Preview

Finance: Theory and Practice

Advanced search

Audit Quality and Earnings Management: With Reference to Family-Owned Firms

https://doi.org/10.26794/2587-5671-2026-30-2-121-131

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to examine the association between earnings management and audit quality of Two hundred sixty-eight (268) business group firms from 2016 to 2021. The study has taken both accrual-based earnings management and a composite proxy for real earnings management to estimate the earnings management practices of the Indian business group firm. BIG_4 is used as a dummy variable for measuring the audit quality of firms. To examine the association between earnings management and audit quality, Panel fixed effect model is used. The results signify that audit quality is negatively associated with earnings management. This finding indicates that business group firms are quite concerned about earnings quality and less likely to be involved in earnings management practices for India. The result would draw the attention of law makers, policy makers and government regarding the loopholes of principles-based accounting. Especially, the result would help the accounting standard setter to change and rectify the present system of accounting principles.

About the Authors

S. Tripathy
University of Bahrain
Bahrain

Sasikanta Tripathy — PhD, Assist. Prof., Department of Economics and Finance, College of Business

Shakir


Competing Interests:

The authors have no confl icts of interest to declare.



R. Ch. Das
Bhadrak Autonomous College
India

Ramesh Chandra Das — PhD, Assist. Prof., Department of Accounting

Bhadrak


Competing Interests:

The authors have no confl icts of interest to declare.



References

1. Khuong N. V., Liem N. T., Anh L. H.T., Dung B. T. N. Related party transactions, accrual-based earnings management and real activities earnings management in emerging market. Pacific Accounting Review. 2024;36(1):60-76. DOI: 10.1108/PAR-08-2022-0112

2. Fields T. D., Lys T. Z., Vincent L. Empirical research on accounting choice. Journal of Accounting and Economics. 2001;31(1-3):255-307. DOI: 10.1016/s0165-4101(01)00028-3

3. Roychowdhury S. Earnings management through real activities manipulation. Journal of Accounting and Economics. 2006;42(3):335-370. DOI: 10.1016/j.jacceco.2006.01.002

4. Usman R., Masdar R., Masruddin. The effect of institutional pressure on the level of BPK auditor reliance: A study of government audit institutions in Indonesia. Finance: Theory and Practice. 2024;28(6):109-121. DOI: 10.26794/2587-5671-2024-28-6-109-121

5. Mangala D., Kumari P. Auditors’ perceptions of the effectiveness of fraud prevention and detection methods. Indian Journal of Corporate Governance. 2017;10(2):118-142. DOI: 10.1177/0974686217738683

6. Fahd M. A. The real earnings management mediation: Relation between CEO overconfidence and subsequent performance. Finance: Theory and Practice. 2024;28(4):228-238. DOI: 10.26794/2587-5671-2024-28-4-228-238

7. Jaiswal M., Banerjee A. Study on the state of corporate governance in India. IIM Calcutta Working Paper Series. 2010;(5):1-45.

8. Debnath N. C., Chowdhury S.P, Khan S. The impact of audit quality on real earnings management: Evidence from Bangladesh. International Journal of Disclosure and Governance. 2022;19(2):218-231. DOI: 10.1057/s41310-021-00137-x

9. Chen K. Y., Lin K.-L., Zhou J. Audit quality and earnings management for Taiwan IPO firms. Managerial Auditing Journal. 2005;20(1):86-104. DOI: 10.1108/02686900510570722

10. Lin J. W., Hwang M. I. Audit quality, corporate governance, and earnings management: A meta-analysis. International Journal of Auditing. 2010;14(1):57-77. DOI: 10.1111/j.1099-1123.2009.00403.x

11. Gunny K. A. The relation between earnings management using real activities manipulation and future performance: Evidence from meeting earnings benchmarks. Contemporary Accounting Research. 2010;27(3):855-888. DOI: 10.1111/j.1911-3846.2010.01029.x

12. Zang A. Y. Evidence on the trade-off between real activities manipulation and accrual-based earnings management. The Accounting Review. 2012;87(2):675-703. DOI: 10.2308/accr-10196

13. Gakhar D. V. Earnings management practices in India: A study of auditor’s perception. Journal of Financial Crime. 2013;21(1):100-110. DOI: 10.1108/jfc-09-2013-0054

14. Mensah B. K.A., Yeboah M. Effective audit committee, audit quality and earnings management: Evidence from the Ghana Stock Exchange. International Journal of Managerial and Financial Accounting. 2019;11(2):93-112. DOI: 10.1504/ijmfa.2019.099765

