基层央行资产负债表健康性审计研究

央行资产负债表的状况是公众评价货币政策效果和形成政策预期的重要渠道。资产负债表的真实性和健康性越来越受到公众的关注,央行的资产负债表健康性审计也逐渐成为央行内审工作的重要内容。本文结合开展央行资产负债表健康性审计的意义,着眼于基层央行的实际情况,提出了基层央行资产负债表健康性的三项标准,明确了基层央行资产负债表健康性审计的主要内容、审计方法,初步构建了资产负债表审计框架。     

Performance Audit Scope and the Independence of the Australian Commonwealth Auditor-General

The introduction of performance auditing through the 1979 Australian Audit Act amendments continues to challenge the Australian Commonwealth Auditor-General's independence. By international consensus, performance auditing includes effectiveness issues. In contrast, the Australian amendments omit reference to 'effectiveness' issues and do not define 'efficiency' audit. Interpretation of these omissions varies. The Australian National Audit Office sees no prohibition on including effectiveness audit. But successive governments have attempted to curb the CAG's independence by excluding effectiveness auditing as a forbidden intrusion into policy areas; an exclusion that the ANAO rejects in relation to audit of effectiveness at operational levels. This study investigates the practical effect of these conflicts on performance audit scope. The results show that the ANAO consistently goes beyond audit of economy and efficiency to make substantive recommendations on effectiveness issues.     

Audit committee characteristics and investment in internal auditing

Regulators and others recently highlighted the increasingly important role of internal auditing in supporting and interacting with the audit committee to ensure the integrity and quality of financial reporting. Likewise, one of the roles of the audit committee is to oversee the quality of monitoring mechanisms implemented by the firm, which includes the internal audit function. However, our understanding of the relationship between the audit committee and internal auditing is limited. We fill this void by providing the first empirical evidence of the association between audit committee characteristics and the investment in internal auditing. Our analyses, from a sample of 181 SEC registrants, suggest that the investment in internal auditing (internal audit budget) is negatively related to the presence of auditing experts on the committee and the average tenure of audit committee members, but positively related to the number of audit committee meetings (a proxy for audit committee diligence). These observations suggest potential complementary and substitution effects between the audit committee and internal auditing, and thus raise important implications for future research.     

Internal Audit Outsourcing: A Literature Synthesis and Future Directions

The internal audit function (IAF), which has traditionally been an in‐house function, is increasingly being outsourced to outside consultants, in line with global trends for other services. This study synthesises research on the outsourcing and co‐sourcing of internal audit services over the last three decades, and suggests directions for future research. It draws from professional and academic literature to highlight the nature of organisations that outsource the IAF, and the main reasons behind the outsourcing decision. The study further examines the financial impact of outsourcing, as well as its impact on financial reporting, internal audit quality and auditors’ independence. The study shows widespread adoption of outsourcing of internal auditing services, largely due to the perceived cost benefits as well as perceived improved access to specialised internal auditing resources. There are mixed findings on the impact of outsourcing of internal auditing services on quality, cost, independence and availability of resources. This study contributes to internal and external audit, corporate governance and outsourcing literature in general, by synthesising the existing research and providing a roadmap with which to understand the origins, development, present state and impact of outsourcing of internal auditing.     

独立性威胁、审计委员会制约有效性:理论分析与实证研究

本文在理论上深入分析审计制度安排中独立性威胁现象及审计委员会制度对独立性威胁的制约作用之后,基于2002—2004年我国上市公司审计委员会设立的基本情况,以审计意见和事务所变更为反应变量,对审计委员会制约独立性威胁的有效性进行了实证研究。研究发现,设立审计委员会的公司更不易被出具非标准审计意见,说明审计委员会的设立并不能有效提高审计师的独立性,但这同时也是反映政策效应的结果,即规模较大的上市公司倾向于主动配合监管政策设立审计委员会。本文的研究还发现,审计委员会的设立并不能令审计师免于因出具令上市公司不满的审计意见而被改聘的结果,说明我国的审计委员会制度未能在制约独立性威胁方面发挥作用,该结论同时得到实践调查结果与补充检验的支持。据此,本文认为,我国审计委员会制度在制约独立性威胁方面的功能还有待于进一步落实。     

