• Management & Information Systems Review
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.35-53
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• 2019

A standing auditor can perform the monitoring and control activities for the opportunistic behaviors of top manager. However, for this purpose she/he must have the independence from top manager. Thus, this study is designed to analyze the factors that influences the independence of standing auditor. The independence of standing auditor as dependent variable was measured in terms of school and company ties to top manager. The relationship between the shareholding of professional top manager and independence of standing auditor, and the moderating effects of the shareholdings of related-party, institutional investors, and foreign investors were examined by implementing multiple regression and conditional moderating effect analyses. The findings present a negative relationship between the shareholding of professional top managers and the independence of standing auditor. They also reveal a positive moderating effect of the shareholding of related-party on that relationship. On the other hand, the shareholdings of foreign and institutional investors did not significant change the relationship between the shareholding of professional top manager and the independence of standing auditor. The findings imply that professional manager might be able to lower the controlling mechanism by appointing a standing auditor having low independence. Related-party as an internal control mechanism might be beneficial to reduce this effect while institutional investors or foreign investors as an external control mechanisms might not. This is the first study that examine the antecedents of the independence of standing auditor in terms of the characteristics of ownership structure. It provides a guideline for selecting an effective standing auditor with the consideration for ownership structure.