Mandatory Audit Firm Rotation and Audit Quality

2015 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 1089 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hakwoon Kim ◽  
Hyoik Lee ◽  
Jong Eun Lee
Keyword(s):  
Audit Quality ◽  
Global Financial Crisis ◽  
Auditor Independence ◽  
Financial Statement ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Audit Firm ◽  
Going Concern ◽  
Financial Statement Audit ◽  
Mandatory Audit Firm Rotation ◽  
First Time

Recently, regulators and policy makers who witnessed the global financial crisis during 20072009 began considering a variety of ways to enhance auditor independence and financial reporting quality, ultimately aiming at investor protection. Since the enactment of the SarbanesOxley Act of 2002 (SOX), the Mandatory Audit Firm Rotation (MAFR) requirement has once again received significant attention from regulators and policy makers around the world, including the European Union (EU) and the U.S. Public Companies Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB). In this paper, we investigate whether MAFR enhances audit quality in Korea. We find that under MAFR, newly rotated auditors are more likely to issue first-time going-concern audit opinions to financially distressed firms during their initial (first-year) financial statement audit compared with under the Voluntary Audit Firm Change (VAFC). Moreover, firms audited by mandatorily rotated new auditors have less discretionary accruals and higher accrual quality than those audited by voluntarily switched new auditors during the initial audit engagement. These results of earnings quality are more pronounced for firms that received a first-time going-concern audit opinion during the initial financial statement audit under MAFR. Taken together, the findings suggest that MAFR produces better audit quality than the VAFC. Further, our study provides implications for regulators and policy makers of countries considering the adoption of MAFR.

Audit Firm Tenure and Fraudulent Financial Reporting

2004 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 55-69 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph V. Carcello ◽  
Albert L. Nagy
Keyword(s):  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Audit Quality ◽  
Auditor Independence ◽  
Fraudulent Financial Reporting ◽  
Audit Firm ◽  
Auditor Tenure ◽  
Sarbanes Oxley ◽  
Client Relationship ◽  
Mandatory Audit Firm Rotation ◽  
The U.S

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act (2002) required the U.S. Comptroller General to study the potential effects of requiring mandatory audit firm rotation. The General Accounting Office (GAO) concludes in its recently released study of mandatory audit firm rotation that “mandatory audit firm rotation may not be the most efficient way to strengthen auditor independence” (GAO 2003, Highlights). However, the GAO also suggests that mandatory audit firm rotation could be necessary if the Sarbanes-Oxley Act's requirements do not lead to improved audit quality (GAO 2003, 5). We examine the relation between audit firm tenure and fraudulent financial reporting. Comparing firms cited for fraudulent reporting from 1990 through 2001 with both a matched set of non-fraud firms and with the available population of non-fraud firms, we find that fraudulent financial reporting is more likely to occur in the first three years of the auditor-client relationship. We fail to find any evidence that fraudulent financial reporting is more likely given long auditor tenure. Our results are consistent with the argument that mandatory audit firm rotation could have adverse effects on audit quality.

Threats to Auditor Independence: The Impact of Relationship and Economic Bonds

2011 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 121-148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ping Ye ◽  
Elizabeth Carson ◽  
Roger Simnett
Keyword(s):  
Audit Quality ◽  
Joint Effect ◽  
Auditor Independence ◽  
Audit Firm ◽  
Going Concern ◽  
Long Duration ◽  
Going Concern Opinion ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
Nonaudit Services ◽  
The Impact

SUMMARY: This study examines the association of a comprehensive set of auditor-client relationship bonds (audit firm tenure, audit engagement partner tenure, long duration director-auditor relationships, and alumni affiliation) with the level of economic bonds provided to an audit client (nonaudit services [NAS]). We further examine the effect of these economic and relationship bonds on auditor independence in the context of nonaudit services fees and the propensity to issue going-concern opinions. It is these economic and relationship bonds that have attracted the interest of regulators in their consideration of audit quality. This study was undertaken in Australia in 2002, which provided a context in which all these relationships could be examined before new regulations were introduced. Results show that audit firm tenure and alumni affiliation are associated with clients purchasing auditor-provided NAS, with stronger associations for clients with low agency costs. We further find that long audit engagement partner tenure and a joint effect of auditor-provided NAS and alumni affiliation have a negative effect on the auditor’s propensity to issue a going-concern opinion.

