The determinants of the relationship between auditor tenure and audit report lag: evidence from an emerging market

One important factor for those who use financial reports to make decisions is the timing of an audit report’s distribution in the capital markets. The effectiveness of capital markets may suffer from protracted delays in the release of the audit report. In this context, this study investigates the c...

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Main Authors: Osama Abouelela, Ahmed Diab, Safaa Saleh
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2025-12-01
Series:Cogent Business & Management
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23311975.2024.2444553
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author Osama Abouelela
Ahmed Diab
Safaa Saleh
author_facet Osama Abouelela
Ahmed Diab
Safaa Saleh
author_sort Osama Abouelela
collection DOAJ
description One important factor for those who use financial reports to make decisions is the timing of an audit report’s distribution in the capital markets. The effectiveness of capital markets may suffer from protracted delays in the release of the audit report. In this context, this study investigates the complex relationship between auditor tenure and audit report lag (ARL) in Egypt. While prior research has explored this relationship, this study offers novel insights by examining the moderating roles of auditor industry specialization (AISPEC) and audit committee effectiveness (ACeffect). By employing a panel data regression with firm fixed effects on a sample of 105 non-financial firms listed on the Egyptian Stock Exchange from 2017 to 2022, this research offers novel insights. We find that auditor tenure significantly and negatively impacts ARL, yet this effect is contingent upon the auditor’s industry specialization and the audit committee’s effectiveness (ACeffect). These findings contribute to the relatively limited body of literature on auditing in Egypt, particularly regarding the determinants of ARL. Finally, findings have significant practical implications for various stakeholders involved in the financial reporting process, including auditors, audit committees, regulators and investors and creditors.
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spelling doaj.art-82fd8a93fc7049cb83cfe3bb0df7f0ed2024-12-23T13:24:45ZengTaylor & Francis GroupCogent Business & Management2331-19752025-12-0112110.1080/23311975.2024.2444553The determinants of the relationship between auditor tenure and audit report lag: evidence from an emerging marketOsama Abouelela0Ahmed Diab1Safaa Saleh2Accounting Department, Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaAccounting Department, Prince Sultan University, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaFaculty of Business, Alexandria University, Alexandria, EgyptOne important factor for those who use financial reports to make decisions is the timing of an audit report’s distribution in the capital markets. The effectiveness of capital markets may suffer from protracted delays in the release of the audit report. In this context, this study investigates the complex relationship between auditor tenure and audit report lag (ARL) in Egypt. While prior research has explored this relationship, this study offers novel insights by examining the moderating roles of auditor industry specialization (AISPEC) and audit committee effectiveness (ACeffect). By employing a panel data regression with firm fixed effects on a sample of 105 non-financial firms listed on the Egyptian Stock Exchange from 2017 to 2022, this research offers novel insights. We find that auditor tenure significantly and negatively impacts ARL, yet this effect is contingent upon the auditor’s industry specialization and the audit committee’s effectiveness (ACeffect). These findings contribute to the relatively limited body of literature on auditing in Egypt, particularly regarding the determinants of ARL. Finally, findings have significant practical implications for various stakeholders involved in the financial reporting process, including auditors, audit committees, regulators and investors and creditors.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23311975.2024.2444553Auditor tenureaudit report lagauditor industry specializationaudit committeeEgyptAccounting
spellingShingle Osama Abouelela
Ahmed Diab
Safaa Saleh
The determinants of the relationship between auditor tenure and audit report lag: evidence from an emerging market
Cogent Business & Management
Auditor tenure
audit report lag
auditor industry specialization
audit committee
Egypt
Accounting
title The determinants of the relationship between auditor tenure and audit report lag: evidence from an emerging market
title_full The determinants of the relationship between auditor tenure and audit report lag: evidence from an emerging market
title_fullStr The determinants of the relationship between auditor tenure and audit report lag: evidence from an emerging market
title_full_unstemmed The determinants of the relationship between auditor tenure and audit report lag: evidence from an emerging market
title_short The determinants of the relationship between auditor tenure and audit report lag: evidence from an emerging market
title_sort determinants of the relationship between auditor tenure and audit report lag evidence from an emerging market
topic Auditor tenure
audit report lag
auditor industry specialization
audit committee
Egypt
Accounting
url https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23311975.2024.2444553
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