Globalization and the coordinating of work in multinational audits

Barrett, Michael; Cooper, David J.; Jamal, Karim

doi:10.1016/j.aos.2004.02.002

Cited by 227 publications

(193 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…In particular, efficiency and consistency have become a key source of competitive advantage for accounting firms. Examples of systems include inter‐office instructions that specify the scope of audit, what is to be audited, critical elements and timelines for major reporting (Barrett et al., 2005, p. 3). Another example is risk based audit technologies or methodologies introduced by the big four accounting firms to facilitate greater efficiency of audit processes across offices, and also to develop and offer other business services to audit clients (Barrett et al., 2005).…”

Section: Nature Of Knowledgementioning

confidence: 99%

“…The interaction among junior and senior auditors has become more reciprocal (e.g. Barrett et al., 2005). For example, risk based audit technologies and methodologies have reduced the documentation including detailed review notes in the audit process and been replaced by intensive face‐to‐face oral communication between partners, senior auditors and junior auditors (Barrett et al., 2005; Bell et al., 1997; Winograd et al., 2000).…”

Section: Nature Of Knowledgementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Barrett et al., 2005). For example, risk based audit technologies and methodologies have reduced the documentation including detailed review notes in the audit process and been replaced by intensive face‐to‐face oral communication between partners, senior auditors and junior auditors (Barrett et al., 2005; Bell et al., 1997; Winograd et al., 2000). This change has been accompanied by greater horizontal communication between team members of differing seniority, breaking down the vertical hierarchy embedded within a team of auditors.…”

Section: Nature Of Knowledgementioning

confidence: 99%

“…This change has partly come about as the domain of accounting expanded to include non‐audit services that required greater interaction with the client, but this permeated into the audit side of the business as well. In a field study of an audit, Barrett et al. (2005, p. 17) observed that young auditors were encouraged to keep a learning journal to document ideas about improvements that could be made to the way the audit was carried out; these improvements were in turn proposed to clients as potential business advisory services.…”

Section: Jurisdictionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Heterogeneity in Professional Service Firms

Malhotra

Morris

2009

J Management Studies

212

239

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Research on professional service firms emphasizes similarities in their organization and management and distinctiveness from other types of organization. In this paper we take a different tack and focus on the differences between professional service firms, that is, on heterogeneity across different professional sectors. We argue that differences between professions on a number of dimensions affect the nature of professionals' work and, in turn, the organization and management of firms across different professional sectors. Drawing on the sociology of professions literature we focus on three key dimensions of knowledge, jurisdictional control and client relationships to compare legal, auditing and engineering consulting firms. We consider how differences in these dimensions across the three professional services sectors impact upon the way firms are organized. We offer a number of propositions explicating how differences in the nature of knowledge, jurisdictional control and client relationships have implications for organizational form, team-working and pricing systems. Copyright (c) Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2009.

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Section: Nature Of Knowledgementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Nature Of Knowledgementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Nature Of Knowledgementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Jurisdictionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Heterogeneity in Professional Service Firms

Malhotra

Morris

2009

J Management Studies

212

239

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“…In addition, international audit firms generally follow the policy of establishing an international approach to auditing (see Barrett et al. , 2005).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Putting Audit Approaches in Context: The Case of Business Risk Audits in Jordan

Abdullatif

Al-Khadash

2010

Int J Auditing

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Large international audit firms are increasingly expanding their activities around the world and increasingly promoting the concept of a similar quality audit to be performed by all their worldwide offices and member firms. This strategy includes developing and using a similar audit approach globally. This study surveys the views of Jordanian auditors, mainly from audit firms with international affiliations, about how such an international approach, with emphasis on the currently popular business risk approach, is applied in practice by Jordanian audit firms and how appropriate and practical the application of such an international approach to auditing is in different contexts. The results of the study show that the business risk approach has been generally adopted by the larger Jordanian audit firms to varying extents, especially those which are full members of an international audit firm network. However, audit clients in Jordan face too many business risks, especially because of poor control systems, poor corporate governance structures, and unclear or non-existent corporate strategies and objectives. These risks have to be addressed by the business risk approach under very low audit fees. Such factors have led to the business risk approach not being applied in the way that the large international audit firms intended, and not achieving the approach's main objectives, leaving the audit profession with the question of how appropriate it is to adopt an international audit approach in different contexts. SUMMARYThis study surveys views of Jordanian auditors about how the business risk audit approach is applied in practice by Jordanian audit firms and how appropriate and practical the application of such an international approach to auditing is in a

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