| 1. |
- Argento, Daniela, et al.
(author)
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Reliance on the internal auditors’ work : experiences of Swedish external auditors
- 2018
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In: Journal of Management Control. - : Springer. - 2191-4761 .- 2191-477X. ; 29:3-4, s. 295-325
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The purpose of this study is to explore how external auditors experience their decision to rely on internal auditors’ work. This study employs both qualitative and quantitative methods consisting of semi-structured interviews and questionnaires administered to external auditors in Sweden. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with external auditors who are working in Big 4 audit firms in Sweden and have engagements with internal audit functions. A questionnaire was administered to authorized/approved auditors, members of the Swedish Association of Certified Public Accountants (FAR). Findings indicate that external auditors use the work of internal auditors as they gain efficiency in performing their work. Nevertheless, external auditors may compromise their independence and professionalism through closer involvement with internal auditors, which may lead to uncritical evaluation and use of the reports prepared by internal auditors. At the same time, while relying on the internal auditors’ reports, external auditors appear to be conscious of the consequences for the audit quality they deliver. The study highlights the dilemma faced by external auditors in their cooperative work with internal auditors and the balance/imbalance in their opinions concerning efficiency gains, independence, professionalism and audit quality. © 2018, The Author(s).
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| 2. |
- Broberg, Pernilla, 1981-, et al.
(author)
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Auditors' professional and organizational identities and commercialization in audit firms
- 2018
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In: Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal. - : Emerald Group Publishing Limited. - 1368-0668 .- 1758-4205 .- 0951-3574. ; 31:2, s. 374-399
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explain how auditors' professional and organizational identities are associated with commercialization in audit firms. Unlike previous studies exploring the consequences of commercialization in the firms, the study directs its attention toward the potential driver of commercialization, which the authors argue to be the identities of the auditors. Design/methodology/approach The paper is based on 374 responses to a survey distributed to 3,588 members of FAR, the professional association of accountants, auditors and advisors in Sweden. The study used established measures of organizational and professional identity and introduced market, customer and firm process orientation as aspects of commercialization. The study explored the data through descriptive statistics, principle component analysis and correlation analysis and tested the hypotheses with multiple linear regression analysis. Findings The findings indicated that the organizational identity of auditors has a positive association with three aspects of commercialization: market orientation, customer orientation and firm process orientation. Contrary to the arguments based on prior literature, the study has found that the professional identity of auditors is also a positively associated with commercialization. This indicates a change of the role of professional identity vis-a-vis commercialization of audit firms. The positive association between professional identity and commercial orientation could indicate the development of organizational professionalism. The study also found differences between the association between professional identity and commercialization in Big 4 and non-Big 4 firms. While in Big 4 firms, professional identity is positively associated only with the firm's process orientation, in non-Big 4 firms, professional identity has a positive association with all three aspects of commercialization. Originality/value The paper provides insight into how auditors' identities have influenced commercialization of audit firms and into the normalizing of commercialization within auditing. The study also developed a new instrument for measuring commercialization, one based on market, customer and firm process orientation concepts. This paper suggests that this instrument is an alternative to the observation through proxies.
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| 3. |
- Collin, Sven-Olof Yrjö, et al.
(author)
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Turnover and heterogeneity in top management networks : a demographic analysis of two Swedish business groups
- 2008
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In: International Journal of Business Science and Applied Management. - Newcastle upon Tyne, UK : Brunel University. - 1753-0296. ; 3:3, s. 31-55
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A theory based on the demography of top management teams is used to explain membership turnover in two Swedish business groups, network analysis being used to define group membership. The results suggest these business groups possess a combination of financial and industrial experience as a group resource and the socialising strategy of control as a force counteracting the conflict-producing force of heterogeneity. An organisational demographic perspective focusing on opposing forces of heterogeneity and homogeneity is developed. It is shown that the perspective can be applied both to formal organisations and to informal ones such as networks.
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| 4. |
- Ponomareva, Yuliya, et al.
(author)
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Organizational discretion, board control, and shareholder wealth : A contingency perspective
- 2019
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In: Corporate governance. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 0964-8410 .- 1467-8683. ; 27:4, s. 248-260
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Research Question/Issue How does organizational context influence the impact of board control over managerial decisions on shareholder wealth? Research Findings/Insights We introduce a new theoretical concept-organizational discretion-to characterize the upper limit of managers' latitude of actions presented by their organizational context and propose that it moderates the impact of board control on shareholder wealth. Specifically, we first argue that strategic control by boards over managerial decisions reduces managers' latitude of actions and leads to trade-offs between the containment of managerial opportunism and the pursuit of strategic opportunities, which consequently influence the relationship between strategic control and shareholder wealth. We then suggest that the trade-offs incurred by strategic control over managerial decisions are more prominent in firms with high organizational discretion. Because of the trade-offs, we propose that boards are likely to decide whether to rely more on strategic control or financial control in internal corporate governance based on their firms' level of organizational discretion. Theoretical/Academic Implications By introducing the concept of organizational discretion and highlighting the trade-offs caused by boards' strategic control over managerial decisions, we advance a contingency perspective to enhance the understanding about the impact of board control on shareholder wealth. It also bridges the strategic management and corporate governance research on managerial discretion that has largely evolved separately in the literature. Practitioner/Policy Implications Boards should attend to the trade-offs between the containment of managerial opportunism and the pursuit of strategic opportunities when exercising strategic control over managerial decisions. Moreover, considering the trade-offs involved, boards should carefully design and implement internal corporate governance mechanisms based on their firms' level of organizational discretion.
