The moderating role of audit quality and firm size in the effect of corporate governance on related party transactions: Evidence from Indonesia

This article presents a literature review of 49 empirical studies on key audit matter (KAM) disclosure in audit reports. The study involves a structured literature review on KAM disclosure based on the reactions of stakeholders. The limitations of former studies and useful recommendations for research are stressed. Five major streams of empirical research that analyze the impact of KAM disclosure on stakeholders’ reactions are focused: (1) shareholders (e.g. investors’ perceptions of auditors’ responsibility and litigation, value relevance and investors’ decisions); (2) debtholders (e.g. loan contracting terms); (3) external auditors (e.g. audit processes and audit fees); (4) boards of directors (e.g. earnings management); and (5) other stakeholders (e.g. informational value for suppliers and customers). The authors stress that most of the included studies use experimental or archival data and analyze the impact of KAM disclosure on investor reactions in a US-American setting. As the international standard setters assume a positive impact of KAM on stakeholder reactions, mixed empirical results are found. Although there are some indications of decreased earnings management behavior, most studies find no significant changes in auditor behavior. Furthermore, there are many insignificant results with regard to shareholders’ reaction in line with our stakeholder and behavioral agency framework. The literature review is especially useful for management decisions, because firm reputation may be positively or negatively influenced by KAM regulations.

Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance is critical in mitigating climate change. Energy companies must include ESG practices in their business plans because they can determine firm value. This study investigates the impact of ESG and firm size on firm value in Indonesian energy sector, which is moderated by profitability through return on assets. This study uses a sample of 19 energy companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange from 2016 to 2022. A panel data regression model is applied to estimate the impact of ESG practices and firm size on firm value with the moderating role of return on assets. The study results found that ecological, social, and governance disclosure in the model with return on assets as a moderator independently positively impacts firm value but not vice versa. The interaction between return on assets and ESG practices has no impact on firm value, which means that the role of return on assets as a moderator cannot strengthen the influence of ESG and firm size on firm value. Return on assets positively impacts firm value if it acts as an independent variable without a moderator. Firm size independently has a negative impact on firm value but has no effect if it interacts with return on assets. The implications of the empirical findings provide recommendations for policymakers, corporate management, investors, and academics. Environmental, social, and governance disclosure practices are essential to pay attention to as they can improve sustainability performance and firm value in the energy sector of Indonesia.

Acknowledgment
Acknowledgments are expressed to the Directorate General of Higher Education, Research, and Technology, Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology for the Funding Assistance for the Master’s Thesis Research Grant Scheme [Contract Number: 01-1-4/675/SPK/VII/2024].

The determining factors that cause delays in audit reports are essential for shareholders to pay attention to when making quick decisions. Delays in audit reports receive significant attention in the capital markets where audited financial statements in annual reports are the only reliable source of information available to investors. This study aims to identify factors that cause delays in audit reports in the form of company and industry specifics consisting of profitability, company size, audit committee, audit opinion, and size of a public accounting firm. The research method uses a panel data regression model to test five hypotheses based on data collected from annual reports from 2011 to 2021. The research sample selected were 46 companies in the construction and property services sector listed on the Indonesian Sharia Stock Index. Empirical findings show that a public accounting firm’s profitability, audit opinion, and size hurt audit report lag, while the audit committee has a positive impact. Company size is the only factor that does not have an impact on audit reporting delays. The research results provide recommendations for company management and shareholders that delays in audit reports can be reduced by increasing company profits. Apart from that, audit delay lag can also be reduced by appointing a reputable or international public accounting firm and providing a quality audit opinion.