For correspondence:-
Received: 10 Oct 2017 Accepted: 24 Dec 2017 Published: 31 Dec 2017
Citation: DETERMINANTS OF AUDIT DELAY: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF NIGERIAN AND MALAYSIAN LISTED FIRMS. Account Tax Rev 2002; 1(1):158-176 doi:
© 2002 The authors.
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Abstract
The broad objective of this study is to investigate the determinants of audit delay in two developing economies of Nigeria and Malaysia. The research population consists of all the companies listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (189) and the 800 listed firms in Bursa Malaysian as at 31st December, 2014. A sample of sixty-six (66) companies were selected for the study using the convenience sampling technique. The study found a negative and statistically significant relationship between company size, profitability and audit delay both in Nigeria and Malaysia cases. In the Nigerian case, there exist a JEL Classification: M420
positive and significant relationship between audit firm type and audit delay but in the Malaysian case there exist a negative and significant relationship between audit firm type and audit delay. We recommend large company status for both Nigerian and Malaysian listed firms. Large companies are endowed with both material resources in form of acquisition of required technology and human resources in terms of professional expertise which in turn enhances the quality of work of the internal auditor, thereby reducing the number of days of the audit work.