The Influence of Publication of Financial Statements, Risk of Takeover and Financial Position of the Auditee on Public Auditors' Unethical Behaviour

This study examines the effects of publication of financial statements, the risk of a takeover of the auditee and the auditee's financial position on auditors' willingness to allow material errors in financial statements in case of management pressure. The results show that all factors significantly influence auditors' willingness to allow errors in financial statements.     

"四大"在中国A股证券审计市场的行为研究

"四大"在全球资本市场中扮演着重要的角色,很多学者直接将"四大"作为高质量审计的代名词。本文对"四大"于2003至2006年期间在中国A股证券审计市场的行为进行了研究,研究发现:"四大"的市场占有率逐年提高,同时各成员所之间也存在着激烈的竞争,较之"非四大",其选择的客户的规模大、财务质量高、ST(或*ST)客户比例低,另外,"四大"的独立性强,在相关行业已培育了显著的行业专长,能够提供高质量的审计服务,同时收取较低比率的审计费用。     

浅谈如何完善与提高事业单位内部审计工作及审计质量

本文结合我国目前事业单位内部审计现状,分析了事业单位内部审计工作中存在的问题,针对这些问题,探讨了如何完善事业单位内部审计工作,并为提高内审工作质量提出了几点建议,以供参考.     

Andersen and the Market for Lemons in Audit Reports

Previous accounting ethics research berates auditors for ethical lapses that contribute to the failure of Andersen (e.g., Duska, R.: 2005, Journal of Business Ethics 57, 17–29; Staubus, G.: 2005, Journal of Business Ethics 57, 5–15; however, some of the blame must also fall on regulatory and professional bodies that exist to mitigate auditors’ ethical lapses. In this paper, we consider the ethical and economic context that existed and facilitated Andersen’s failure. Our analysis is grounded in Akerlof’s (1970, Quarterly Journal of Economics August, 488–500) Theory of the Market for Lemons and we characterize the market for audit reports as a market for lemons. Consistent with Akerlof’s model, we consider the appropriateness of the countervailing mechanisms that existed at the time of Andersen’s demise that appeared to have effectively failed in counteracting Andersen’s ethical shortcomings. Finally, we assess the appropriateness of the remedies proposed by the Sarbanes–Oxley Act of 2002 (SOA) to ensure that similar ethical lapses will not occur in the future. Our analysis indicates that the SOA regulatory reforms should counteract some of the necessary conditions of the Lemons Model, and thereby mitigate the likelihood of audit failures. However, we contend that the effectiveness of the SOA critically depends upon the focus and attention of the␣Public Companies Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) towards assessing the ethical climates of public accounting firms. Assessments by the PCAOB of public accounting firm’s ethical climate are needed to sufficiently ensure that public accounting firms effectively promote and maintain audit quality in situations where unconscious bias or economic incentives may erode the public accounting firm’s independence.     

浅谈企业内部审计外包

本文研究了内部审计外包这一新的审计方法,分析了内部审计外包的可行性,在此之上,研究了各种内部审计外包的形式,提出了协力式委外这一内部审计新概念.最后提出并非所有中国企业都适合实施内部审计外包这一内审形式,需要认真考虑自身特点,选择合适的内部审计方式.     

审计委员会、董事会特征与财务呈报质量:基于中国证券市场的实证研究

Board independence and the board’s expertise characteristics are key factors influencing the quality of financial reporting. Companies, having a higher percentage of independent directors, having independent financial directors, or having an audit committee on board are more likely to generate quality accounting earnings information. Variables representing board behavior characteristics, namely, ratio of shares owned by the board, board meeting frequency within a year, and the number of independent directors holding posts concurrently in the controlling shareholder’s company, are not significantly related to the quality of financial reporting. Board meeting frequency is even abnormally negatively related to the quality of financial reporting. Translated from Guangli Pinglun 管理评论 (Business Review), 2006, (7): 49–56     

A critical appraisal of the reporting quality of published randomized controlled trials in the fall injuries

To evaluate the quality of reporting in published randomized controlled trials (RTCs) in the field of fall injuries. The 188 RTCs published between 2001 and 2011, indexed in EMBASE and Medline databases were extracted through searching by appropriate keywords and EMTree classification terms. The evaluation trustworthiness was assured through parallel evaluations of two experts in epidemiology and biostatistics. About 40%–75% of papers had problems in reporting random allocation method, allocation concealment, random allocation implementation, blinding and similarity among groups, intention to treat and balancing benefits and harms. Moreover, at least 10% of papers inappropriately/not reported the design, protocol violations, sample size justification, subgroup/adjusted analyses, presenting flow diagram, drop outs, recruitment time, baseline data, suitable effect size on outcome, ancillary analyses, limitations and generalizability. Considering the shortcomings found and due to the importance of the RCTs for fall injury prevention programmes, their reporting quality should be improved.     

