The effect of the financial crisis on audit quality: European evidence

Purpose This paper aims to examine the impact of the recent financial crisis on audit quality by analysing discretionary accruals. Design/methodology/approach This study considers a sample of German, French, Italian and Spanish non-financial firms from 2005 to 2013 to investigate the auditor’s independence. It uses a cross-sectional and time-series ordinary least squares regression model to control for other predictors of the auditor’s independence when the financial crisis produces a decrease in audit quality. Findings The proportion of the non-financial firms having lower audit quality was higher during the financial crisis. In addition, during the crisis auditors were less likely to provide a higher audit quality for these non-financial firms. The level of audit quality returned to normal levels during the post-crisis years when the crisis had ceased. Originality/value These findings contribute to the literature on the impact of economic and financial changes on audit quality. In addition, this research finds that the Big Four accounting firms provide a higher audit quality in different circumstances from non-Big Four accounting firms, and that audit quality decreased during the crisis and returned to normal in the post-crisis period.

Valuation Issues, Auditor Fraud, and PCAOB Confirmation: Findings From an Analysis of Lawsuits Against Large Public Accounting Firms

In this article, we bridge the gap between academia and practice by analyzing and presenting the results of allegations in more than 200 lawsuits against the largest public accounting firms. Our findings are critical as the lawsuits damage the firms’ reputations, the credibility of the profession in general, and may result in large monetary losses and loss of clients. We find three key results not found in previous legal research. First, we find that Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) issues, especially those focused on valuation, dominate Generally Accepted Auditing Standards (GAAS) issues in the allegations. Second, fraud allegations against the auditors themselves are a significant problem, although often ignored in the fraud literature. Third, the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) reports on the accounting firms provide an unintended source of information for third parties in future legal allegations against those same firms.

Determinants of Audit Quality at Public Accounting Firms

Objective – This study aims to examine and prove the effect of education, experience and audit fee on audit quality. Methodology – The data used are primary data in the form of questionnaires distributed to auditors, both senior and junior auditors at Public Accounting Firms located in Sulawesi. The questionnaires distributed to respondents were 46 auditors and 42 questionnaires were returned and able to processed. Findings – This research used a quantitative approach by measuring the objective data through scientific calculations, derived from samples of certain objects to answer a number of questions. The sampling technique used in this study is purposive sampling by using certain criteria and the model used is multiple linear regression analysis. The results of this study indicate that education, experience and audit fee have an effect on audit quality. Novelty – Audit quality is a representation of the auditor's performance as an audit service provider and also the auditee as an audit service user. As a liaison between the interests of financial statement users and the company, auditors are required to improve the quality of their services which in turn will have an impact on quality of the audit results. Auditors with adequate education and experience and appropriate audit fee in performing audit services will have an effect on the quality of the resulting audit. Type of Paper: Empirical JEL Classification: M40, M49. Keywords: Audit, Education; Experience; Fee; Quality

GENERAL OPINIONS ABOUT THE ADOPTION OF IAS/IFRS IN ROMANIA

IAS/IFRS represent a set of global accounting standards that have gained a tremendous influence over national standards, regulations and organisations all across the globe. Romania’s argument for being an interesting research case is given mainly by its longer experience with the standards over other countries in the region. Through this study, my aim is to highlight the arguments in favour of IAS/IFRS over the national GAAP by conducting a survey, addressed to the employees of the biggest 7 accounting firms in Romania.

Contemporary Conflicts in Perspectives on Work Hours across Hierarchical Levels in Public Accounting

Socializing personnel into accepting work hour norms has been fundamental to how accounting firms function, but is now challenged by contemporary work perspectives. Using 40 semi-structured interviews of personnel across hierarchical levels at a national firm and an international firm, we show how strangeness and contradiction expressed in work hour perspectives across different levels within both firms are reconstructed as compatible and complementary. Highlighting various firm adaptations, including alternative work arrangements, offshoring, and technological tools, our interviews suggest a major shift in firms’ approach toward work hours. This shift is fueled by work perspectives embraced by younger generations desiring work life balance and purposeful work, and enabled by technology supporting remote work and increasing work efficiencies. The question remains whether firms are evolving to genuinely embody work perspectives of younger generations or restructuring to rely on a smaller workforce willing to accept traditional work hour norms, or some combination thereof.

Budaya Organisasi, Komitmen Profesional, Dan Etika Auditor Terhadap Kinerja Auditor

This study aims to examine the effect of organizational culture, professional commitment, and auditor ethics on the performance of auditors at the Surabaya public accounting firm. The type of research conducted is descriptive quantitative research with survey method. The number of respondents in this study were 60 respondents from 12 Public Accounting Firms in Surabaya which were selected randomly. The method of data acquisition comes from questionnaires that are distributed directly to respondents. The data analysis technique used multiple linear regression analysis and hypothesis testing using the determinant coefficient test, t-test, and f-test. The results of the study indicate that organizational culture, professional commitment, and auditor ethics have a significant influence on auditor performance.

Determinan Audit Judgment Auditor Di Masa Pandemi Covid-19

The purpose of this study was to partially examine the effect of compliance pressure, time budget pressure, and auditor experience on audit assessments during the Covid-19 Pandemic. Sampling in this study using non-probability sampling with saturated samples. Respondents in this week's study were auditors of new public accounting firms. This research method is a quantitative method. The data analysis technique used is multiple linear regression analysis. The results of this study indicate that compliance pressure, time budget pressure, and auditor experience each have an effect on audit assessments during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Peran Moderasi Komitmen Profesional terhadap Perilaku Reduksi Kualitas Audit Periode Pandemi Covid-19

The aims of this study was to examine the effect of time budget pressure and locus of control on the behavior of auditors performing audit quality reduction behavior in the midst of the covid-19 pandemic. In addition, to find out profesional commitment to moderate the effect of time budget pressure and locus of control on audit quality reduction behavior in the midst of the covid-19 pandemic. The population in this study are auditors who work in Public Accounting Firms, the sampling method used purposive sampling and obtained a sample of 64 respondents who collected data using google form. Data analysis used multiple linear regression and moderated regression analysis (MRA). This study found that external locus of control had a positive effect on audit quality reduction behavior and the moderating role of profesional commitment was not supported. This study implies that auditors can adapt to current conditions except for auditors who have an external locus of control and policy makers can pay attention to this.

Do Individual Factors Matter? Examining Auditor Judgement Bias and Public Accounting Firm Size

Auditor personality is a topic of interest within the accounting field due to the scarcity of research on accountant personalities in Indonesia. This research aimed to examine the moderating effect of public accounting firm size, personality traits and locus of control on the correlation between role conflict and auditor judgement bias. The sample comprises auditors who work at public accounting firms in Java province and the study uses regression analysis as its method of analysis. The result shows that only internal locus of control has a significant moderating effect on the relationship between role conflict and auditor judgement bias. This indicates that auditor personality and public accounting firm size do not affect auditors’ professionalism in making judgements.