Accounting Firm Culture and Governance: A Research Synthesis

2008 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-74 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Gregory Jenkins ◽  
Donald R. Deis ◽  
Jean C. Bedard ◽  
Mary B. Curtis
Keyword(s):  
Audit Quality ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Review Literature ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Control Mechanisms ◽  
Accounting Firm ◽  
Audit Firms ◽  
Public Company ◽  
And Control

This paper summarizes research related to accounting firm culture and governance. While perennially important, this topic has immediacy due to the intention of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) to consider revisions of the current U.S. interim auditing standards on quality control. Our purposes are to bring together several disparate lines of research on this broad topic in order to identify specific areas of insufficient research. We review literature related to the roles of culture and subcultures within audit firms, and the relation between culture and audit quality. We also consider governance and control mechanisms, including policies related to consultation, independent monitoring boards, ethics training, and acculturation. Throughout the paper, we offer suggestions for future research based on the current status of the literature and the recent environmental changes in the auditing profession.

The Role of Auditing in Small, Private Family Firms: Is It About Quality and Credibility?

2010 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 230-245 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mervi Niskanen ◽  
Jukka Karjalainen ◽  
Jyrki Niskanen
Keyword(s):  
Family Firms ◽  
Audit Quality ◽  
Financial Statements ◽  
Family Influence ◽  
Family Ownership ◽  
Control Mechanisms ◽  
Big 4 ◽  
Audit Firms ◽  
And Control

The authors present empirical evidence of how family ownership and control affect the demand for audit quality measured by audit firm size in a sample of small private firms. The results indicate that family-held or -controlled firms are less likely to use Big 4 auditors than nonfamily firms and that an increase in family ownership decreases the likelihood of a Big 4 audit. The results imply that the less concentrated family ownership is, the more need there is for outside control mechanisms because of higher agency costs. The results imply that family influence increases firms’ incentives to employ Big 4 audit firms, thereby increasing the credibility of their financial statements vis-à-vis outside stakeholders.

scholarly journals Audit quality indicators: perceptions of junior-level auditors

2016 ◽  
Vol 31 (8/9) ◽  
pp. 949-980 ◽  
Author(s):  
Veena L. Brown ◽  
Jodi L. Gissel ◽  
Daniel Gordon Neely
Keyword(s):  
Quality Indicators ◽  
Audit Quality ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Audit Process ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Audit Firms ◽  
Public Company ◽  
Prior Literature ◽  
And Gender

Purpose In an effort to develop an audit quality (AQ) framework specific to the US audit market, the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) recently issued a concept release proposing 28 audit quality indicators (AQIs) along three dimensions: audit professionals, audit process and audit results. Using AQIs initially proposed by the PCAOB, as well as AQIs suggested by prior literature, the authors solicit perceptions from junior-level (senior and staff) auditors to investigate the current state of practice along many of the AQIs relating to audit professionals and audit process. Design/methodology/approach In the study, 78 junior-level auditors responded to the survey. Findings An analysis of the responses suggests auditors engage in activities and audit firms promote conditions that at times improve, and at other times, reduce audit quality. The authors find that individual auditors’ perceptions differ across experience level, gender and audit firm size for certain AQIs. Practical implications The study is useful to the PCAOB because it provides insights to help assess the value of potential AQIs in differentiating AQ. The study is also useful to other regulators because it describes audit staff and seniors’ perceptions of apparent firm and auditor compliance with accounting and auditing standards. Practitioners should find this information useful in helping to identify possible root causes of audit deficiencies, a challenge put forth to firms by the PCAOB. Originality/value This study provides academia with evidence on AQ from practicing auditors, which informs existing and future research along. The study complements existing work by showing how individual auditor characteristics (experience and gender) at the junior levels may impact AQ in practice

Leaving a joint audit system: conditional fee reductions

2014 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 131-152 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claus Holm ◽  
Frank Thinggaard
Keyword(s):  
Audit Quality ◽  
Theory Development ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Audit Firm ◽  
Audit System ◽  
Interaction Terms ◽  
Audit Firms ◽  
Audit Fee

Purpose – The authors aim to exploit a natural experiment in which voluntary replace mandatory joint audits for Danish listed companies and analyse audit fee implications of using one or two audit firms. Design/methodology/approach – Regression analysis is used. The authors apply both a core audit fee determinants model and an audit fee change model and include interaction terms. Findings – The authors find short-term fee reductions in companies switching to single audits, but only where the former joint audit contained a dominant auditor. The authors argue that in this situation bargaining power is more with the auditors than in an equally shared joint audit, and that the auditors' incentives to offer an initial fee discount are bigger. Research limitations/implications – The number of observations is constrained by the small Danish capital market. Future research could take a more qualitative research approach, to examine whether the use of a single audit firm rather than two has an effect on audit quality. The area calls for further theory development covering audit fee and audit quality in joint audit settings. Practical implications – Companies should consider their relationship with their auditors before deciding to switch to single auditors. Fee discounts do not seem to reflect long-lasting efficiency gains on the part of the audit firm. Originality/value – Denmark is the first country to leave a mandatory joint audit system, so this is the first time that it is possible to study fee effects related to this.