审计环境与政府审计资源整合研究

审计环境对政府审计资源整合具有需求与制约双重性,审计体制、立法、经费和质量控制等诸多制约因素体现了鲜明的政治性和路径依赖性的特点,整合的实践需要深刻认识审计环境来合理选择整合类型。     

我国审计法立法与实施的经验、问题和改进

审计法在其实施的十来年时间里,对我国政府审计制度的建立和经济健康发展起到了重要作用。我们在肯定立法的创新精神和进步性,指出其存在的时代局限性的同时,提出了审计法的修改意见,包括审计法的界定、审计人员任用资格、审计对象、绩效审计、经济责任审计、审计结果公告制度和审计法律责任等方面的问题,以期对我国审计法的成熟与发展有所裨益。     

The effect of bonds on loyalty towards auditors: the mediating role of commitment

The study examines the impact of knowledge and social bonds on commitment and behavioural loyalty in auditor–client relationships. A model is proposed and tested using data collected from stock exchange company executives in the UK. The results show the significant effects of the knowledge and social bonds on commitment. Commitment is shown to be a mediating variable, which influences word-of-mouth and continuance but not the purchase of non-audit services. In the light of these findings, suggestions are provided to auditors in developing relationship bonds and managing the relationship at the firm level.     

The joint effects of social identity and institutional pressures on audit quality: The case of the Chinese Audit Industry

This article examines how social identity links institutional pressures and audit quality. Combining institutional theory and social identity theory, we theoretically argue that the interaction between social and institutional forces shapes audit quality. Through an analysis of Chinese audit firms from 2000 to 2007, we show that isomorphic imitation has a more significant effect on firms belonging to the same-identity group than firms across cross-identity groups; foreign-affiliated audit firms are more willing to conform to normative pressure from professional networks than local firms; and foreign-affiliated firms are coerced to adapt to the local government’s expectation, particularly when they have a geographically concentrated customer base. We further reveal that a larger customer base attenuates within-identity group imitation but strengthens cross-identity group imitation. The results shed light on the role of social identity in shaping conformity in the audit industry, thus contributing to international convergence–divergence literature and institutional theory.     

The role of the audit committee in enhancing the credibility of CSR disclosure: Evidence from STOXX Europe 600 members

This study examines the influence of audit committee attributes, namely financial expertise, independence, meeting frequency and size, on the adoption of CSR assurance. The study also offers insight into the effect of audit committee attributes on the scope and level of CSR assurance and the selection of CSR assurance providers. Contextually, this is achieved using a sample of European companies listed on the STOXX 600 index over the period 2012–2018. The findings show that attributes related to audit committee financial expertise, audit committee independence and audit committee meeting frequency and the existence of a CSR committee, are positively linked with the adoption of CSR assurance. Moreover, our empirical analysis further highlights the critical role of audit committee financial expert members in enhancing the scope and level of CSR assurance. Furthermore, audit committee with more frequent meetings lead to higher assurance scopes. Our findings offer significant and multidimensional insights for regulators, policymakers and professionals, regarding the revision and establishment of regulations concerning the audit committee structure.     

The Relationship Between the Cost of Equity Capital and Corporate Disclosure: The Chilean Case

ABSTRACT

The objective of this research is to determine whether the Chilean investor rewards the corporate disclosure of economic information. The results have been consistent with international findings, since the relationship between the two studied variables was widely negative (the more information, the lower rate demanded by the investor). Also, the study shows that the integration of the capitals markets is improving the minimum standards of disclosure since, when a local company participates in more than one stock market, the strictest corporate disclosure or transparency rule will be applied.

RESUMEN. El objetivo de esta investigación es determinar si el inversionista chileno premia la entrega de información por parte de las empresas. Los resultados han sido consistentes con la evidencia internacional, ya que la relación entre las variables estudiadas fue ampliamente negativa (a mayor información, menor tasa exigida por el inversionista). Además, el estudio evidencia que la integración de los mercados de capitales está mejorando los estándares mínimos de revelación, ya que al participar una firma local en más de una bolsa de valores, se aplicará la normativa más exigente de revelación o transparencia corporativa.

