Impact of auditor characteristics on audit judgment performance in Vietnam
-
DOIhttp://dx.doi.org/10.21511/ppm.23(2).2025.38
-
Article InfoVolume 23 2025, Issue #2, pp. 531-545
- 22 Views
-
5 Downloads
This work is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
Vietnam is a rapidly developing economy with a unique set of audit challenges. This study focuses on independent auditors in Vietnam to determine the impact and influence of the representative factors of auditor characteristics, such as knowledge, experience, ability, and working motivation, on the auditors’ judgment. The study chose 407 auditors (juniors, seniors, managers, and partners) who worked at 86 Big 4 and non-Big 4 firms in Vietnam in 2023. Respondents were selected at random, and data were collected through the distribution of questionnaires. The study used structural equation modeling (SEM) and path analysis to examine the relationship between knowledge, experience, problem-solving ability, working motivation, and auditors’ judgment performance. The findings, derived from normalized weights, indicate that knowledge has the most significant positive influence (0.330), followed by auditor experience (0.237), and lastly, problem-solving ability (0.151). The results also show that knowledge has a partially mediating role (in the form of support) in the relationship between experience and problem-solving ability to auditors’ judgment performance. The correlation relationships in the model are all statistically significant at a 95% confidence level (p = 0.000 < 0.05). This study contributes to refining the factors influencing auditors’ judgment performance, thereby supporting auditors, regulators, and policymakers in enhancing audit quality.
Acknowledgments
The author would like to sincerely thank the valuable contributions of Mr. (Mrs.) who participated in the semi-structured interviews and the auditors who participated in the survey at 86 Big4 and Non-Big4 auditing companies in Vietnam. Sincere thanks are also extended to the managers at the audit firms who facilitated the completion of this survey.
- Keywords
-
JEL Classification (Paper profile tab)M40, M41, D22, D91
-
References53
-
Tables8
-
Figures3
-
- Figure 1. Conceptual model
- Figure 2. Measurement model
- Figure 3. Bootstrapping analysis for the structural model
-
- Table 1. Measurement scale
- Table 2. Measurement model quality
- Table 3. HTMT ratio of correlations
- Table 4. Collinearity of latent variables
- Table 5. Direct effects of the independent on the dependent variable
- Table 6. Direct hypotheses testing
- Table 7. The mediating role of KNO
- Table 8. Testing mediating effects
-
- Agoglia, C. P., Beaudoin, C., & Tsakumis, G. T. (2009). The effect of documentation structure and task-specific experience on auditors’ ability to identify control weaknesses. Behavioral Research in Accounting, 21(1), 1-17.
- Aida, N. (2021). Work experience, obedience pressure and task complexity on audit judgment. Golden Ratio of Auditing Research, 1(2), 64-72.
- Alissa, W., Capkun, V., Jeanjean, T., & Suca, N. (2014). An empirical investigation of the impact of audit and auditor characteristics on auditor performance. Accounting, Organizations and Society, 39(7), 495-510.
- Amabile, T. M., Hill, K. G., Hennessey, B. A., & Tighe, E. M. (1994). The Work Preference Inventory: Assessing intrinsic and extrinsic motivational orientations. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 66(5), 950-967.
- Ashton, R. H., & Ashton, A. H. (Eds.). (1995). Judgment and decision-making research in accounting and auditing. Cambridge University Press.
- Bierstaker, J. L., & Wright, S. (2001). A research note concerning practical problem-solving ability as a predictor of performance in auditing tasks. Behavioral Research in Accounting, 13(1), 49-62.
- Bonner, S. E, & Lewis, B. L. (1990). Determinants of auditor expertise. Journal of Accounting Research, 28(3), 1-28.
- Bonner, S. E. (1990). Experience effects in auditing: The role of task-specific knowledge. Accounting Review, 65(1), 72-92.
- Bonner, S. E. (1999). Judgment and decision-making research in accounting. Accounting Horizons, 13(4), 385-398.
