Audit quality and labour investment efficiency

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Master's of Accounting and Ph.D. in Economics, Azad University, Marvdasht Branch, Marvdasht, Iran.

2 University of Sistan and Baluchestan

3 Department of Accounting and Finance, Faculty of Economics, Management & Accounting, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran

Abstract

This paper investigates the relation between audit quality and firm labour investment efficiency for 118 Tehran Stock Exchange-listed companies over 2009–2023. Since audit quality affects both the agency problem, information environment and monitoring environment, it would expect the efficiency of labour investment has a relation with the audit quality. The methodology of this study is a quantitative and ex-post and labour investment efficiency was measured using the Pinnuck and Lillis (2007) model. The results of research regression analysis showed that there is a positive and significant relationship between audit quality and firms’ labour investment efficiency. Also, the evidence showed that the relationship between audit quality and over- or under-investment in labour is negative and significant. These findings have important political implications for businesses and employment policymakers and also auditing profession.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Keywords

Main Subjects


Addison, J.T., Portugal, P. & Varejão, J. (2014). Labor demand research: Toward a better match between better theory and better Data. Labor Economics, 30, 4–11.
Balsam, S., Krishnan, J., & Yang, J. (2003). Auditor industry specialization and earnings quality. Auditing: A Journal of Practice and Theory, 22(2), 71–97.
Beatty, A., Liao, S., & Weber, J. (2010). Financial reporting quality, private information, monitoring, and the lease-versus-buy decision. The Accounting Review, 85(4), 1215–1238.
Becker, C.L., DeFond, M.L., Jiambalvo, J., & Subramanyam, K.R. (1998). The effect of audit quality on earnings management. Contemporary Accounting Research, 15(1), 1–24.
Bedard, J.C., & Johnstone, K.M. (2004). Earnings manipulation risk, corporate governance risk, and auditors’ planning and pricing decisions. The Accounting Review, 79(2), 277–304.
Ben-Nasr, H., & Alshwer, A.A. (2016). Does stock price informativeness affect labor investment efficiency? Journal of Corporate Finance, 38(C), 249-271.
Biddle, G. C., & Hilary, G. (2006). Accounting quality and firm-level capital investment. The Accounting Review, 81(5), 963-982.
Biddle, G.C., Hilary, G., & Verdi, R.S. (2009). How does financial reporting quality relate to investment efficiency? Journal of Accounting and Economics, 48(2-3), 112-131.
Boubaker, S., Houcine, A., Ftiti, Z., & Masri, H. (2018). Does audit quality affect firms’ investment efficiency? Journal of the Operational Research Society, 69(10), 1688-1699.
Bushman, R.M., & Smith, A.J. (2001). Financial accounting information and corporate governance. Journal of Accounting and Economics, 32(1-3), 237-333.
Byard, D., Li, Y., & Yu, Y. (2011). The effect of mandatory IFRS adoption on financial analysts' information environment. Journal of Accounting Research, 49(1), 69-96.
Chen, F., Hope, O.-K., Li, Q., & Wang, X. (2011). Financial reporting quality and investment efficiency of private firms in emerging markets. The Accounting Review, 86(4), 1255–1288.
Chen, Y., & Vann, C.E. (2017). Clawback provision adoption, corporate governance, and investment decisions. Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, 44(9-10), 1370-1397.
Cohen, J., Krishnamoorthy, G., & Wright, A.M. (2002). Corporate governance and the audit process. Contemporary Accounting Research, 19(4), 573–594.
Dechow, P., & Dichev, I. (2002). The quality of accruals and earnings: the role of accruals in estimation errors. The Accounting Review, 77, 35-59.
Donangelo, A. (2014). Labor mobility: Implications for asset pricing. Journal of Finance, 69(3), 1321–1346.
Dunn, K., & Mayhew, B. (2004). Audit firm industry specialization and client disclosure quality. Review of Accounting Studies, 9, 35–58.
Easley, D., & O’Hara, M. (2004). Information and the cost of capital. Journal of Finance, 59(4), 1553-1583.
Francis, J.R., Maydew, E.L., & Sparks, H.C. (1999). The role of big six auditors in the credible reporting of accruals. Auditing: A Journal of Practice and Theory, 18(2), 17–35.
