Audit committee experts and earnings quality

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between audit committee expertise and financial reporting quality. Since the Sarbanes Oxley Act, 2002, there has been growing interest in the research concerning audit committee expertise, especially as the Security Exchange C...

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Main Authors: Nelson, Sherliza Puat, Devi, Susela
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Emerald Group Publishing Limited 2013
Subjects:
Online Access:http://irep.iium.edu.my/31976/1/Audit_committee.pdf
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author Nelson, Sherliza Puat
Devi, Susela
author_facet Nelson, Sherliza Puat
Devi, Susela
author_sort Nelson, Sherliza Puat
collection IIUM
description Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between audit committee expertise and financial reporting quality. Since the Sarbanes Oxley Act, 2002, there has been growing interest in the research concerning audit committee expertise, especially as the Security Exchange Commission requires firms to identify their audit committee financial experts. Design/methodology/approach – Based on two theories, the resource dependence theory and agency theory, the study examines the association of audit committee experts with financial reporting quality, proxied by earnings management. Samples involved 2008 financial data of 300 firms that were ranked by highest market capitalisation. In total, four types of expertise are developed based on academic qualification, professional qualification and work experience. Findings – Presence of non-accounting experts and accounting experts is significant to reduce the magnitude of earnings management. Other than that, leverage and firms size are also found to be significant. Originality/value – The findings show RDT is prevalent in accounting or auditing domain, where there is evidence showing directors bridge firms with external resources such as expertise and experience. Subsequently, contribute to the mainstream accounting literature that the resource dependence theory is also vital in explaining situations where directors’ expertise and knowledge are involved.
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spelling oai:generic.eprints.org:319762013-09-11T12:05:17Z http://irep.iium.edu.my/31976/ Audit committee experts and earnings quality Nelson, Sherliza Puat Devi, Susela H Social Sciences (General) HB Economic Theory Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between audit committee expertise and financial reporting quality. Since the Sarbanes Oxley Act, 2002, there has been growing interest in the research concerning audit committee expertise, especially as the Security Exchange Commission requires firms to identify their audit committee financial experts. Design/methodology/approach – Based on two theories, the resource dependence theory and agency theory, the study examines the association of audit committee experts with financial reporting quality, proxied by earnings management. Samples involved 2008 financial data of 300 firms that were ranked by highest market capitalisation. In total, four types of expertise are developed based on academic qualification, professional qualification and work experience. Findings – Presence of non-accounting experts and accounting experts is significant to reduce the magnitude of earnings management. Other than that, leverage and firms size are also found to be significant. Originality/value – The findings show RDT is prevalent in accounting or auditing domain, where there is evidence showing directors bridge firms with external resources such as expertise and experience. Subsequently, contribute to the mainstream accounting literature that the resource dependence theory is also vital in explaining situations where directors’ expertise and knowledge are involved. Emerald Group Publishing Limited 2013 Article PeerReviewed application/pdf en http://irep.iium.edu.my/31976/1/Audit_committee.pdf Nelson, Sherliza Puat and Devi, Susela (2013) Audit committee experts and earnings quality. Corporate Governance, 13 (4). pp. 335-351. ISSN 1472-0701 http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/CG-02-2011-0009 doi:10.1108/CG-02-2011-0009
spellingShingle H Social Sciences (General)
HB Economic Theory
Nelson, Sherliza Puat
Devi, Susela
Audit committee experts and earnings quality
title Audit committee experts and earnings quality
title_full Audit committee experts and earnings quality
title_fullStr Audit committee experts and earnings quality
title_full_unstemmed Audit committee experts and earnings quality
title_short Audit committee experts and earnings quality
title_sort audit committee experts and earnings quality
topic H Social Sciences (General)
HB Economic Theory
url http://irep.iium.edu.my/31976/1/Audit_committee.pdf
work_keys_str_mv AT nelsonsherlizapuat auditcommitteeexpertsandearningsquality
AT devisusela auditcommitteeexpertsandearningsquality