Second, our data is not systematically linked to
behavioral outcomes. However, our interviews
suggest empirical links between the two, and various
streams of behavioral accounting research (e.g.
research on professional commitment, as reviewed
in Hall et al., 2005) provide evidence of a relationship
between accountants’ attitudes and a range
of behavioral and decisional outcomes. A promising
piece of research would consist of investigating
whether or not independence commitment exerts a
significant influence on auditors’ decision-making
processes in which auditor independence is supposed
to play a key role – for example in the
context of the client retention decision. Third, as
the data was gathered about one year after the
collapse of Enron, the results may have been
specifically and temporarily impacted by this event.
Fourth, as detailed above, interpretation of the
results needs to recognize that CAs occupying a
higher organizational position felt more inclined to
participate in the survey than membership data
from the professional institutes indicate. It is worth
noting, however, that the coefficient of the control
variable top manager position in the regressions is not
significant. Nonetheless, the higher participation of
CA partners and corporate top managers is
intriguing and it would be worth investigating
whether these individuals feel, post-Enron, more
inclined to support academic research and the
reasons accounting for the change (if any).