Accounting Information Quality, Investment Efficiency, and Auditor Specialization

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Assistant Professor, Department of Accounting, Faculty of Social Sciences and Economics, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran.

2 MSc. of Accounting, Department of Accounting, Faculty of Social Sciences and Economics, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

This study was conducted aiming at examining the impact of accounting information quality (AIQ) on overinvestment and underinvestment problems by considering the impact of auditor specialization on the industry. The statistical population consisted of the listed companies on the Tehran Stock Exchange from 2013 to 2017. According to the result, accounting information quality contributed to the reduction of overinvestment and underinvestment problems. Also, the auditor specialization was mostly effective in improving investment efficiency. It was also found that accounting information quality and the auditor specialization were partially alternative mechanisms in enhancing investment efficiency. There was a significant positive relationship between accounting information quality and investment efficiency in companies where the auditor was a specialist in the industry. The conclusion of this paper might be the first empirical evidence to support prior research that auditor specialization on the industry is positively related to investment efficiency at the Tehran Stock Exchange. Also, it shows the impact of the replacement of auditor specialization and accounting information quality was studied.

Keywords


  • Andrew, A. (1983). “Optimal investment under uncertainty”. Journal of American Economic Review. Vol. 73, Issue. 1, pp. 228–233.
  • Autore, D.M., Billingsley, R.S. and Schneller, M.I. (2009). “Information uncertainty and auditor reputation”. Journal of Banking & Finance. Vol. 33, pp. 183–192.
  • Azizkhani, M., & Kavoosi, M. (2017). The Pricing of Auditor Market Power: Evidence from Iran. Iranian Journal of Accounting, Auditing & Finance, 1(1).‏
  • Balsam, S., Krishnan, J. and Yang, J.S. (2003). “Auditor industry specialization and earnings quality”. Auditing: A Journal of Practice & Theory. Vol. 22, pp. 71–97.
  • Biddle, G. and Hilary, G. (2006). “Accounting quality and firm-level capital investment”. Journal of Accounting Review. Vol. 81, 963–982.
  • Biddle, G., Hilary, G. and Verdi, R.S. (2009). “How does financial reporting quality relate to investments efficiency?” Journal of Accounting and Economics. Vol. 48, pp. 112–131.
  • Blandon, J.G. and Bosch, J.M. (2018). “Audit partner industry specialization and audit quality: Evidence from Spain”. International Journal of Auditing. Vol. 22, Issue. 1, pp. 98-108.
  • Bushman, R.M. and Smith, A.J. (2001). “Financial accounting information and corporate governance”. Journal of Accounting and Economics. Vol. 32, pp. 237–333.
  • Chang, X., Dasgupta, S. and Hilary, G. (2009). “The effect of auditor quality on financing decisions”. Journal of Accounting Review. Vol. 84 No. 4, pp. 1085–1117.
  • Chen, F., Hope, O., Li, Q. and Wang, X. (2011). “Financial reporting quality and investment efficiency of private firms in emerging markets”. Journal of Accounting Review. Vol. 86, pp. 1255–1288.
  • Choi, J.H., Kim, F., Kim, J.B. and Zang, Y. (2010). “Audit office size, audit quality and audit pricing”. Auditing: A Journal of Practice & Theory. Vol. 29, pp. 73–113.
  • Crotty, J.R. (1992). “Neoclassical and Keynesian approaches to the theory of investment”. Journal of Post Keynesian Economics. Vol. 14, pp. 483–496.

13)  Darabi, R., Chenari Bouket, H. and Mahmoodi Khatami, M. (2016). “The effect of industry specialization, auditing independence and auditor tenure on the stock price crash risk”. Journal of Financial Accounting and Auditing Research. Vol. 8 No. 22, pp. 119-127.

14)  DeBoskey, D.G. and Jiang, W. (2012). “Earnings management and auditor specialization in the post-sox era: an examination of the banking industry”. Journal of Banking & Finance. Vol. 36, pp. 613–623.