Francis, R., & Martin, X. (2010). Timely loss recognition and acquisition profitability. Journal of Accounting and Economics, 49(1–2), 161–178.
Garcia Lara, J.M., Osma, B.G., & Penalva, F. (2016). Accounting conservatism and firm investment efficiency. Journal of Accounting and Economics, 61(1), 221–238.
Ghaly, M., Dang, V.A., & Stathopoulos, K. (2020). Institutional investors' horizons and corporate employment decisions. Journal of Corporate Finance, 64, 101-130.
Habib, A. & Hasan, M.M. (2019). Business strategy and labor investment efficiency. International Review of Finance, 21(1), 58-96.
Hope, O.K., Thomas, W.B., Vyas, D. (2009). Transparency, ownership, and financing constraints in private firms. Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=1535644.
Jiang, D., Lan, M., Lim W., & Shen, Y. (2024). Threat or opportunity? Unveiling the impact of population aging on corporate labor investment efficiency. Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, 85, 102-122.
Jung, B., Lee, W.J., & Weber, D.P. (2014). Financial reporting quality and labor investment efficiency. Contemporary Accounting Research, 31(4), 1047-1076.
Khedmati, M., Sualihu, M.A., & Yawson, A. (2020). CEO-director ties and labor investment efficiency. Journal of Corporate Finance, 65, 101-119.
Kim, D. (2006). Capital budgeting for new projects: On the role of auditing in information acquisition. Journal of Accounting and Economics, 41(3), 257–270.
Kim, S., Kraft, P., & Ryan, S.G. (2013). Financial statement comparability and credit risk. Review of Accounting Studies, 18(3), 783-823.
Kwon, S.Y, Lim, C.Y., & Tan, P.M.S. (2007). Legal systems and earnings quality: The role of auditor industry specialization. Auditing: A Journal of Practice and Theory, 26(2), 25–55.
Lambert, R., Leuz, C., Verrecchia, R. (2007). Accounting information, disclosure, and the cost of capital. Journal of Accounting Research, 45, 385-420.
Langberg, N., & Rothenberg, N. (2021). Audit quality and investment efficiency with endogenous information in markets. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3224561.
Lara, J.M.G., Osma, B.G., & Penalva, F. (2016). Accounting conservatism and firm investment efficiency. Journal of Accounting and Economics, 61(1), 221-238.
Lennox, C., Wu, X., & Zhang, T. (2016). The effect of audit adjustments on earnings quality: Evidence from China. Journal of Accounting and Economics, 61(2-3), 545–562.
Li, F. (2011). Earnings quality based on corporate investment decisions. Journal of Accounting Research, 49(3), 721-752.
Merz, M., & Yashiv, E. (2005). Labor and the market value of the firm. CEP Discussion Paper No. 690.
Owen, D.L., & Lloyd, A.J. (1985). The use of financial information by trade union negotiators in plant level collective bargaining. Accounting, Organizations and Society, 10(3), 329-350.
Pinnuck, M., & Lillis, A.M. (2007). Profits versus losses: Does reporting an accounting loss act as a heuristic trigger to exercise the abandonment option and divest employees? The Accounting Review, 82(4), 1031-1053.
Reichelt, K.J., & Wang, D. (2010). National and officespecific measures of auditor industry expertise and effects on audit quality. Journal of Accounting Research, 48(3), 647–686.
Shane, P.B., Smith, D.B., & Zhang, S. (2014). Financial statement comparability and valuation of seasoned equity offerings. Available at: SSRN 12372965.
Sylvia Veronica, S., & Siti, N. (2018). Financial reporting quality, audit quality, and investment efficiency: Evidence from Indonesia. First International Conference on Technology and Educational Science; Bali, DOI:10.4108/eai.21-11-2018.2282299.
Taylor, G., Al-Hadi, A., Rochardson, G. & Alfarhan, U. (2019). Is there a relation between labor investment inefficiency and corporate tax avoidance? Economic Modeling, 82, 185-201.
Williamson, O. (1963). Managerial discretion and business behavior. American Economic Review, 53(5), 1032–57.
Zhang, J.H. (2018). Accounting comparability, audit effort, and audit outcomes. Contemporary Accounting Research, 35(1), 245-276.
Zhang, Z., Ntim, C.G., Zhang, Q., & Elmagrhi, M.H. (2020). Does accounting comparability affect corporate employment decision-making? The British Accounting Review, 52(6), 1-23.