Does Mandatory Audit Firm Rotation Enhance Auditor Independence? Evidence from Spain

2009 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 113-135 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emiliano Ruiz-Barbadillo ◽  
Nieves Go´mez-Aguilar ◽  
Nieves Carrera
Keyword(s):  
Positive Impact ◽  
Rotation Period ◽  
Empirical Support ◽  
Auditor Independence ◽  
Audit Firm ◽  
Going Concern ◽  
Audit Firms ◽  
Mandatory Rotation ◽  
Mandatory Audit Firm Rotation ◽  
The Impact

SUMMARY: In this study, we document evidence on the impact of mandatory rotation of audit firms on auditor independence using Spanish archival data. Rotation of audit firms every nine years was mandatory in Spain from 1988–1995. Although the rule was never enforced, the Spanish context provides a unique setting to examine the effects that mandatory audit firm rotation has on auditor behavior. We examine audit reports for a sample of financially stressed companies from 1991–2000 to compare audit reporting behavior in a regime with rotation (mandatory rotation period: 1991–1994) and one without rotation (post-mandatory rotation period: 1995–2000). We test two competing hypotheses concerning the impact of mandatory rotation on the likelihood of auditors' issuing going-concern modified audit opinions. We find no evidence to suggest that a mandatory rotation requirement is associated with a higher likelihood of issuing going-concern opinions. Our results suggest that auditors' incentives to protect their reputation have a positive impact on the likelihood of issuing going-concern opinions, while auditors' incentives to retain existing clients did not impact on their decisions in both the mandatory rotation and post-mandatory rotation periods. Overall, our results provide empirical support for the arguments put forward by opponents of mandatory rotation.

scholarly journals How Investors Perceive Mandatory Audit Firm Rotation in Korea

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 1089 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sook Kim ◽  
Seon Kim ◽  
Dong Lee ◽  
Seung Yoo
Keyword(s):  
Audit Quality ◽  
Indirect Evidence ◽  
Auditor Independence ◽  
Equity Capital ◽  
Cost Of Equity Capital ◽  
Cost Of Equity ◽  
Audit Firm ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Mandatory Audit Firm Rotation ◽  
The Impact

Credible audit quality is a precondition for a firm’s sustainability. External auditors offer assurance with regard to the uncertain factors that can jeopardize a firm’s sustainability and provide audit opinions that help investors assess risk. After the global crisis and accounting scandals, mandatory audit firm rotation has been implemented globally. However, few studies have investigated either the cost or the benefit of mandatory audit firm rotation. Prior studies provide only indirect evidence on the effects of audit firm tenure on audit quality/perceived audit quality. By discussing prior arguments, we examine how investors perceive the implementation of mandatory audit firm rotation in Korea. Using a unique and direct setting to examine our research question, we analyze the relationship between firms with mandatorily switched audit firms and the cost of equity capital from 2006 to 2008. We find that the mandatory change in the auditors has a negative association with the cost of equity capital. The results are robust to using the arithmetic mean of the cost of equity capital, lagged control variables, and the manufacturing industry effect. The results indicate that investors perceive that mandatory audit firm rotation provides an environment for qualified audits by enhancing auditor independence and skepticism, and thus decreases the cost of equity capital. This study helps to improve our understanding of the impact of mandatory audit firm rotation the information risk evaluations and provides political implications for policy makers by showing the benefit of mandatory audit firm rotation.

scholarly journals Impact of auditor and audit firm rotation on accounting and audit quality: A critical analysis of the EC regulation draft

2012 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 7-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick Velte ◽  
Markus Stiglbauer
Keyword(s):  
Audit Quality ◽  
Rotation Period ◽  
Auditor Independence ◽  
Financial Accounting ◽  
Audit Firm ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Auditor Rotation ◽  
Mandatory Rotation ◽  
Mandatory Audit Firm Rotation ◽  
A Current

In a current regulation draft of 2011, the European Commission (EC) plans the mandatory audit firm rotation principally after six years and with regard to a cooling off period of four years to increase auditor independence. This could complement the internal mandatory rotation (auditor rotation) by the 8th EC directive. The present paper gives a state of the art analysis of the empirical research results with regard to auditor and audit firm rotation. In contrast to the perception of the EC, the majority of the empirical results doesn’t find evidence for increased financial accounting and audit quality by audit firm rotation. Furthermore, the positive effects of the internal rotation period of seven years and the cooling off period of two years by the 8th EC directive are not empirically proved yet.

scholarly journals The Effects of Ethical Factors in Financial Statement Examination: Ethical Framework of the Input Process Output (IPO) Model in Auditing System Basis

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 136
Author(s):  
Andi Agus ◽  
Nurna Aziza
Keyword(s):  
Audit Quality ◽  
Auditor Independence ◽  
Financial Statement ◽  
Ethical Framework ◽  
Input Process ◽  
Model Framework ◽  
Accounting Firms ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Process Output ◽  
Regression Techniques

This study attempts to analyze ethical factors within the framework of the IPO model (input-process-output) as a proxy of audit quality. In more detail, this study creates a model framework that analyzes the influence of ethical factors consisting of integrity, objectivity and independence on audit quality with specific variables. This study was conducted by analyzing 220 respondents from auditors working in public accounting firms in major cities in Java, Indonesia, and analyzed using linear regression techniques. The study results show that the integrity variable has a positive and significant effect on output, and the objectivity variable has a significant effect on input, process and output. Meanwhile, the independence variable has not been empirically proven to have a significant effect on audit quality. These results emphasize the importance of increasing auditor independence in carrying out their duties, and theoretically prove the effect of abstract ethical factor values in empirical testing on audit quality.

