Main Article Content
Abstract
Purpose: This study explores the ethical considerations in auditing practices, focusing on auditor independence, professional skepticism, conflicts of interest, and the role of ethical frameworks and regulations. It highlights the complexities and challenges auditors face in maintaining ethical standards.
Research Method: A comprehensive literature review was conducted, examining key issues and existing research on ethical dilemmas in auditing. The study integrates findings from various sources to provide a holistic understanding of the factors influencing ethical behavior in auditing.
Results and Discussion: The findings reveal that auditor independence is significantly threatened by economic dependencies and long-term client relationships, leading to compromised audit quality. The provision of non-audit services exacerbates these threats. Professional skepticism is essential but challenging due to familiarity threats and client pressures. Conflicts of interest, conscious and unconscious, are pervasive and detrimental to audit integrity. The effectiveness of ethical frameworks depends on their rigorous implementation and continuous ethical training.
Implications: Enhancing regulatory measures, promoting continuous ethical training, and fostering a supportive organizational culture are crucial for mitigating ethical risks in auditing. These steps will help maintain the integrity and reliability of financial reporting, ensuring stakeholder trust and confidence in the audit process.
Keywords
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References
- Armstrong, M. B., Ketz, J. E., & Owsen, D. (2016). Ethics education in accounting: Moving toward ethical motivation and ethical behavior. Journal of Accounting Education, 21(1), 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0748-5751(02)00017-9
- Bazerman, M. H., Loewenstein, G., & Moore, D. A. (2002). Why good accountants do bad audits. Harvard Business Review, 80(11), 96-103. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2002/11/why-good-accountants-do-bad-audits
- Bazerman, M. H., Morgan, K. P., & Loewenstein, G. F. (1997). The impossibility of auditor independence. Sloan Management Review, 38(4), 89-94. Retrieved from https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/the-impossibility-of-auditor-independence/
- Bloom, N., Han, R., & Liang, J. (2022). How hybrid working from home works out. National Bureau of Economic Research. https://doi.org/10.3386/w30292
- DeAngelo, L. E. (1981). Auditor independence, “low balling”, and disclosure regulation. Journal of Accounting and Economics, 3(2), 113-127. https://doi.org/10.1016/0165-4101(81)90009-4
- Green, P., Tappin, D., & Bentley, T. (2020). Working from home before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic: Implications for workers and organizations. New Zealand Journal of Employment Relations, 45(2), 5-17. https://doi.org/10.24135/nzjer.v45i2.19
- Hasmi, R. (2024). Professional behavior and ethics in accounting: An empirical analysis. Journal of Applied Accounting Research, 25(1), 44-61. https://doi.org/10.1108/JAAR-09-2023-0197
- Herda, D. N., & Lavelle, J. J. (2012). The auditor-audit firm relationship and its effect on burnout and turnover intention. Accounting Horizons, 26(4), 707-723. https://doi.org/10.2308/acch-50209
- Hurtt, R. K., Brown-Liburd, H., Earley, C. E., & Krishnamoorthy, G. (2013). Research on auditor professional skepticism: Literature synthesis and opportunities for future research. Auditing: A Journal of Practice & Theory, 32(1), 45-97. https://doi.org/10.2308/ajpt-50361
- Jejeniwa, O. (2024). The role of ethics in auditing: Ensuring integrity in financial reporting. Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, 43(1), 55-72. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaccpubpol.2023.106938
- Johnson, M., Hall, A., & Barrett, R. (2022). Managerial support for remote work: Exploring the role of organizational culture. Journal of Business Research, 139, 411-419. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2021.09.014
- Knechel, W. R., Krishnan, G. V., Pevzner, M., Shefchik, L. B., & Velury, U. K. (2013). Audit quality: Insights from the academic literature. Auditing: A Journal of Practice & Theory, 32(1), 385-421. https://doi.org/10.2308/ajpt-50350
- Knežević, G. (2023). Ethical issues and the accounting profession: A critical review. European Accounting Review, 32(1), 109-128. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638180.2022.2056347
- Masse, M. (2023). Implementation of professional codes of ethics in accounting: A comparative study between developed and developing countries. International Journal of Accounting, 58(1), 19-38. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intacc.2022.101561
- Mitrović, M. (2022). Preventing fraud through ethical auditing practices. Journal of Forensic and Investigative Accounting, 14(3), 67-85. https://doi.org/10.2308/jfia-2021-014
- Moore, D. A., Tanlu, L., & Bazerman, M. H. (2006). Conflict of interest and the intrusion of bias. Judgment and Decision Making, 1(1), 1-20. Retrieved from http://journal.sjdm.org/06016/jdm06016.htm
- Nelson, M. W. (2009). A model and literature review of professional skepticism in auditing. Auditing: A Journal of Practice & Theory, 28(2), 1-34. https://doi.org/10.2308/aud.2009.28.2.1
- Patel, C. (2003). Some cross-cultural evidence on whistle-blowing as an internal control mechanism. Journal of International Accounting Research, 2(1), 69-96. https://doi.org/10.2308/jiar.2003.2.1.69
- Quick, R., & Schmidt, F. (2018). The relationship between audit quality and non-audit services: A literature review. European Accounting Review, 27(1), 1-27. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638180.2017.1385545
- Simunic, D. A. (1984). Auditing, consulting, and auditor independence. Journal of Accounting Research, 22(2), 679-702. https://doi.org/10.2307/2490671