注册会计师在环境审计中所占地位初探

随着国际地位的日益提高以及经济的快速发展,我国的环境保护压力日益加剧,环境审计势必将发挥越来越重要的作用。但现阶段我国环境审计的主体是政府主导的相关部门,审计效果并不理想。为了避免在公有制经济中政府干预进入市场导致低效率,根据委托-代理理论的相关内容,可以确立注册会计师在环境审计中的主体地位。在此基础上,进行以财务为导向的审计活动,从而增强所披露信息的准确性及时效性,以促进企业利益相关者做出正确的决策。     

我国发展大型石油 跨国公司的战略意义

<正> 世界石油化工行业的大型石油跨国公司,作为能够主导国际石油经济未来发展的重要力量,愈益受到各国的广泛关注。值此21世纪,为了巩固和提高其在全球市场竞争中的战略地位,中国这样一个巨大的处于增长期的新兴市场自然会成为大型石油跨国公司的必争之地。目前,世界排名前25家大型石油跨国公司已有20家来华投资,项目规模都出现了飞跃式发展。对此,我们既要看到其促进生产力发展的一面,又要看到其不利影响的一面。我国坚持扩大开放,必须走出国门,走向世界市场,实施跨国投资和经营。我国发展大型石油跨国公司是坚持对外开放的     

签字注册会计师强制轮换制度提高了审计质量吗?——基于中国上市公司的实证研究

本文分析了我国签字注册会计师强制轮换制度对审计质量的影响,并检验了影响制度效果的主要因素。研究发现,强制轮换制度总体上没有显著提高审计质量,其原因一是强制轮换制度执行中存在规避行为,导致审计师变更频繁和过渡审计师的出现,其对应审计质量较低;二是强制轮换制度实施后,新任审计师的平均专业胜任能力下降,导致审计质量下降。而具有原客户审计经验的审计师在被强制轮换后重新审计该客户的审计质量较高,这能在一定程度上抑制上市公司审计质量的整体下滑。本文的发现对进一步完善签字注册会计师强制轮换制度有较好的参考意义。     

审计取证的思维流程与思维要素研究

审计思想方法是从事审计实践活动不可或缺的重要工具,因此研究审计思想方法具有重要的理论意义和实践意义。审计取证作为审计工作中的重要一环,直接决定审计质量,关乎国家审计的免疫系统功能发挥,最终影响国家审计服务于国家治理的效用程度。基于此,本文以审计取证为研究对象,运用文献研究、访谈和归纳演绎等方法,在深入分析审计证据要满足条件的基础上,提出了审计取证的思维五步:合理怀疑——发现问题——证实问题——力求达成共识——解决问题。同时从肯定性取证、中性取证和否定性取证入手,深入分析了行为、结果、现象、主客观、主客体、原因、影响和责任主体等思维要素。旨在通过本研究,进一步丰富审计相关理论,并为审计人员改善思维方式提供一定参考。     

A meta-analysis of factors affecting acceptance of information technology in auditing

Technology advancements provide opportunities for auditors to use new tools in the audit process. This study presents a synthesis of technology-related auditing research to identify factors affecting the use of technology in auditing. We analyze 88 studies in identifying 21 factors relevant to technology acceptance in auditing based on country of origin (developed or developing), user type (external or internal), type of technology (traditional or advanced), firm size (Big 4 or non-Big 4), and publication time (before and after 2013). Our results show that the most important factors in accepting technology from an individual perspective are facilitator conditions, perceived usefulness, and understanding of ease of use. Technology acceptance factors relevant to an organizational perspective are cost-benefit technology, competitive pressure, company readiness, and matching technology-task. Results suggest that perceived usefulness and subjective norm are more important in developed countries and Big 4 audit firms, while auditors in developing countries and non-Big 4 audit firms are more influenced by perceived ease of use, facilitating conditions, and organizational factors. Adopting traditional technologies is also more influenced by understanding the ease of use, subjective norms, and top management support than advanced technologies. This study contributes to the literature by assessing technology acceptance factors in auditing and thus provides policy, practice, and research implications.     

