Identifying and Ranking the Marketing Strategies in Auditing Profession

Document Type : Research Paper

Author

Assistant Prof., Department of Accounting, Chalous Branch, Islamic Azad University, Chalous, Iran.

Abstract

Objective: The aim of the current research is to identify Marketing Strategies in Auditing profession and ranking Strategies using entropy technique.
Methods: This research is an applied in terms of research purpose, exploratory in terms of nature and Mix Method (qualitative and quantitative) research in terms of approach. In-depth interviews were used for developing the scale of marketing activities; to this end, the researcher made telephone interviews with 28 certified public accountants (CPA) in two turns. The statistical population includes private sector auditors. Using a simple random sampling, a questionnaire distributed among 289 auditors working in Tehran.
Results: The results indicate the eight following strategies as marketing strategies and influencing to impress client in auditing profession; lowballing (dumping or price reduction policy), presenting diversified services more than assurance services, presenting job resume to decision makers, influencing (attracting) clients by influencing board of directors, boards of parent companies, holdings, influencing clients by having joint benefits with meeting intermediaries, performing a high quality auditing intended to job persistence for the present and future clients, interacting clients for the persistence of job and maintaining and influencing client by rotation among auditing firms.
Conclusion: In ranking of marketing activities, high quality auditing has the highest rank in order to maintain its work and dumping or price reduction policy.

