PhD Theses
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Browsing PhD Theses by Subject "Auditing"
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Item 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 KiureDespite 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.Item Auditing practices and accountability in local government authorities: a case study of Tanzania: theory of wrestling for internal efficiency(University of Dar es Salaam, 2014) Tulli, Mwamini MadhehebiThis research investigates the phenomenon of auditing practices and accountability in four Tanzanian Local Government Authorities (LGAs). Specifically, the study explores the manner and the extent to which auditing practices interact with accountability and internal efficiency. The study adopts an interpretive approach and executes a grounded theory strategy in the data collection and analysis. The findings of this research reveal that there are apparent struggles to make LGAs accountable, and efficient and the need for efficient and accountable LGAs causes the LGAs’ stakeholders to introduce various measures and reforms. Auditing is revealed to be a catalyst for organizational change, as most of the accounting and administration reforms undertaken in the LGAs in Tanzania were initiated, adopted and implemented as a result of anomalies and deficiencies uncovered by auditing practices. This research concludes that, despite being a catalyst for organizational efficiency, neither internal nor external audit can bring about efficiency in an organisation unless it is backed by powerful and influential stakeholders.Item Auditor monitoring and audit quality: a perspective of board members and top executives in the financial services sector in Uganda(University of Dar es Salaam, 2013) Kaawaase, Twaha Kigongo MujjumbulaThe study addressed the extent to which dimensions of auditor monitoring (i.e. Board of Directors’ Effectiveness, Audit Committee Effectiveness and Regulatory Monitoring) have influenced audit quality in the financial services sector in Uganda. It also examined the interaction effects of auditor type and auditor tenure in the association of these elements with audit quality. The study was motivated by a continued questioning of audit quality that heightened with recent financial reporting scandals. Prior studies have been archival and inconclusive and point to lack of a universally acceptable definition or operationalisation of the concept of audit quality. This study used a mixed methodology approach involving a sequential triangulation of qualitative and quantitative methods, and cross-sectional data. The first phase of the study was mainly qualitative and involved 106 audit practitioners, 31 credit analysts and 13 corporate governance practitioners in the financial services sector in Uganda. Phase Two of the study was quantitative with 183 respondents from 61 financial services firms in Uganda. Phase One data was analyzed using NVivo8©, while Phase Two tested clearly formulated hypotheses and the data analysis included exploratory factor analysis, correlations, regression tests and testing for interaction effects. The results show that within financial services firms in Uganda audit fees, ability of the auditor to constrain discretionary accruals and the extent of compliance with accounting standards, legal and regulatory requirements are valid and reliable measures of audit quality. It was also established that dimensions of auditor monitoring (Board of Directors’ Effectiveness, Audit Committee Effectiveness and Auditor Regulatory Monitoring) are significant predictors of audit quality. The predictive power of the constructs in order of importance is: Board of Directors’ Effectiveness, Audit Committee Effectiveness and Auditor Regulatory Monitoring. The regression model predicts 59.7 % of the variance in audit quality in financial services firms in Uganda. It was also established that there is no significant difference in perceived audit quality between reports from big four audit firms and small and medium practices. The study also showed that the longer an audit firm remained engaged by a financial services company, the higher the audit quality. The interactions of Board of Directors’ Effectiveness with Auditor Type as well as with Auditor Tenure were found to boost audit quality. The main conclusion of the study is that audit quality can be improved by enhancing auditor monitoring, taking into account the interaction effects of auditor type and auditor tenure on the relationship between Board of Directors’ Effectiveness and Audit Quality. It is therefore recommended that to improve audit quality, issues illuminated by this study that make Boards of Directors, Audit Committees as well as auditor regulation effective are critical when setting up such structures. Managers in paying audit fees should demand a commensurate level of audit effort and service quality from external auditors, and to hold audit planning meetings with auditors to ensure that audit quality issues are incorporated at that stage. The regulator of external audit firms in Uganda should incorporate the indicators of audit quality in their audit firms’ inspection tool.