A Rejoinder to Commentaries on ‘Integrated Reporting: A Review of Developments and their Implications for the Accounting Curriculum’

This auditing case study focuses on a company presenting significant audit risk for an incoming audit firm. By presenting a variety of audit risks, hence audit implications, the case demonstrates the holistic approach to audit required in order to avoid an inappropriate audit opinion. The case is aimed at undergraduate students of auditing in the final year of their studies and students of the ACCA Paper 6 or equivalent. The case provides an efficient and original vehicle for instruction in auditing and can be used to complement other teaching aids.     

The impact of the input level of information system audit on the audit quality: Korean evidence

In response to the increasingly sophisticated corporate information system environment in producing accounting data, audit firms are undertaking information system (IS) audit in addition to conventional auditing. This study focuses on examining the impact of input level of IS audit on audit quality. We collected data on IS audit hours, a unique reporting requirement for Korean listed-firms as disclosed in the External Audit Implementation Details beginning in 2014. Simultaneously, we used the amount of discretionary accruals and measure of conservatism, C_Score as the proxies of the audit quality. By empirically examining a sample set that includes 2,370 corporate-year observations from the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (2014–2018), we found that IS audit hours and IS audit personnel had a statistically significant negative correlation when estimating with amount of discretionary accruals using the model of Kothari et al. (2005) and positive correlation with C_Score. Even when the group was divided into Big 4 and non-BIG 4, these results were apparent in firm samples that were audited by Big 4 audit firms, whereas those audited by non-Big 4 firms did not show these results. Taken together, the following conclusion can be derived. Audit quality has improved through conducting IS audit in response to new types of audit risks that have emerged because of the use of information technology in corporations. Significantly, this study analyzes empirically the effect that the effort of IS auditing has on improving audit quality by using a unique reporting requirement for Korean-listed firms. The study confirms that an appropriate level of IS audit input can improve audit quality. In addition, it is meaningful that IS audit practice is following the risk-based approach of the Clarified International Standards on Auditing (ISA).     

PERFORMANCE AUDITING AND THE NARRATING OF A NEW AUDITEE IDENTITY

This paper analyzes how performance auditing affects the auditee in different and sometimes unexpected ways. On the basis of a detailed case study of the Danish Ministry of Transport's encounter with performance auditing we argue that performance audit is a practice that generates multiple effects and that some of these effects can be characterized as a reconfiguration of the organizational identity of the auditee. In this process, accountabilities are reformulated and reallocated which sometimes lead to ‘blame games’ and strong feelings of discomfort. We draw on actor‐network theory and a narrative approach to study how performance audit reports produce narratives that picture new possible identities that the auditee in question must take into consideration. We argue that auditee identities are partly shaped by relations to ‘significant others’, such as the National Audit Office, the politicians and the press who all give accounts of who the Ministry is and ought to be. Furthermore, we argue that accounting and management information systems are enrolled as important ‘nonhuman’ actors that enable the suggested identity positions.     

合并会计报表审计的研究

合并会计报表审计是随着市场经济的发展 ,企业集团大量涌现而产生的一种新的审计项目。作者认为合并会计报表审计的内容 ,应当为合并范围的审计 ,会计政策的审计、母子公司个别会计报表的审计、合并会计报表、编制程序的审计以及合并会计报表附注的审计等五大部分。     

非审计业务对审计市场绩效的影响——基于会计师事务所业务结构的角度

以审计质量和审计收费作为审计市场绩效的衡量指标,从会计师事务所业务结构角度来考察我国注册会计师行业拓展非审计业务对审计市场所带来的影响。实证检验发现,相对于其他事务所而言,非审计业务规模越大和当年非审计业务规模较上年扩大的事务所,其审计质量越好,审计收费也越高。这说明在目前审计服务市场容量有限,竞争过于激烈的环境下,拓展非审计业务有利于增强审计独立性和提高审计收费,是改善行业执业环境的一个重要途径。     