scholarly journals Mandatory Audit Firm Rotation for Listed Companies: The Effects in the Netherlands

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 937-966
Author(s):  
Bas de Jong ◽  
Steven Hijink ◽  
Lars in ’t Veld
Keyword(s):  
The Netherlands ◽  
Public Interest ◽  
Audit Quality ◽  
Audit Fees ◽  
Listed Companies ◽  
First Year ◽  
Financial Reports ◽  
Audit Firm ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
Mandatory Audit Firm Rotation

AbstractThe Audit Regulation was adopted in 2014 to address many of the perceived failings in the market for statutory audits. It introduced mandatory audit firm rotation for public-interest entities, including listed companies, as of 17 June 2020/2023. Mandatory audit firm rotation was also considered by the Dutch legislator in 2012. Therefore, many Dutch listed companies had already switched audit firm in anticipation of the national requirement. In this article, we investigate the effects of mandatory audit firm rotation in the Netherlands by examining the financial reports of Dutch listed firms over the financial years 2012–2016 and by conducting a survey among stakeholders. We conclude that there is broad support for mandatory audit firm rotation in the Netherlands. Although mandatory audit firm rotation was seen as controversial at the time of adoption, it is now considered desirable by various stakeholders, including auditors themselves. However, mandatory audit firm rotation appears to have had some adverse effects. Most notably, our study shows a higher probability of errors in first year audits. The discount in audit fees provided by audit firms to lucrative larger public-interest entities for first year audits—the trophy client effect—may exacerbate the negative effect on audit quality. The Audit Regulation’s goals to improve the market for statutory audits have not been met so far.

Did the PCAOB's Restrictions on Auditors' Tax Services Improve Audit Quality?

2015 ◽  
Vol 91 (5) ◽  
pp. 1493-1512 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clive S. Lennox
Keyword(s):  
Treatment Group ◽  
Audit Quality ◽  
Auditor Independence ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Difference In Differences ◽  
Significant Drop ◽  
Going Concern ◽  
The Impact

ABSTRACT In 2005–2006, the PCAOB imposed restrictions on auditors' tax services in order to strengthen auditor independence and improve audit quality. The restrictions resulted in a significant drop in auditor-provided tax services (APTS). To test the impact on audit quality, I partition the sample into a treatment group (companies whose APTS purchases dropped significantly when the restrictions were introduced) and a control group (companies whose APTS purchases were relatively unaffected) and I measure audit quality using the incidence of accounting misstatements, tax-related misstatements, and auditors' going-concern opinions. Using a difference-in-differences design, I find no change in audit quality for the treatment group relative to the control group after the restrictions are imposed.

Mandatory audit firm rotation: a critical composition of practitioner views from an emerging economy

2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (7) ◽  
pp. 861-896
Author(s):  
Michael Harber ◽  
Warren Maroun
Keyword(s):  
Audit Committee ◽  
Audit Quality ◽  
Unintended Consequences ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Chief Financial Officers ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Design Data ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Audit Firm ◽  
Mandatory Audit Firm Rotation

Purpose This study aims to address an acknowledged gap in the literature for the analysis of experienced practitioner views on the effects and implications of mandatory audit firm rotation (MAFR). Design/methodology/approach Using an exploratory and sequential design, data was collected from South African regulatory policy documents, organisational comment letters and semi-structured interviews of practitioners. These findings informed a field survey, administered to auditors, investors, chief financial officers (CFOs) and audit committee members of Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) listed companies. Findings Practitioners expressed considerable pushback against the potential efficacy of MAFR to improve audit quality due to various “switching costs”, notably the loss of client-specific knowledge and expertise upon rotation. In addition, the cost and disruption to both the client and audit firm are considered significant and unnecessary, compared to audit partner rotation. The audit industry may suffer reduced profitability and increased strain on partners, leading to a decline in the appeal of the profession as a career of choice. This is likely to have negative implications for audit industry diversity objectives. Furthermore, the industry may become more supplier-concentrated amongst the Big 4 firms. Practical implications The findings have policy implications for regulators deciding whether to adopt the regulation, as well as guiding the design of policies and procedures to mitigate the negative effects of adoption. Originality/value The participants are experienced with diverse roles concerning the use, preparation and audit of financial statements of large exchange-listed multinational companies, as well as engagement in the auditor appointment process. The extant literature presents mixed results on the link between MAFR and audit quality, with most studies relying on archival and experimental designs. These have a limited ability to identify and critique the potential’s witching costs and unintended consequences of the regulation. Experienced participants responsible for decision-making within the audit, audit oversight and auditor appointment process, are best suited to provide perspective on these effects, contrasted against the audit regulator’s position.

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