Keywords


Achua, J.K., & Alabar, T.T. (2014). Imperatives of marketing internal auditing in Nigerian universities. Social and Behavioral Sciences, 164, 32- 40.
Addams, H. & Davis, B. (1994). Privately held companies report reasons for selecting and switching auditors. CPA Journal, 64, 38–41.
Alvehus, J. & Spicer, A. (2012). Financialization as a strategy of workplace control in professional service firms. Critical Perspectives on Accounting, 23(7), 497-510.
Ashill, N. J., Davies, K. M., & Thompson, I. W. (2003). Characteristics of marketing organization in the New Zealand financial services sector. International Journal of Bank Marketing, 21(2), 80–93.
Baber, W. R., Brooks, E. H.  & Ricks, W. E. (1987). An Empirical Investigation of the Market for Audit Services in the Public Sector. Journal of Accounting Research, 25(2), 293-305.
Banimahd, B. (2011). Investigation of some Determinants on Unqualified Audit opinion. Journal of Securities Exchange, 4(13), 59-83(in Persian)
Brewster, M. (2003). Unaccountable. How the Accounting Profession Forfeited a Public Trust, Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
Broberg, P., Umans, T., & Gerlofstig, C. (2013). Balance between auditing and marketing: An explorative Study. Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, 22(1), 57-70.
Broberg, P., Umans, T., Skog, P. & Theodorsson, E. (2018). Auditors’ professional and organizational identities and commercialization in audit firms. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, 31(2), 374-399.
Brock, D.M. (2006). The changing professional organization: a review of competing archetypes. International Journal of Management Reviews, 8(3), 157-174.
Carcello, J. V., Hermanson, R. H. & McGrath, N. T. (1992). Audit quality attributes: The perceptions of audit partners, preparers, and financial statement users. A Journal of Practice & Theory, 11(1), 1–15.
Clow, K. E., Stevens, R. E., McConkey, C. W., & Loudon, D. L. (2009). Accountants’ attitudes toward advertising: A longitudinal study. Journal of Services Marketing, 23(2), 125–132.
Daniell, M. H. (2006). Mastering the dynamic nature of modern strategy. Handbook of Business Strategy, 7(1), 35-41.
Daugherty, B. E. & Tervo, W. A. (2008). Auditor changes and audit satisfaction: Client perceptions in the Sarbanes-Oxley era of legislative restric- tions and involuntary auditor change. Critical Perspectives on Accounting, 19, 931–951.
Dopuch, N., &. King R., R. (2015). The effect of lowballing on audit Quality: An Experimental Markets Study. Downloaded from http://www.elearnica.ir
Duff, A. (2004). Auditqual: Dimensions of Audit Quality. Edinburgh: Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland.
Dulleck, W., Kerschbamer, R., (2006). On doctors, mechanics and computer specialists. Journal of Economic Literature, 44, 5–42.
Ellingson, D. A., Hiltner, A. A., Elbert, D. J., & Gillett, J. (2002). Marketing: Where do accountants stand today? Services Marketing Quarterly, 23(3), 1–15.
Gamble, G.O., Highsmith-Quick, G., Jones, E., Slade, P.D. & Craig, J.L. Jr (2000). What small and medium-sized firms think about advertising. CPA Journal, 70 (2), 3-52.
Hay, D., & Knechel, W. R. (2010). The effects of advertising and solicitation on audit fees.  Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, 29(1), 60–81.
Heischmidt, K., Elfrink, J., & Mays, B. (2002). Professional accounting services: Types of marketing communications used by CPAs. Services Marketing Quarterly, 23(3), 63–72.
Ianniello, G. (2012). Non- Audit services and aditor independences in the 2007 Italian Regulatory Environment. Journal of Auditing, 16(2), 147–164.
Ismail, I., Haron, H., Ibrahim, D. N. & Isa, S. M. (2006). Service quality, client satisfaction and loyalty towards audit firms. Managerial Auditing Journal, 21(7), 738–56.
Kraus, K., Hakansson, H., & Lind, J. (2015). The marketing-accounting interface – problems and opportunities. Industrial Marketing Management, 46, 3–10.
Ling, C. K., Piew, H.T., & Chai, T. L. (2010). The Determinants of Consumers’ Attitude towards Advertising. Canadian Social Science, 6 (4), 114-126.
Markham, S., Cangelosi, J., & Carson, M. (2005). Marketing by CPAs: Issues with the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Services Marketing Quarterly, 26(3), 71–82.
Meshal, S., & Mahfooz, H. B. (2016). The impact of Advertisement by Accountants on Perceived Value among Accountant Consumers: An Empirical Study in Saudi Arabian Context. Management and Administrative Sciences Review, 5(2), 108-117.
Morrison Coulthard, L. J. (2004). Measuring service quality: A review and critique of research using Servqual. International Journal of Market Research, 46(4), 479–497.
Mousavi Shiri, M. & Pahlavan, M. (2016). Balancing between Marketing and Auditing Responsibility by Members of Iranian Association of Certified Public Accountants. Accounting Advances, 7(2), 183-218.(in Persian)
Moser, H. R., Freeman, G. L., & Loudon, D. (2015). A Longitudinal Assessment of Consumers' Attitudes toward Accounting Advertising. Services Marketing Quarterly, 36(3), 281-297. 
Picard, C.F. (2016). The marketization of accountancy. Critical Perspectives on Accounting, 34, 79-97.
Rajabi, R. & Mohammadikhoshoei, H. (2009). Agency Costs & Independent Audit Services PricingAccounting and Auditing Review, 15(4), 35-52.(in Persian)
Reid, M. (2008). Contemporary marketing in professional services. Journal of Services Marketing, 22(5), 374–384.
Saei, M.J., Lari, M.D. & Khadem, KH. (2018). Strategic Game Manager - Auditor: Evidence of Game TheoryAccounting and Auditing Review, 25(4), 497-518. (in Persian)
Schatzberg, J. (1992). A Laboratory Market Investigation of a Multi-period Model of Independence and Low Balling. Working paper, Tucson: University of Arizona.
Shoja, N., Banimahd, B. & Vakilifard, H.R. (2018). Auditors Perspectives aout marketing activityFinancial Accounting and Auditing Review, 10(38), 31-46. (in Persian)
Simon, D., & Francis, J. R. (1988). The Effects of Auditor Change on Audit Fees: Tests of Price Cutting and Price Recovery. The Accounting Review, 63 (2), 255-269.
Soleimaniamiri, GH.R. & Mahmoudkhani, M. (2019). Iranian Auditors Perspectives about Auditing of Fair Value EstimatesAccounting and Auditing Review, 26(2), 255-278.
 
(in Persian)
Svanström, T. & Sundgren, S. (2010). The purchase on non-audit services by small and mid-sized companies – Empirical evidence from Sweden, working paper.
Stevens, R. E., McConkey, C. W., Loudon, D. L., & Dunn, P. (1994). Accountants’ attitudes toward advertising and their use of marketing tools. Journal of Professional Services Marketing10, 181-201.
Tang, T. L.-P., Moser, H. R., & Austin, M. J. (2002). Attitudes toward advertising by accountants. Services Marketing Quarterly, 23(3), 35–62.