- Smith, A., Patmos, A., & Pitts, M. J. (2019). Communication and teleworking: A study of communication channel satisfaction, personality, and job satisfaction for teleworking employees. International Journal of Business Communication, 56(1), 10-31. https://doi.org/10.1177/2329488416629091
- Sonjaya, A. (2024). Corporate culture and ethical behavior in auditing. International Journal of Auditing, 28(2), 95-112. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijau.12244
- Surya, M. (2021). Ethical considerations in auditing practices: Implications for transparency and accountability. Journal of Business Ethics, 174, 123-136. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-020-04630-x
- Tepalagul, N., & Lin, L. (2015). Auditor independence and audit quality: A literature review. Journal of Accounting, Auditing & Finance, 30(1), 101-121. https://doi.org/10.1177/0148558X14544505
References
Armstrong, M. B., Ketz, J. E., & Owsen, D. (2016). Ethics education in accounting: Moving toward ethical motivation and ethical behavior. Journal of Accounting Education, 21(1), 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0748-5751(02)00017-9
Bazerman, M. H., Loewenstein, G., & Moore, D. A. (2002). Why good accountants do bad audits. Harvard Business Review, 80(11), 96-103. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2002/11/why-good-accountants-do-bad-audits
Bazerman, M. H., Morgan, K. P., & Loewenstein, G. F. (1997). The impossibility of auditor independence. Sloan Management Review, 38(4), 89-94. Retrieved from https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/the-impossibility-of-auditor-independence/
Bloom, N., Han, R., & Liang, J. (2022). How hybrid working from home works out. National Bureau of Economic Research. https://doi.org/10.3386/w30292
DeAngelo, L. E. (1981). Auditor independence, “low balling”, and disclosure regulation. Journal of Accounting and Economics, 3(2), 113-127. https://doi.org/10.1016/0165-4101(81)90009-4
Green, P., Tappin, D., & Bentley, T. (2020). Working from home before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic: Implications for workers and organizations. New Zealand Journal of Employment Relations, 45(2), 5-17. https://doi.org/10.24135/nzjer.v45i2.19
Hasmi, R. (2024). Professional behavior and ethics in accounting: An empirical analysis. Journal of Applied Accounting Research, 25(1), 44-61. https://doi.org/10.1108/JAAR-09-2023-0197
Herda, D. N., & Lavelle, J. J. (2012). The auditor-audit firm relationship and its effect on burnout and turnover intention. Accounting Horizons, 26(4), 707-723. https://doi.org/10.2308/acch-50209
Hurtt, R. K., Brown-Liburd, H., Earley, C. E., & Krishnamoorthy, G. (2013). Research on auditor professional skepticism: Literature synthesis and opportunities for future research. Auditing: A Journal of Practice & Theory, 32(1), 45-97. https://doi.org/10.2308/ajpt-50361
Jejeniwa, O. (2024). The role of ethics in auditing: Ensuring integrity in financial reporting. Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, 43(1), 55-72. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaccpubpol.2023.106938
Johnson, M., Hall, A., & Barrett, R. (2022). Managerial support for remote work: Exploring the role of organizational culture. Journal of Business Research, 139, 411-419. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2021.09.014
Knechel, W. R., Krishnan, G. V., Pevzner, M., Shefchik, L. B., & Velury, U. K. (2013). Audit quality: Insights from the academic literature. Auditing: A Journal of Practice & Theory, 32(1), 385-421. https://doi.org/10.2308/ajpt-50350
Knežević, G. (2023). Ethical issues and the accounting profession: A critical review. European Accounting Review, 32(1), 109-128. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638180.2022.2056347
Masse, M. (2023). Implementation of professional codes of ethics in accounting: A comparative study between developed and developing countries. International Journal of Accounting, 58(1), 19-38. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intacc.2022.101561
Mitrović, M. (2022). Preventing fraud through ethical auditing practices. Journal of Forensic and Investigative Accounting, 14(3), 67-85. https://doi.org/10.2308/jfia-2021-014
Moore, D. A., Tanlu, L., & Bazerman, M. H. (2006). Conflict of interest and the intrusion of bias. Judgment and Decision Making, 1(1), 1-20. Retrieved from http://journal.sjdm.org/06016/jdm06016.htm
Nelson, M. W. (2009). A model and literature review of professional skepticism in auditing. Auditing: A Journal of Practice & Theory, 28(2), 1-34. https://doi.org/10.2308/aud.2009.28.2.1
Patel, C. (2003). Some cross-cultural evidence on whistle-blowing as an internal control mechanism. Journal of International Accounting Research, 2(1), 69-96. https://doi.org/10.2308/jiar.2003.2.1.69
Quick, R., & Schmidt, F. (2018). The relationship between audit quality and non-audit services: A literature review. European Accounting Review, 27(1), 1-27. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638180.2017.1385545
Simunic, D. A. (1984). Auditing, consulting, and auditor independence. Journal of Accounting Research, 22(2), 679-702. https://doi.org/10.2307/2490671
Smith, A., Patmos, A., & Pitts, M. J. (2019). Communication and teleworking: A study of communication channel satisfaction, personality, and job satisfaction for teleworking employees. International Journal of Business Communication, 56(1), 10-31. https://doi.org/10.1177/2329488416629091
Sonjaya, A. (2024). Corporate culture and ethical behavior in auditing. International Journal of Auditing, 28(2), 95-112. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijau.12244
Surya, M. (2021). Ethical considerations in auditing practices: Implications for transparency and accountability. Journal of Business Ethics, 174, 123-136. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-020-04630-x
Tepalagul, N., & Lin, L. (2015). Auditor independence and audit quality: A literature review. Journal of Accounting, Auditing & Finance, 30(1), 101-121. https://doi.org/10.1177/0148558X14544505