Blurred roles and elusive boundaries

What is it about?

Purpose – This article aims to extend research on contemporary forms of oversight surrounding professional work in an era characterized by increased skepticism regarding professional claims and the rise of independent regulatory authorities. We investigate the interplay between key actors as well as the shifting role boundaries in a distinct regulatory space, following the introduction of a new public oversight framework. Design/methodology/approach – Our analysis draws on the notions of regulatory space and boundary work to better understand the development of independent audit oversight in France. We adopted an interpretive approach to conduct a longitudinal case study based on 33 interviews and documentary data produced from 2003 to 2012. Findings – Our study provides a narrative of the boundary work carried out by the French audit profession as it tried to reinvent its role in the new regulatory order. In our case, boundary work engendered a hybrid regulatory pattern, named “co-regulation”, reflecting both the logic of independent regulation and the logic of self-regulation. The main consequence of this is that zones of mutual involvement were constructed – thereby suggesting that to become a reality, independent oversight of professional work needs to accept some operational dependence from professionals. Originality/value – Our study illustrates the elusiveness of boundaries surrounding actors’ role within contemporary forms of professional regulation. More generally, hybrid development suggests that professions are proactive and, to some extent, successful when it comes to developing alliances and manipulating changes within their regulatory space. Keywords Accounting and auditing regulation, Boundary work, Independent oversight, Professional associations, Professional regulation, Regulatory space.

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