This thesis is concerned with the role of the international accounting firms in the process of auditing harmonisation both through their activities as individual firms and as agents whose actions enhance the degree of compliance with the International Standards on Auditing (ISAs). A major motivation underlying this research is the aspiration to understand the real potential for successful realization of the objective of worldwide auditing standards. This objective may be facilitated by the internationalisation of supply of auditing services, which suggests that the major international accounting firms would have a vital role in the achievability of global standards. Therefore, understanding the role of these firms is another motivation for this study. In addition, within the academic arena, comparative international auditing has received significantly less attention than international accounting harmonisation. As such, the third motivation for this study is to attempt to contribute to the debate on whether the internationalisation of auditing practices is generally feasible, in particular in the context of Less Economically Developed Countries (LEDCs). The research focuses on examining the extent to which ISAs are complied with in the context of LEDCs, and the influence of environmental factors, as suggested by comparative accounting research, and the activities of international accounting firms on compliance. Thus, the original idea of harmonisation as moving towards worldwide auditing practices across countries may not be achieved as long as environmental and cultural differences exist and exert different influences on professional development across countries. These research issues are addressed through a comparative study of Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria, based on a questionnaire survey and interviews. The rationale for conducting this investigation is based on the fact these three states belong to what is generally perceived to be a relatively homogenous region in terms of the level of economic development, culture, and language. But they have been followed diverse routes while adapting to the process of internationalisation of auditing practice. Therefore, it is of relevance to examine the forces that have resulted in countries within a relatively homogenous region adopting diverse policies while dealing with the international process. The study adds to the few existing empirical studies and offers evidence relevant to the debate about the extent to which international auditing practice has been harmonised, and what is the role of the major accounting firms in promoting adoption of ISAs and decreasing international auditing differences. In particular it provides evidence which can contribute towards understanding the nature and forms of international pressures for change in LEDCs. Previous studies have focused on auditing harmonisation within developed countries. This study indicates the need to broaden the research agenda to consider contexts where the auditing profession may be at a different stage of development, and to challenge assumptions either that innovations in auditing practice and standards are easily transferred globally or that individual countries, even within a common region, have uniform auditing environments.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:488072 |
| Date | January 2003 |
| Creators | Albahloul, Mohammad |
| Publisher | University of Manchester |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
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