Management’s Undue Influence over Audit Committee Members: Evidence from Auditor Reporting and Opinion Shopping

Audit committee members must be independent of management to protect shareholder interests. While current regulations restrict audit committee members from holding management positions (i.e., affiliations), studies find that management’s preferences continue to impact audit committee decisions. This motivates analysis of independence threats beyond affiliations. We apply the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants’ conceptual approach to independence and examine the threat of management’s undue influence over audit committee members. Examining the relative tenure of executives and audit committee members, we find that greater management influence is associated with a lower propensity of the auditor to issue a modified going concern opinion to a distressed client. We also find that greater management influence is associated with increased opinion shopping behavior. These findings are consistent with an undue influence threat to audit committee independence. Our results extend the academic literature and inform regulatory concerns on audit committee independence.

Implications of recent reforms to auditor reporting requirements in Australia

Purpose This paper aims to address a topical and controversial issue, namely, the degree of conformity with the new auditor reporting requirements in Australia and the extent of variations in the reporting of key audit matters (KAMs) by Australian firms. Design/methodology/approach This paper compares the 64 elements identified in the applicable standards with the auditor’s report from the sampled companies to determine the degree to which the top 200 firms listed on the Australian Stock Exchange are complying with the requirements of the new audit report. This paper investigates KAM disclosures within and across industries. Findings The results indicate that there is a high degree of conformity with the new reporting framework, yet significant variations in the contents of the report, particularly in KAM disclosures. This paper observes that the number of KAMs and their extent of disclosure generally varies within industries. The types of KAMs presented vary both within and across industries. This paper further provides evidence that auditors have a tendency of not disclosing negative KAMs and tend to avoid negative wordings when describing KAMs. This paper also finds that there are significant differences in the placement of various types of KAMs in the audit report. Practical implications These findings have important policy implications for the standard-setters, regulators, auditors and users of financial reports on the adequacy of the new auditor reporting framework. Originality/value This study is one of the first to examine the degree of conformity with the new audit reporting model in Australia.

The Effect of Auditor Reporting Choice and Audit Committee Oversight on Management Financial Disclosures

We investigate the joint effects of auditor's reporting choice and audit committee effectiveness on management disclosures about complex estimates. A new PCAOB standard requires auditors to report on Critical Audit Matters (CAMs): issues "communicated or required to be communicated to the audit committee" about accounts or disclosures that (1) "are material to the financial statements" and (2) "involved especially challenging, subjective, or complex auditor judgment" (PCAOB 2017a, 11). Consistent with investor arguments, we find that audit committee effectiveness and more detailed CAM reporting encourage managers' disclosures of the risk underlying complex estimates. When the auditor's report is more informative about a complex estimate and the audit committee is more effective, management's related financial disclosures are more forthcoming. However, less informative auditor disclosures or more effective audit committees alone do not prompt greater management disclosure. Thus, expanded auditor reporting and more effective audit committees, together, can enhance the disclosures investors value.

The moderating role of audit quality on the relationship between auditor reporting and earnings management: empirical evidence from Tunisia

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine the interrelationship between modified audit opinions and earnings management as measured by discretionary accruals and develop a thorough understanding regarding the moderating effect of audit quality on this relation.Design/methodology/approachThis study uses a sample of Tunisian listed firms on the Tunis Stock Exchange during 2006–2013. Four models are developed and tested by using panel logistic and Feasible Generalized Least Squares (FGLS) regressions.FindingsThe results show that earnings management increases the likelihood of receiving a modified audit opinions. Then firms receiving modified audit opinions manage earnings more than those receiving clean opinions. It is also discovered that audit quality moderates the relationship between audit opinion and earnings management.Practical implicationsThis paper contributes to the literature of both audit and management studies and represents the first effort to examine the relation between audit opinion and earnings management, with audit quality as a moderating variable.Originality/valueThis study extends existing research on earnings management and audit opinion. Thus, this study has the potential to help stakeholders, board of directors, regulators and auditors, who are related with enhancing the supervision of firms and reducing the opportunities given to managers, to engage in earnings management. It constitutes an addition to previous knowledge about audit opinion in the Tunisian context before and after revolution.

