نوع مقاله : مقاله پژوهشی
موضوعات
عنوان مقاله English
نویسندگان English
The present study investigates the impact of joint auditing on information asymmetry, considering the mediating role of qualified audit opinions, in firms listed on the Tehran Stock Exchange during the period 2014–2023. The research is applied in purpose and descriptive-correlational in nature. A purposive sampling method was used to select 88 companies. Data were collected from financial statements, accompanying notes, and independent audit reports, and analyzed using multiple regression analysis. The findings indicate that joint auditing has a significant negative effect on information asymmetry. Furthermore, joint audits increase the likelihood of issuing qualified audit opinions, which in turn further reduces information asymmetry. Thus, qualified audit opinions serve as a significant mediating variable in the relationship between joint auditing and information asymmetry. The results suggest that joint audits enhance auditor independence and improve audit quality, leading to more accurate and realistic audit opinions. Such opinions increase information transparency and contribute to greater market efficiency and optimal resource allocation. In this context, qualified opinions function as warning signals, disclosing hidden information and enhancing the overall transparency of the market. These findings are consistent with signaling theory, which posits that qualified audit opinions act as credible signals to reveal private information to stakeholders. By elucidating the transmission mechanism through which joint audits influence information asymmetry via qualified opinions, this study fills a gap in the accounting and financial literature. The findings have implications for policymakers in developing audit regulations, for managers in auditor selection, and for investors in assessing firms’ informational environments.
کلیدواژهها English