- Bonner, S. E., & Sprinkle, G. B. (2002). The effects of monetary incentives on effort and task Performance: Theories, evidence, and a framework for research. Accounting, Organizations and Society, 27(4-5), 303-345.
- Choo, F. (1995). Auditors’ judgment performance under stress: A test of the predicted relationship by three theoretical models. Journal of Accounting, Auditing and Finance, 10(3), 611-641.
- Choo, F. (1996). Auditors’ knowledge content and judgment performance: A cognitive script approach. Accounting, Organizations and Society, 21(4), 339-359.
- DeZoort, F. T., & Salterio, S. E. (2001). The effects of corporate governance experience and financial-reporting and audit knowledge on audit committee members’ judgments. Auditing: A Journal of Practice and Theory, 20(2), 31-47.
- Frederick, D. M., & Libby, R. (1986). Expertise and auditors’ judgments of conjunctive events. Journal of Accounting Research, 24(2), 270-290.
- Gibbins, M. (1984). Propositions about the psychology of professional judgment in public accounting. Journal of Accounting Research, 22(1), 103-125.
- Hair, J.F. Jr, Hult, G.T.M., Ringle, C., & Sarstedt, M. (2016). A primer on partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Sage Publications.
- Hammersley, J. S. (2011). A review and model of auditor judgments in fraud-related planning tasks. A Journal of Practice and Theory.
- Harahap, C., & Parinduri, A. (2022). Factors affecting audit judgement. Proceedings of the First Lekantara Annual Conference on Public Administration, Literature, Social Sciences, Humanities, and Education. Malang, Indonesia.
- Henrizi, P., Himmelsbach, D., & Hunziker, S. (2021). Anchoring and adjustment effects on audit judgments: Experimental evidence from Switzerland. Journal of Applied Accounting Research, 22(4), 598-621.
- Henseler, J., Ringle, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2015). A new criterion for assessing discriminant validity in variance-based structural equation modeling. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 43(1), 115-135.
- Hock, M., & Ringle, C. M. (2010). Local strategic networks in the software industry: An empirical analysis of the value continuum. International Journal of Strategic Management, 10(1), 1-20.
- Kadous, K., & Zhou, Y. (2019). How does intrinsic motivation improve auditor judgment in complex audit tasks? Contemporary Accounting Research, 36(1), 108-131.
- Knechel, W. R., & Payne, J. L. (2001). Additional evidence on audit report lag. Auditing: A Journal of Practice & Theory, 20(1), 137-146.
- Kuntari, Y., Chariri, A., & Nurdhiana, N. (2017). The effect of auditor ethics, auditor experience, audit fees and auditor motivation on audit quality. Sriwijaya International Journal of Dynamic Economics and Business, 1(2), 203-218.
- Le, T. T., Nguyen, T. M. A., Do, V. Q., & Ngo, T. H. C. (2022). Risk-based approach and quality of independent audit using structure equation modeling – Evidence from Vietnam. European Research on Management and Business Economics, 28(3), Article 100196.
- Lehmann, C. M., & Norman, C. S. (2006). The effects of experience on complex problem representation and judgment in auditing: An experimental investigation. Behavioral Research in Accounting, 18(1), 65-83.
- Libby, I. L., & Lewis, B. (1982). Human information processing research in accounting: The state of the art in 1982. Accounting Organizations and Society, 7(3), 231-286.
- Libby, R. (1995). The role of knowledge and memory in audit judgment. In R.H. Ashton & A.H. Ashton (Eds.), Judgment and Decision-Making Research in Accounting and Auditing (pp. 176-206). Cambridge University Press.
- Libby, R., & Frederick, D. M. (1990). Experience and the ability to explain audit findings. Journal of Accounting Research, 28(2), 348-367.
- Libby, R., & Lewis, B. L. (1977). Human information processing research in accounting: The state of the art. Accounting, Organizations and Society, 2(3), 245-268.
