The Role of Corporate Governance Mechanisms in limiting Creative Accounting Practices: A View from Specialists in Middle East Countries

Abstract

This study aims to determine the role of corporate governance in limiting the risk of creative accounting practices from the perspective of accounting experts. Creative accounting practices were one of the reasons behind the emergence of the global financial crisis that hit the economies of several countries around the world. These practices led to a lack of reliability of financial data, which in turn had a significant impact on the evaluations and decisions that were made by internal and external stakeholders. By using survey responses submitted by professionals in several Middle East countries, this study investigated four important corporate governance mechanisms that are designed to limit creative accounting practices. These are accounting and auditing standards, the role of the internal auditor, the role of the external auditor and the role of audit committees. The study concludes that, in the opinion of accounting experts, audit committees and external audit mechanisms have the greatest ability to prevent creative accounting practices. This is the first time that a sample of accounting experts from multiple countries in the Middle East region has been used to investigate mechanisms which could reduce creative accounting practices. This research is based on the opinions of the survey participants. Even though they are qualified and experienced, we are aware that these opinions cannot be taken as facts. Instead, this research could be considered as qualitative research that suffers from full objectivity.