区块链技术背景下对审计行业的影响研究

区块链技术自2009年第一个创世区块诞生以来,以其作为核心技术的比特币从16年开始风靡全球,区块链也随之被大众逐渐了解,它凭借其独有的非对称加密、分布共识、点对点通信等技术,在金融领域、物联网、数字版权领域等方面都有其广泛应用前景。同样的,区块链技术也能应用于会计、审计方面,意味着审计流程的大幅度简化、审计信息的真实保证、联合审计的有效实施,对审计行业将会带来革命式的的冲击。同时,区块链对审计行业亦存在着相应的风险。本文从区块链的相关概念、特性以及对审计行业的优势以及风险进行了深入分析和思考。     

Locating audit expectations gap within a cultural context: The case of Saudi Arabia

This paper offers an insight into the types of ‘audit expectations gap’ that exist within a cultural context. Specifically, it investigates if the business and social environment affect the perceptions of audit performance of users and auditors. Using a combination of mail questionnaires and semi-structured interviews, the study reveals the existence of a ‘performance gap’ with respect to the roles specified in the statutory pronouncements and those that can reasonably be expected of auditors in Saudi Arabia. The results further indicate the ‘performance gap’ arises from four factors in the environment within which auditing is practiced: licensing policy, recruitment process, the political and legal structure, and dominant societal values. Interview results reveal the influence of institutional and cultural settings on the audit expectations gap and indicate that the inclusion of Islamic principles in auditing standards and the code of ethics would help reduce the expectations gap that exists in Saudi Arabia.     

内部审计外包的策略选择:组织柔性视角的案例研究

因市场环境日新月异的变化以及企业间竞争的加剧,内部审计外包成为不少企业的选择。本文运用组织柔性理论探讨了企业采取内部审计外包策略的动因和影响因素。在此基础上,采取案例研究的方法,选择同为电信行业的两家企业作为典型案例,阐释了内部审计外包的机构设置、模式设置、边界设置等问题。研究结果表明:内部审计外包作为一种企业内部柔性能力,体现组织结构与企业环境匹配的适应性,不同企业采取权变的方法选择外包策略。     

The global audit profession and the international financial architecture: Understanding regulatory relationships at a time of financial crisis

This paper explores how regulatory relationships in the global audit arena are being affected by the current financial crisis. Key policy initiatives and debates are analyzed, along with institutional interactions, in particular between the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC), international regulators and the large audit firms. The events are placed in the context of the new international financial architecture which has developed over the last decade. Using the illustrative lens of bank auditing, questions are asked of the nature and status of audit practice and the regulatory arrangements governing such practice. The paper shows the active nature of the regulatory responses to the crisis and the shifting and competing influences among key regulatory and professional participants in the global audit arena. Emphasis is placed on the need for audit researchers to be sensitive to the developing global financial architecture, and its potential implications for the study of audit practice in different national and international contexts.     

Determinants of audit report modifications in Finnish municipalities

Although municipalities are major economic and social actors in most countries, remarkably little is known about their audits, particularly the determinants of their audit report modifications. The existing evidence is ambiguous at best and scarce, which provides opportunities for further accounting studies in this area. Therefore, based on an agency theory framework, we fill this important research gap by exploring three determinants of audit report modifications in municipalities: (1) economic performance, (2) decentralization of decision-making across different decision-making bodies, and (3) political competition between political parties in local councils. These determinants are examined based on a large panel of data on Finnish municipalities for the period from 2009 to 2013, covering virtually all of the country’s municipalities. We find that a striking 33 percent of audit reports had modifications during this period, which raises serious concerns about the state of municipal management, accounting, and auditing in Finland. Regarding the above determinants, the following conclusions can be made based on our analyses. First, we find partial evidence that weak economic performance increases the likelihood of audit report modifications. Second, the lower the competition among political parties in a local council, the lower the likelihood of audit report modifications. Finally, the more decentralized decision making is across the different decision-making bodies under the local council, the higher the probability of audit report modifications. These results are consistent with agency theory’s explanations regarding the value of auditing.