Non-audit services and audit quality: evidence from Germany

SUMMARY Audit fees are related to important ethical issues for auditors. There has been increasing research on audit fees recently, including research on potential ethical risks regarding audit fees, which helps to illuminate some of these professional issues. The International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants (IESBA) is very interested in this area and asked me to prepare a paper reviewing the relevant research. This summary reviews research that became available from 2006 to 2016 on four issues related to audit fees—fee level, dependence, non-audit fees, and firms that have a significant non-audit services business. Examining the research shows consistent evidence about two issues, namely that audit fees for new engagements are lower and that non-audit services affect independence in appearance. There are two further issues about which there is some concern. First, there are occasional studies reporting evidence that non-audit services provided by an auditor are associated with a loss of independence indicated by lower audit quality, even though most research does not support this conclusion. Second, there has been recent concern about growth in non-audit services to non-audit clients and there is some preliminary evidence that audit quality is lower in firms that have more extensive non-audit businesses. In general, although audit fee research does not convey a message that there are widespread ethical problems, the body of research shows that there are some risk areas.

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The impact of audit reforms on objectivity during the performance of non-audit services

Managerial Auditing Journal ◽

10.1108/maj-06-2013-0888 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 29 (3) ◽

pp. 222-236 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Richard G. Brody ◽

Christine M. Haynes ◽

Craig G. White

Keyword(s):

Audit Quality ◽

Content Type ◽

Auditor Liability ◽

Internal Auditors ◽

External Auditors ◽

Regulatory Perspective ◽

External Auditor ◽

The Impact ◽

Practical Implications ◽

Non Audit Services

Purpose – This research aims to explore whether recent audit reforms have improved auditor objectivity when performing non-audit services. Design/methodology/approach – In two separate experiments, the authors tested whether external and internal auditors' inventory obsolescence judgments are influenced by their client's (or company's) role as the buyer or seller in an acquisition setting. Findings – External auditors assessed the likelihood of inventory obsolescence objectively, regardless of their consulting role in the acquisition setting. Internal auditors assessed the likelihood of inventory obsolescence as higher when consulting for the buyer than when consulting for the seller, consistent with the supposition that the buyer would prefer to write-down inventory and negotiate a lower purchase price, whereas the seller would prefer the inventory not be written down. Practical implications – From a regulatory perspective, external auditors may be relying too much on the work of internal auditors if internal auditors' lack of objectivity as consultants extends to their assurance role. Originality/value – This paper extends prior research in the area of internal and external auditor objectivity and is the first paper to include both subject groups in the same experiment. It also addresses the current policy issues that may have a significant effect on audit quality and auditor liability.

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