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This study investigates the factors that influence external auditor (EA) reliance on the work of the internal audit function (IAF) in Jordanian listed companies (JLCs). It evaluates the effect of internal auditor objectivity, competence and work performance as perceived by senior Jordanian EAs. The study employs a mixed method comprising a survey‐based factorial experiment in addition to semi‐structured interviews. The results, based on 35 fully‐crossed factorial experiments and nine interviews with senior EAs and external audit managers, show that IAF objectivity has the greatest influence on the EA's decision to rely on the work of the IAF, followed closely by IAF competence and IAF work performance. Further, there was a significant interactive effect between objectivity and competence, indicating that the EAs do not consider the influence of individual factors in isolation. In interviews, the EAs put forward many reasons for the importance of all three of the independent variables. Our results have direct implications for organizations as well as for professional bodies and regulatory authorities charged with encouraging the development of IAFs.

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Environmental social controls (ESCs) such as mandatory disclosure, regulations, subsidies, and stakeholder opinion are intended to improve firm environmental performance. This paper reports ESC importance to Australian financial managers in making capital investment decisions. A decision-making experiment showed managers to be most responsive to stakeholder opinion (42 per cent), followed by subsidization (26 per cent) and regulatory cost (22 per cent). Mandatory disclosure has very little influence (10 per cent). ESC interaction effects are limited so coordination of ESC policy is not a primary concern. High degrees of managerial self-insight suggest policy changes would be enhanced by close consultations with the managers involved. Copyright (c) The Authors Journal compilation (c) 2006 AFAANZ.

Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to examine Australian exporter perceptions of export credit insurance (ECI) value and ECI value drivers to help uncover how Australian (and other) exporters can optimize their ECI use. Design/methodology/approach -This paper uses a 1,000 firm survey of how Australian ECI users and non-users perceive the value of often-cited attributes of ECI and multiple regression analysis to create a model of ECI value drivers. Findings -Most ECI value is derived from the increased trade exporters can manage with ECI protection and from improved access to trade finance. Clear differences are observable in perceived ECI value between larger and smaller exporters as well as between ECI users and non-users. Originality/value -This paper provides the first evidence of perceived ECI value to Australian exporters as well as differences between ECI users and non-users. Export credit insurers and export support agencies need to focus on these differences to ensure that ECI is being optimally marketed and used by Australian exporters.