The Effects of Profit-Sharing Plans, Client Importance, and Reinforcement Sensitivity on Audit Quality

Despite concerns that profit-sharing plans might have a detrimental effect on audit quality, there is little empirical evidence on this issue. We examine the effects of the type of profit-sharing plan, level of client importance, and auditor reinforcement sensitivity (joint sensitivity to rewards and punishments) on auditor reporting decisions. By relying on agency theory and reinforcement sensitivity theory, we posit that the joint effects of profit sharing and client importance on auditors' decisions are contingent on reinforcement sensitivity. In an experiment with 450 audit partners and managers, we manipulate type of profit-sharing plan and client importance, and measure extroversion and neuroticism. We find the highest audit quality when profit sharing is based on firm performance, client importance is low, and reinforcement sensitivity is high. Thus, instead of just modifying the type of profit-sharing plans, it is the mix of economic incentives and personality traits that affect audit quality.

KONVERSI BANK KONVENSIONAL MENJADI BANK SYARIAH DI INDONESIA

Konversi bank konvensional menjadi bank syariah di Indonesia merupakan salah satu mekanisme pembentukan bank syariah yang ditandai dengan perubahan secara legal sistem bank konvensional menjadi sistem bank syariah. Penerapan kebijakan konversi menimbulkan permasalahan model mekanisme tata kelola perusahaan yang kurang efektif dalam menjalankan pengawasan terhadap kepatuhan syariah bank, peningkatan risiko adverse selection dan moral hazard pada model pendanaan muḍarabah dan musyarakah, divergensi model bisnis bank syariah yang disertai tingkat efisiensi dan stabilitas aset yang rendah, dan tingkat kualifikasi sumber daya manusia perbankan syariah yang rendah. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis dampak konversi bank konvensional menjadi bank syariah di Indonesia terhadap tata kelola perusahaan, operasional bank, struktur dan kinerja keuangan, dan sumber daya manusia. Penelitian ini merupakan jenis penelitian peristiwa dalam konteks konversi bank konvensional menjadi bank syariah di Indonesia. Data penelitian ini merupakan data panel. Sumber data penelitian berasal dari laporan keuangan yang dipublikasi. Sampel penelitian terdiri atas 7 bank syariah yang dibentuk melalui kebijakan konversi. Alat analisis terdiri dari regresi OLS (Ordinary Least Square) dan Regresi Kuantil. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa konversi bank konvensional menjadi bank syariah di Indonesia tidak berpengaruh terhadap Tata Kelola Perusahaan, Operasional Bank, Struktur dan Kinerja Keuangan, dan Sumber Daya Manusia. Konversi bank konvensional menjadi bank syariah di Indonesia berpengaruh terhadap indikator Lag Laporan Auditor Eksternal (External Auditor Reporting Lag) sebesar -30,441 dengan nilai R2 sebesar 0,644 yang menunjukkan bahwa model analisis penelitian dapat mengestimasi perubahan Lag Laporan Auditor Eksternal (External Auditor Reporting Lag) sebesar 64,4% dan sisanya 35,5% dijelaskan oleh variabel lain di luar model analisis penelitian. Konversi bank konvensional menjadi bank syariah di Indonesia berpengaruh terhadap indikator Cadangan Kerugian Penurunan Nilai (Loan Loss Provision) sebesar -0,008 dengan nilai R2 sebesar 0,482 yang menunjukkan bahwa model analisis penelitian dapat mengestimasi perubahan Cadangan Kerugian Penurunan Nilai (Loan Loss Provision) sebesar 48,2% dan sisanya 51,8% dijelaskan oleh variabel lain di luar model analisis penelitian.