  • Elaoud, A. and Jarboui, A. (2017). “Auditor specialization, accounting information quality and investment efficiency”. Journal of Research in International Business and Finance. Vol. 42, pp. 616-629.
  • Gilaninia, S., Chegini, M. G., & Mohtasham, E. M. (2012). Financial reporting quality and investment efficiency of Iran. Interdisciplinary Journal of Contemporary Research in Business, 4(7), 218-222.‏
  • Gomariz, M.F.C. and Bellesta, J.P.S. (2014). “Financial reporting quality, debt maturity and investment efficiency”. Journal of Banking & Finance. Vol. 40, pp. 494–506.
  • Gordon, M.J. (1992). “The Neoclassical and a post Keynesian theory of investment”. Journal of Post Keynesian Econ. Vol. 14, pp. 425–443.
  • Gramling, A.A. and Stone, D.N. (2001). “Audit firm industry expertise: a review and synthesis of the archival literature”. Journal of Accounting Literature. Vol. 20, pp. 1–29.
  • Gul, F.A., Fung, S.Y.K. and Jaggi, B. (2009). “Earnings quality: some evidence on the role of auditor tenure and auditors’ industry expertise”. Journal of Accounting and Economics. Vol. 47, pp. 265–287.
  • Habib, A. and Borhan, M.d. (2011). “Audit firm industry specialization and the audit report lag. Journal of International Accounting”, Journal of Auditing and Taxation. Vol. 20, pp. 32–44.
  • Hakim, F. and Omri, M.A. (2010). “Quality of the external auditor, information asymmetry, and bid-ask spread: case of the listed Tunisian firms”. International Journal of Accounting and Information Management. Vol. 18, pp. 5–18.
  • Hammersley, J.S. (2006). “Pattern identification and industry specialist auditors”. Journal of Accounting Review. Vol. 81, pp. 309–336.
  • Hayashi, F. (1982). “Tobin’s marginal q and average q: a neoclassical interpretation”. Journal of Vol. 50 No. 1, pp. 213–224.
  • Healy, P.M. and Palepu, k.G. (2001). “Information asymmetry, corporate disclosure, and the capital markets: a review of the empirical disclosure literature”. Journal of Accounting and Economics. Vol. 31, pp. 405–440.
  • Hirshleifer, D., Hou, K., Teoh, S. and Zhang, Y. (2004). “Do investors overvalue firms with bloated balance sheets?”. Journal of Accounting and Economics. Vol. 38, pp. 297–331.
  • Hope, O. and Thomas, W.B. (2008). “Managerial empire building and firm disclosure”. Journal of Accounting Research. Vol. 46, pp. 591–626.
  • Lai, K.W. (2009). “Does audit quality matter more for firms with high investment opportunities?”. Journal of Accounting & public policy. Vol. 28, pp. 33–50.
  • Lu, W., Liu, J.S., Kweh, Q.L. and Wang, C.W. (2016). “Exploring the benchmarks of the Taiwanese investment trust corporations: management and investment efficiency perspectives”. European Journal of Operational Research. Vol. 248, pp. 607–618.
  • Martinez, J., Garcia, I. and Cuadrado, B. (2015). “Effect of financial reporting quality on sustainability information disclosure”. Journal of Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management. Vol. 22, Issue. 1, pp. 45–64.
  • Mary, J.L. and Bing, Y. (2012). “Do earnings management and audit quality influence over-investment by chinese companies?”. International Journal of Economics and Finance. Vol. 4, pp. 21–30.
  • McNichols, M. and Stubben, S. (2008). “Does earnings management affect firms’ investment decisions?”. Journal of Accounting Review. Vol. 86. pp. 1571–1603.
  • Moroney, R. (2007). “Does industry expertise improve the efficiency of audit judgment?”. Auditing: A Journal of Practice & Theory. Vol. 26, pp. 69–94.
  • Nilabhra, B., Hemang. D. and Kumar, V. (2013). “Does Earnings Quality Affect Information Asymmetry?”. Journal of Contemporary Accounting Research. Vol. 30 No. 2, pp. 482–516.
  • Robu, M.A. and Robu, I.B. (2015). “The influence of the audit report on the relevance of accounting information reported by listed Romanian companies”. Journal of Procedia Economics and Finance. Vol. 20, pp. 562 – 570.

36)  Saqafi, A. (2010). “Financial reporting quality and investment inefficiency”. Journal of Financial Accounting Research. Vol. 2, Issue 4, pp. 1-20.

37)  Saqafi, A., Blue, Q. and Mohammadian, M. (2011). “The association between accounting information quality, overinvestment and free cash flow”. Journal of Accounting Advances. Vol 3 No. 2, pp. 37-63.

  • Stanley, J.D. and DeZoort, T.F. (2007). “Audit firm tenure and financial restatements: an analysis of industry specialization and fee effects”. Journal of Accounting and Public Policy. Vol. 26, pp. 131–159.

39)  Sun, J. and Liu, G. (2011). “Industry specialist auditors, outsider directors, and financial analysts”. Journal of Accounting & public policy. Vol. 30, Issue. 4, pp. 367–382.

  • Velury, V. (2003). “The association between auditor industry specialization and earnings management”. Journal of Research in Accounting Regulation. Vol. 16, pp. 171–184.
  • Verdi, R. (2006). “Financial reporting quality and investment Efficiency”. Unpublished PhD Dissertation, Faculties of the University of Pennsylvania in partial Fulfillment, or Working Paper, Available at SSRN: http://www.ssrn.com.
  • Yoshikawa, H. (1980). “On the “q” theory of investment”. Journal of American Economic Review. Vol. 70, Issue. 4, pp. 739–743.