scholarly journals Audit Quality and Disclosures of Less-Experienced Participating Audit Firms in PCAOB Filings

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. P1-P8
Author(s):  
Carol Callaway Dee ◽  
Ayalew Lulseged ◽  
Tianming Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Audit Quality ◽  
Audit Fees ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Subsequent Increase ◽  
Market Prices ◽  
Quarterly Earnings ◽  
Audit Firms ◽  
Reported Earnings ◽  
The Universe

SUMMARY In “Who Did the Audit? Audit Quality and Disclosures of Other Audit Participants in PCAOB Filings” (Dee, Lulseged, and Zhang 2015), we examine quality for issuer audits disclosed as involving less-experienced “participating auditors.” We find that market prices of these issuers reacted negatively at the time of disclosure, and investors' valuations of their post-disclosure quarterly earnings declined; investors have greater uncertainty in the numbers reported. In addition, the quality of the reported earnings is lower. However, we do not see a subsequent increase in audit fees, which suggests clients do not increase demands for higher quality to counteract the uncertainty in investors' perceptions of audit quality. Since our sample is limited to less-experienced participating auditors, the results are not readily generalizable to the universe of participating auditors. Future research using Form AP data can explore if our findings are generalizable to issuer audits involving the wider population of participating auditors.

Hiring Auditors with a Part II Quality Control Report: An Opportunity for Increased Earnings Management or Lower Audit Fees?

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 73-93
Author(s):  
Jared Eutsler ◽  
D. Kip Holderness ◽  
Megan M. Jones
Keyword(s):  
Quality Control ◽  
Audit Quality ◽  
Audit Fees ◽  
Data Availability ◽  
Fiscal Year ◽  
The Public ◽  
Audit Firms ◽  
Public Company ◽  
General Demand ◽  
Systemic Quality

ABSTRACT The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board's (PCAOB) Part II inspection reports, which disclose systemic quality control issues that auditors fail to remediate, signal poor audit quality for triennially inspected audit firms. Auditors that receive a Part II inspection report typically experience a decrease in clients, which demonstrates a general demand for audit quality. However, some companies hire auditors that receive Part II inspection reports. We examine potential reasons for hiring these audit firms. We find that relative to companies that switch to auditors without Part II reports, companies that switch to auditors with Part II reports have higher discretionary accruals in the first fiscal year after the switch, which indicates lower audit quality and a heightened risk for future fraud. We find no difference in audit fees. Our results suggest that PCAOB Part II inspection reports may signal low-quality auditors to companies that desire low-quality audits. Data Availability: Data are available from the public sources cited in the text.

Online Privacy Protection in Japan

Cyber Crime ◽  
2013 ◽  
pp. 814-831
Author(s):  
J. Michael Tarn ◽  
Naoki Hamamoto
Keyword(s):  
Privacy Protection ◽  
Personal Information ◽  
Online Privacy ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Control Mechanisms ◽  
Future Trends ◽  
Research Directions ◽  
Privacy Law ◽  
Protection Mechanisms ◽  
And Control

This chapter explores the current status and practices of online privacy protection in Japan. Since the concept of privacy in Japan is different from that in western countries, the background of online privacy concepts and control mechanisms are discussed. The chapter then introduces Japan’s Act on the Protection of Personal Information along with the privacy protection system in Japan. Following the discussion of the privacy law, Japan’s privacy protection mechanisms to support and implement the new act are examined. To help companies make smooth adjustments and transitions, a four-stage privacy protection solution model is presented. Further, this chapter discusses two case studies to exemplify the problems and dilemmas encountered by two Japanese enterprises. The cases are analyzed and their implications are discussed. The chapter is concluded with future trends and research directions.

