selection in Greece, 1993 to 1997," European Accounting Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 10(3), pages 439-459.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:euract:v:10:y:2001:i:3:p:439-459
    DOI: 10.1080/713764634
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Constantinos V. Caramanis, 1997. "The enigma of the Greek auditing profession: some preliminary results concerning the impact of liberalization on auditor behaviour," European Accounting Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 6(1), pages 85-108, May.
    2. Johnson, W. Bruce & Lys, Thomas, 1990. "The market for audit services : Evidence from voluntary auditor changes," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 12(1-3), pages 281-308, January.
    3. DeAngelo, Linda Elizabeth, 1981. "Auditor size and audit quality," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 3(3), pages 183-199, December.
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    1. Farooq Omar & Tabine Sonia, 2015. "Agency Problems and the Choice of Auditors: Evidence from the MENA Region," Review of Middle East Economics and Finance, De Gruyter, vol. 11(1), pages 79-97, April.
    2. Efstathios Kirkos & Charalambos Spathis & Yannis Manolopoulos, 2010. "Audit‐firm group appointment: an artificial intelligence approach," Intelligent Systems in Accounting, Finance and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 17(1), pages 1-17, January.
    3. Stergios Leventis & Pauline Weetman, 2004. "Timeliness of financial reporting: applicability of disclosure theories in an emerging capital market," Accounting and Business Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 34(1), pages 43-56.
    4. Iwasaki, Ichiro & 岩﨑, 一郎, 2013. "What Determines Audit Independence and Expertise in Russia? Firm-Level Evidence," RRC Working Paper Series 27_v2, Russian Research Center, Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University.
    5. 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.

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