THE USEFULNESS OF AUDITING: THE SPANISH SME PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

This paper analyzes if SME perceive auditing as a useful service for their businesses. With a survey of 400 Spanish business managers, specific advantages are identified which can be grouped together based on several relevant factors related to the businesses' stance on some evaluating agents, their internal management and their value and image in the eyes of third parties. Furthermore, the findings suggest small businesses, those who voluntarily audit themselves and those which are non-family businesses, are the ones that value auditing the most.