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| 5. |
- Smith, Elin, et al.
(author)
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Stages of PPP and principal–agent conflicts : the Swedish water and sewerage sector
- 2018
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In: Public Performance & Management Review. - : Taylor & Francis. - 1530-9576 .- 1557-9271. ; 41:1, s. 100-129
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The focus of this article is on public–private partnerships (PPPs). The aim is to both theoretically and empirically illustrate PPP agency problems in four PPP stages, as well as to identify potentially relevant solutions to the agency problems. The study employed a longitudinal case study of one PPP in a municipality in southern Sweden. Through an analysis based on interviews, observations, and documents, the study illustrates a number of agency problems faced by PPPs and highlights the importance of resource allocation, stakeholder management, and the creation of a common identity in reducing these problems.
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| 6. |
- Broberg, Pernilla, et al.
(author)
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Auditors’ professional and organisational identities and perceived commercialisation in audit firms
- 2014
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Purpose:The purpose of this paper is to explain how professional and organisational identities influence auditors’ perception of commercialisation in audit firms.Design/methodology/approach:The paper is based on a survey distributed to 3588 members of FAR, the professional institute for authorized public accountants, approved public accountants and other highly qualified professionals in the accountancy sector in Sweden, and answered by 374 of the professionals surveyed.Findings:Findings of the study indicate that commercialisation in audit firms is a three- dimensional construct consisting of market-, customer- and firm process orientations. The results of the study show that the stronger the auditors’ organisational identity, the more influence it has on auditors’ perception of all three dimensions of the increasing commercialisation of their firm. The increasing strength of that professional identity is shown to be reflected in the perception of their firm to be firm process oriented, while no effect is shown on the other two dimensions of commercialisation (market and customer orientations orientations).Originality/value:The paper presents a new conceptualisation and set of measures of audit firms’ commercialisation and shows how professional and organisational identities influence perception.
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| 7. |
- Broberg, Pernilla, 1981-, et al.
(author)
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Balance between auditing and marketing : an explorative study
- 2013
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In: Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation. - : Elsevier BV. - 1061-9518 .- 1879-1603. ; 22:1, s. 57-70
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This study explores how auditors’ attitudes toward marketing and their views on the importance of marketing affect how they balance their time spent on marketing and auditing activities. The purpose is to understand how changes in the business environment for auditors affect the relationship between the auditing profession and marketing. The study is based on a survey of 711 auditors in Sweden. The findings suggest that auditors with a positive attitude toward marketing spend significantly more time on marketing activities compared to those with a less positive attitude. Furthermore, auditors who view marketing activities as important spend significantly more time on marketing activities. The study controlled for the number of years as approved or authorized auditor, age of the auditor, and firm affiliation. The results indicate that the theoretical distance between the auditing profession and marketing does not exist in practice to the same degree as it used to. The findings of the study have implications for international auditing theory and practice in illuminating the relationship of marketing and auditing in a wider business context.
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| 8. |
- Broberg, Pernilla, 1981-, et al.
(author)
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The new generation of auditors meeting praxis
- 2015
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Conference paper (other academic/artistic)abstract
- This paper describes an exploratory study of whether and in what way ‘double-edged learning’ can develop from understanding the relationship between structure and judgment and thus capture students’ experience of the audit profession. The study is based on a focus group/individual interviews conducted with students performing their work-integrated learning assignments where they interact with auditors. Identifying two themes defined as Perceiving the profession and auditing and Entering into and forming in the audit profession derived from the data, it appears that when positioned within a work-integrated learning context, students develop awareness of the use of standards and checklists on one hand as well as the importance of discretional judgment on the other. Based on these results, we theorise as to how double-edged learning manifests itself in students’ experiences and understanding of the relationship between structure and judgment.
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| 9. |
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| 10. |
- Collin, Sven-Olof, 1957-, et al.
(author)
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Mechanisms of corporate governance going international : outlining a theory of and an initial test of the performance effects
- 2008
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Globalisation includes international product markets and capital, but also involves internationalisation of corporate governance mechanisms. We propose that internationalisation of governance mechanisms is related to improved performance of the corporation. For example, listing at several stock markets implies pressure to improve information flow and stronger adherence to international standards, which will reduce possibility for slack. Recruiting top managers and board members from an international arena will, among other things, enlarge the market for managerial labour and the market for board members, presumably putting more pressure on present managers and board members, and increase the probability of finding an adequate new manager or new board members. An integrated EU would support the internationalisation of the mechanisms through reducing the transaction costs of Europeanization. An initial test on a sample of listed Swedish corporations indicates that the proposition could be rejected. Two main reasons can be found as an interpretation of the results 1.) that mechanisms with governance functions, such as capital structure and the board have several functions, and that the governance function is not always the most important one, and 2.) that governance mechanisms cannot be analysed in isolation, since they are included in a coherent corporate governance strategy.
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