PurposeThis study aims to analyze the effect of audit findings and audit recommendations follow-up on the quality of financial reports and the quality of public services in the context of applying accrual accounting systems to local government in Indonesia. This study also examines whether the quality of the financial report affects the quality of public services.Design/methodology/approachThis study employed cross-sectional regression using data from 1,437 observations from 491 districts/cities for 2014–2016. The data illustrates the conditions prior to the adoption of the accrual accounting system (2014), the initial year of application/transition period (2015) and the second year of the expected accrual accounting system (2016).FindingsThe results of the study indicate that, in general, the quality of financial reports affects the quality of public services. Regarding the implementation of audits in the public sector, it is also found that audit findings have a negative impact on the quality of financial report and the quality of public services, while audit recommendations follow-up plays a positive role in improving the quality of financial report and the quality of public services.Research limitations/implicationsThe implication of the results of this study is closely related to the efforts to realize the ultimate goal of the recent government reforms. In order to increase the quality of public services in the era of higher report requirements through an accrual accounting system, the government should focus on the quality of financial reports, audit findings and the audit recommendations follow-up.Originality/valueThis study provides new insight on the link between the public sector auditing and the quality of accounting in accrual implementation context and the quality of public services.

This study aims to analyze the extent to which the mediating role of corporate governance on the influence of state ownership on audit findings issued by Audit Board of the Republic of Indonesia on State-Owned Enterprises in Indonesia. The study used a sample of 98 observations (firm-year) during the period of 2010-2014. The results indicate that directly in line with predictions, there is a positive influence of the degree of state ownership on audit findings, and it is found that the level of state ownership has an indirect and negative effect on the governance of state enterprises, resulting in a negative impact of corporate governance on the audit. The results of this study imply that in order to reduce the potential for audit findings, the steps that need to be taken by the government gradually are to reduce the state ownership portion of SOEs, especially by privatization through stock offerings on the capital market and encouraging the implementation good governance in SOEs.

Increasing the concentration of ownership and control of public companies in Indonesia is more likely to increase the likelihood of earnings management practices through tax avoidance. The high percentage of concentrated ownership has encouraged the government and capital market regulators to more broadly promote regulations related to tax incentives and public ownership in order to encourage more transparent practices. This study aims to analyze the policy of public ownership of tax avoidance conducted by Indonesian public companies, specifically after the regulation of Government Regulation No. 81 of 2007 concerning Reduction of Income Tax Rates for Domestic Corporate Taxpayers in the Form of Public Companies, and Minister of Financial Regulation No. 238 / PMK.03 / 2008 concerning Procedures for Implementing and Supervision of Granting Tariff Reductions for Domestic Corporate Taxpayers in the Form of Public Companies. More specifically, this study aims to analyze the impact of public share ownership on tax avoidance by Indonesian public companies. The samples of 320 observations that conducted (firm-years) during 2008-2011. The software that will be used in data analysis is STATA 12. The results showed that the increase in public ownership have a significant effect in improve the practice of corporate tax avoidance, which it is also evidenced by the significant differences in the corporate tax avoidance practices before than after the enactment of these regulations. The findings show that the greater the proportion of public share ownership would result the decreasing number of ETR or ETRC which can be indicated that the greater the practice of corporate tax avoidance. Furthermore, the ROA variable has a negative and significant effect on corporate tax avoidance practices, meaning that the greater the profitability ratio of a company can cause the reported and paid tax burden to decrease.

This study aims to analyze the extent of the role of transparency and professional assistance, particularly by the Financial and Development Supervisory Agency (BPKP) in the management of regional finances toward the implementation of follow‐up audit recommendations. Using data from provincial, city, and district governments in Indonesia in 2014–2016 in Indonesia, with a final sample of 1494 observations. The results of the study indicate that the level of transparency can play a role in increasing the level of suitability of the implementation of follow‐up audit recommendations that have been given by external auditors (the Supreme Audit Board/BPK) to the Regional Governments in Indonesia. However, although at the Provincial Government level, a positive influence was found on the existence of BPKP's assistance on the follow‐up of audit recommendations, this did not apply at the district and city level, because it was found that districts and cities that received BPKP assistance had lower audit recommendations compared to districts and cities that do not get BPKP assistance. The results of this study have implications for the strategies and policies (discretion) of Local Government officials in order to improve the suitability of the implementation of follow‐up audit recommendations. Therefore, the Central Government needs to encourage and facilitate increased transparency and implementation of follow‐up audit recommendations to the Regional Government, to optimize the achievement of governance reform goals in Indonesia, especially in order to realize accountability in regional financial management.

This paper aims to know the extent of ethics learning in accounting education including the role of education institutions, faculty and accounting students in order to support the effectivity of ethics learning. Research finding based on literature study method discovers the effectivity of ethics learning which indicated by students perceive about the importance of ethics behaviour that contributes to their attitude in accounting practices and then it also effects to their professionalization and responsibility. In addition the curriculums and learning facilities of education institutions, perceive and ethics training of faculty, working experiences, extrinsic motivation and student knowledge also influence to the effectivity of ethics learning. The limitation of this research is the method of research which only use literature study so that the forward research suggest to use other research method as survey, lab study or case study to produce empirical research.