- Libby, R., & Luft, J. (1993). Determinants of judgment performance in accounting settings: Ability, knowledge, motivation, and environment. Accounting, Organizations and Society, 18(5), 425-450.
- Libby, R., & Tan, H. T. (1994). Modeling the determinants of audit expertise. Accounting, Organizations and Society, 19(8), 701-716.
- Mala, R., & Chand, P. (2015). Judgment and decision-making research in auditing and accounting: Future research implications of person, task, and environment perspective. Accounting Perspectives, 14(1), 1-50.
- Ministry of Finance. (2023). List of CPA-certified auditors and audit firms as of December 1, 2023.
- Mohd-Sanusi, Z., & Mohd-Iskandar, T. (2007). Audit judgment performance: Assessing the effect of performance incentives, effort and task complexity. Managerial Auditing Journal, 22(1), 34-52.
- Nelson, R. R. (Ed.). (1993). National innovation systems: A comparative analysis. New York: Oxford Academic.
- Nguyen, H. T. L. (2023). A conceptual framework for wisdom-based decision-making process in audit profession. Library Hi Tech, 41(4), 1158-1188.
- Nunnally, J. C., & Bernstein, I. H. (1994). Psychometric theory. New York: McGraw-Hill.
- Pawitra, D. A. K., & Suhartini, D. (2019). The influence of individual behavioral aspects toward audit judgment: The mediating role of self-efficacy. Journal of Economics, Business, and Accountancy Ventura, 22(2), 264-273.
- Putria, R. H., & Mardijuwonob, A. W. (2020). The effect of competence, work experience, professionalism, and auditor independence on audit quality. International Journal of Innovation, Creativity and Change, 13(9), 1-12.
- Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). Intrinsic and extrinsic motivations: Classic definitions and new directions. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 25(1), 54-67.
- Saputra, K. A. K., & Kawisana, P. G. W. P. (2021). Analysis of the influence of power, auditor experience and task complexity on audit judgment. PalArch’s Journal of Archaeology of Egypt/Egyptology, 18(4), 6370-6379.
- Smith, S. D., Tayler, W. B., & Prawitt, D. F. (2016). The effect of information choice on auditors’ judgments and confidence. Accounting Horizons, 30(3), 393-408.
- Solomon, I., & Shields, M. D. (1995). Judgment and decision-making research in auditing. In R.H. Ashton & A.H. Ashton (Eds.), Judgment and Decision-Making Research in Accounting And Auditing (pp. 137-175). Cambridge University Press.
- Solomon, I., & Trotman, K. T. (2003). Experimental judgment and decision research in auditing: The first 25 years of AOS. Accounting, Organizations and Society, 28(4), 395-412.
- State Securities Commission (SSC). (2021). Annual report 2021.
- State Securities Commission (SSC). (2022). Annual report 2022.
- Tan, H. T., & Kao, A. (1999). Accountability effects on auditors’ performance: The influence of knowledge, problem-solving ability, and task complexity. Journal of Accounting Research, 37(1), 209-223.
- Trotman, K. T., Tan, H. C., & Ang, N. (2011). Fifty-year overview of judgment and decision-making research in accounting. Accounting & Finance, 51(1), 278-360.
- Waller, W. S., & Felix, W. I. Jr. (1984). The auditor and learning from experience: Some conjectures. Accounting, Organizations and Society, 9(3-4), 383-406.
- Weiner, B. (2010). The development of an attribution-based theory of motivation: A history of ideas. Educational Psychologist, 45(1), 28-36.
- Wu, T. H., Huang, S. M., Huang, S. Y., & Yen, D. C. (2017). The effect of competencies, team problem-solving ability, and computer audit activity on internal audit performance. Information Systems Frontiers, 19, 1133-1148.
- Zhou, Y. D. (2018). Counteracting the directional influence of incentives on auditor judgment (Ph.D. Thesis). Laney Graduate School.