15. Orazalin N., Akhmetzhanov R. Earnings management, audit quality, and cost of debt: Evidence from a Central Asian economy. Managerial Auditing Journal. 2019;34(6):696-721. DOI: 10.1108/maj-12-2017-1730

16. Waweru N. M., Prot N. P. Corporate governance compliance and accrual earnings management in Eastern Africa: Evidence from Kenya and Tanzania. Managerial Auditing Journal. 2018;33(2):171-191. DOI: 10.1108/MAJ-09-2016-1438

17. Beiruth A. X., Brugni T. V., Marinho M. L., da Costa F. M. Earnings management and cost of debt of Brazilian privately held companies. Latin American Business Review. 2021;22(3):215-234. DOI: 10.1080/10978526.202 0.1857649

18. Chowdhury S. N., Eliwa Y. The impact of audit quality on real earnings management in the UK context. International Journal of Accounting and Information Management. 2021;29(3):368-391. DOI: 10.1108/ijaim-10-2020-0156

19. Kim J.-B., Yi C. H. Ownership structure, business group affiliation, listing status, and earnings management: Evidence from Korea. Contemporary Accounting Research. 2006;23(2):427-464. DOI: 10.1506/7t5b-72fv-mhjv-e697

20. Beuselinck C., Deloof M. Earnings management in business groups: Tax incentives or expropriation concealment? The International Journal of Accounting. 2014;49(1):27-52. DOI: 10.1016/j.intacc.2014.01.008

21. Akinlo O. O. Determinants of working capital requirements in selected quoted companies in Nigeria. Journal of African Business. 2012;13(1):40-50 DOI: 10.1080/15228916.2012.657951

22. Githaiga P. N., Kabete P. M., Bonareri T. C. Board characteristics and earnings management. Does fi rm size matter? Cogent Business & Management. 2022;9(1):2088573. DOI: 10.1080/23311975.2022.2088573

23. Cohen D. A., Zarowin P. Accrual- based and real earnings management activities around seasoned equity offerings. Journal of Accounting and Economics. 2010;50(1):2-19. DOI: 10.1016/j.jacceco.2010.01.002

24. Tulcanaza- Prieto A., Lee Y. H., Koo J.-H. Leverage, corporate governance and real earnings management: Evidence from Korean market. Global Business & Finance Review. 2020;25;(4):51-72. DOI: 10.17549/gbfr.2020.25.4.51

25. Barton J., Simko P. J. The balance sheet as an earnings management constraint. The Accounting Review. 2002;77(S1):1-27. DOI: 10.2308/accr.2002.77.s-1.1 26. Kothari S. P., Leone A. J., Wasley C. E. Performance matched discretionary accrual measures. Journal of Accounting and Economics. 2005;39(1):163-197. DOI: 10.1016/j.jacceco.2004.11.002

26. Sawhney R. K., Goel P., Bhardwaj S. B. Is there any impact of CSR on fi nancial performance? Evidence from Indian fi rms. Finance: Theory and Practice. 2023;27(4):131-141. DOI: 10.26794/2587-5671-2023-27-4-131-141

27. Khanna T., Rivkin J. W. Estimating the performance effects of business groups in emerging markets. Strategic Management Journal. 2001;22(1):45-74. DOI: 10.1002/1097-0266(200101)22:1<45: aid-smj147>3.0.co;2-f

28. Das R. C., Mishra C. S., Rajib P. R eal versus accrual- based earnings management: Do Indian firms prefer one over the other? Paradigm: A Management Research Journal. 2017;21(2):156-174. DOI: 10.1177/0971890717736214

29. Kaur R., Mehra S., Khanna A. The state of earnings management in India: An empirical analysis. Indian Journal of Finance. 2015;9(12):41-50. DOI: 10.17010/ijf/2015/v9i12/84383

30. Chen C.-L., Huang S.-H, Fan H.-S. Complementary association between real activities and accrual- based manipulation in earnings reporting. Journal of Economic Policy Reform. 2012;15(2):93-108. DOI: 10.1080/174 87870.2012.667965


Review

For citations:


Tripathy S., Das R. Audit Quality and Earnings Management: With Reference to Family-Owned Firms. Finance: Theory and Practice. 2026;30(2):121-131. https://doi.org/10.26794/2587-5671-2026-30-2-121-131

Views: 184

JATS XML


Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.


ISSN 2587-5671 (Print)
ISSN 2587-7089 (Online)