Comments by the Auditing Standards Committee of the Auditing Section of the American Accounting Association on the PCAOB Rulemaking Docket Matter No. 31: PCAOB Release No. 2010-005, Application of the “Failure to Supervise” Provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and Solicitation of Comment on Rulemaking Concepts

2011 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. C11-C15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph Brazel ◽  
James Bierstaker ◽  
Paul Caster ◽  
Brad Reed
Keyword(s):  
Audit Quality ◽  
Exposure Period ◽  
Public Accounting ◽  
Accounting Firms ◽  
Accounting Firm ◽  
The Public ◽  
Sarbanes Oxley ◽  
Public Company ◽  
Auditing Standards ◽  
Supervision Practices

SUMMARY: Recently, the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (“PCAOB” or “Board”) issued a release to address, in two ways, issues relating to the responsibilities of a registered public accounting firm and its supervisory personnel with respect to supervision. First, the release reminds registered firms and associated persons of, and highlights the scope of, Section 105(c)(6) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (“the Act”), which authorizes the Board to impose sanctions on registered public accounting firms and their supervisory personnel for failing to supervise reasonably an associated person who has violated certain laws, rules, or standards. Second, the release discusses and seeks comment on conceptual approaches to rulemaking that might complement the application of Section 105(c)(6) and, through increased accountability, lead to improved supervision practices and, consequently, improved audit quality. The PCAOB provided for a 91-day exposure period (from August 5, 2010, to November 3, 2010) for interested parties to examine and provide comments on the conceptual approaches to rulemaking that might complement the application of Section 105(c)(6). The Auditing Standards Committee of the Auditing Section of the American Accounting Association provided the comments in the letter below to the PCAOB on the PCAOB Release No. 2010-005, Application of the “Failure to Supervise” Provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and Solicitation of Comment on Rulemaking Concepts.

Audit quality following the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board’s operation

2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (5) ◽  
pp. 927-946
Author(s):  
She-Chih Chiu ◽  
Chin-Chen Chien ◽  
Hsuan-Chu Lin
Keyword(s):  
Audit Quality ◽  
Univariate Analysis ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Discretionary Accruals ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Audit Firms ◽  
Public Company ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Big Four

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the extent to which the transition from self-regulation to heteronomy has changed the gap in audit quality between Big Four and non-Big Four auditors. Design/methodology/approach This study analyzes publicly held companies in the USA between 1999 and 2012 using univariate analysis, multivariate analysis and quantile regression analysis. Audit quality is measured with discretionary accruals. Findings This study shows an insignificant difference in audit quality between the clients of Big Four and non-Big Four auditors after Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (hereafter, PCAOB) began its operations. In the analysis of the effects of PCAOB inspections on the audit quality of audit firms that are inspected annually and triennially, the findings show that the inspections have more positive effects when carried out annually. This suggests that the frequency of inspection is positively associated with audit quality. Overall, these results provide evidence that recent improvements in audit quality have been caused by changes in regulatory standards. Originality/value The paper provides three major original contributions. First, the authors add to the literature on audit quality by further demonstrating a reduced gap in audit quality between Big Four and non-Big Four audit firms due to heteronomy. Secondly, this study contributes to the debate as to whether independent inspections on audit firms are beneficial or not and suggests that the PCAOB inspections help increase audit quality. Finally, the results of this work contribute to the growing literature examining discretionary accruals.

scholarly journals Audit Quality: Insights from the Academic Literature

2012 ◽  
Vol 32 (Supplement 1) ◽  
pp. 385-421 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Robert Knechel ◽  
Gopal V. Krishnan ◽  
Mikhail Pevzner ◽  
Lori B. Shefchik ◽  
Uma K. Velury
Keyword(s):  
Audit Quality ◽  
Academic Research ◽  
Future Research ◽  
The Public ◽  
Academic Literature ◽  
Public Company

SUMMARY This study presents a review of academic research on audit quality. We begin with a review of existing definitions of audit quality and describe general frameworks for establishing audit quality. Next, we summarize research on indicators of audit quality such as inputs, process, and outcomes. Finally, we offer some suggestions for future research. The study should be useful to academics interested in audit quality as well as to the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) and other regulators.

scholarly journals State of the Art in Research on Optimum Design, Reliability and Control of Renewable Energy Microgrids

2018 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 23-35 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abubakar Abdulkarim ◽  
Nasir Faruk ◽  
A. O. Oloyode ◽  
Lukman A. Olawoyin ◽  
Segun I. Popoola ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Optimum Design ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Energy Sources ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Research Areas ◽  
Future Prediction ◽  
And Control ◽  
Critical Literature

This paper has presented a comprehensive review in the area of microgrid from the design to implementation. The aim is to evaluate the current status, problems and research efforts toward realising functional microgrids in the power system. The expectations about microgrid are many; therefore the study is divided into three main sections. Recent advancements in the wind energy, solar energy and their future prediction are summarised. States of arts in optimum design of renewable energy microgrid are also investigated. In addition, critical literature review in the reliability analysis of microgrids consisting of renewable energy sources is also reported. Control of microgrids consisting renewable energy sources have been presented. Some examples of existing microgrids across the globe are critically reviewed. The work therefore recommends that energy planners and all stakeholders should consider environmental and regional difference in microgrids planning. Finally, future research areas and directions in these areas are highlighted.

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