Meta-Analysis of Factors Affecting Ethical Decision Making in the Accounting and Auditing Profession

Ethical decision-making is a concept that is evident in organizational desirability and related goals. Consequently, this study examines it in line with the accounting and auditing profession, and this study aims to investigate the factors affecting ethical decision-making in the accounting and auditing profession according to domestic and foreign research.

This research is a meta-analysis, and the statistical population of the present study includes all articles relevant to the subject of ethical decision-making in the accounting profession in Iranian and foreign scientific research journals specified by particular criteria. The articles in its final review included 19 reviewed articles in this field. Data were analyzed using comprehensive version meta-analysis software (CMA2).

Regarding the study of factors affecting ethical decision making in the accounting and auditing profession, 18 variables of individual structure, social conditions, economic conditions, working conditions, age, formal membership, gender, organizational culture, experience, identity, work skills, ethical ideal, relativism, moral leadership, rules and regulations, work characteristics, education and personality traits are significant.

 All factors had a medium and high effect size, and in this regard, all categories affect ethical decision-making in the accounting and auditing profession. Among the studied factors, ethical ideals with the most significant effect size (0.71), organizational culture (0.69), and rules and regulations (0.68) are the most important influencing factors in terms of the highest coefficients of effect (more than 0.5)., and the effect of all categories was confirmed. By identifying different indicators and effective, ethical decision-making, this research can be a good way for the appropriate decision-making approach of accountants and auditors.