Browsing by Author "Mssusa, Neema Kiure"

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    Accountants' perspectives on the influence of external audit services on the implementation of IPSAS: evidence from Tanzania
    (University of Dar es Salaam, 2020) Mssusa, Neema Kiure
    Despite the potential for the external audit services to influence the implementation of the International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS), the empirical literature does not document this influence, which creates a knowledge gap. This study sought to fill this gap by assessing perspectives of accountants on the impact of the external audit services on the implementation of IPSAS in Tanzania. Adopting the positivist research paradigm, the study employed a cross-sectional survey in which 379 respondents, comprising Public Sector Entities (PSE) financial accountants, internal auditors and external auditors, participated. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect the data. Data analysis techniques employed were the mean, percentages, standard deviations and structural equation modeling. The findings suggested that external audit services influence the implementation of IPSAS. Moreover, the findings showed that regulatory framework moderate the influence of external audit services on the implementation of IPSAS. Furthermore, the findings proposed that auditor's characteristics mediate the influence of external audit services on the implementation of IPSAS. Looking at the individual components of external audit services and regulatory framework, the findings suggested that the assurance services and Parliamentary Accounts Committees (PAC) have no influence on the implementation of IPSAS. Some practical implications of the findings are that PAC and external audit services may have a profound impact on solving the accountability, management and decision-making challenges that have hampered PSE. Consequently, the study recommends that the government should build structures that encourage organizational learning to improve the skills and knowledge of accountants. Also, the National Audit Office Tanzania and PAC should devise a mechanism that would foster a close working relationship between them. PAC should familiarize themselves with applicable IPSAS requirements. The study's key limitations are that it failed to consider other potential factors that might affect IPSAS implementation, and the assumption of homogeneity at the level of PSE IPSAS implementation. These limitations present opportunities for further studies that could extend this study's insights.