RESUMO. O objetivo desta pesquisa é determinar se o investidor chileno compensa a divulgação das informações econômicas pelas empresas. Os resultados têm sido coerentes com as evidências internacionais, visto que a relação entre as duas variáveis estudadas foi amplamente negativa (quanto mais informação, menor é a taxa exigida pelo investidor). O estudo evidencia, também, que a integração dos mercados de capitais tem melhorado os padrões mínimos de divulgação, já que quando uma empresa local participa em mais de uma bolsa de valores, as normas mais rígidas de divulgação ou de transparência corporativa são aplicadas.     

注册会计师审计行为的优化研究——基于“审计文化”视角

注册会计师审计是市场经济发展到一定阶段的产物。随着市场经济的日益复杂化,经济利益和审计责任的冲突往往会影响注册会计师的审计行为,导致注册会计师审计舞弊现象屡见不鲜,注册会计师审计职业信誉受损。该文试图从会计师事务所这样一个特定的组织出发,探讨审计文化的内涵及其组成要素,并基于对审计文化与审计行为关系的理解,提出了优化审计行为的审计文化构建措施。     

财务报告舞弊行政处罚严厉程度与审计意见购买

以2002-2008年间非金融类、非外资类正常交易A股公司为研究样本,考察财务报告舞弊行政处罚严厉程度与审计意见购买的关系。实证结果表明,财务报告舞弊行政处罚越严厉,越能显著地降低审计客户通过变更审计师购买审计意见的概率,越能显著降低审计客户盈利能力的增加或债务水平的降低,进而达到审计意见改善的目的。     

企业内部审计与外部审计趋同的机理研究

本文以史、论为经纬,以内生变量与外生变量为分析工具,通过推理,提出内部审计与外部审计存在趋同性的观点,揭示审计发展的内在规律,以此为实务部门充分利用内、外部审计的整合发展规律,提高现阶段总体审计质量与公司治理水平提供理论基础。     

Ethical Behaviour in the U.K. Audit Profession: The Case of the Self-Fulfilling Prophecy Under Going-Concern Uncertainties

External auditors owe a professional duty to the company's stockholders and to society in general. However their remuneration is determined by management. The resulting conflicts of interest are particularly acute in distressed companies where the auditors are required to disclose uncertainties regarding future survival. We focus on the consequentialist self-fulfilling prophecy argument whereby auditors may fail to disclose such uncertainties due to the belief that the disclosure itself would precipitate the company's bankruptcy. We find no empirical support for such beliefs for a sample of distressed U.K. companies with audit reports published between 1986 and 1993. Companies whose auditors disclose going concern uncertainties are no more likely to fail than those without such disclosures; indeed three out of four reports containing going concern uncertaintiesare not followed by failure before publication of a subsequent set of accounts. Instead we find that it is the degree of financial distress that drives both bankruptcy and the auditor's going concern disclosure rather than that the disclosure itself causes failure. Belief in the self-fulfilling prophecy effect nevertheless persists, and this despite the profession's clear ethical guidelines that audit opinions should provide an objectively true and fair view, paying no regard to possible consequences. It may be that the continued attractiveness of the self-fulfilling prophecy belief is due to its providing a means of resolving intense auditor/management conflict in what is a particularly complex decision situation. We argue that, if the profession's clear ethical guidelines are to play a greater role in this area, issues such as enforcement will need to be addressed.     

审计机关指导和监督内部审计工作路径研究

本文在论述审计机关指导监督内部审计工作理论基础与法律依据的基础上,分析了目前我国党政机关、事业单位以及国有企业(含金融机构)内部审计工作现状。指出审计机关指导监督内部审计工作所面临的新挑战,进而提出审计机关指导监督内部审计工作优化路径,实现审计合力。     

关于建筑项目工程跟踪审核的特点与重要性的探索

跟踪审计作为现代审计的一种重要方式,已经在大中型建设项目审计中应用,并且取得了明显的管理效益和直接的经济成果.但建设工程跟踪审核在实施过程中仍存在着很多问题亟待进一步探索.但是只要科学合理地选择审核跟踪点,准确掌握审核参与管理的程度,相信跟踪审核会逐步步入程序化、规范化、市场化的轨道.     

基于产权视角的会计主体观

在我国现行的会计教科书中,会计主体或被定义为会计服务的特定对象,或被定义为会计确认、计量和报告的空间范围,这样的定义与会计主体的本质特征是相背离的。从会计演进的历史过程看,会计信息的强制披露制度是会计主体观念产生的根本动因,会计主体的本质是会计核算和报告的产权范围。网络环境下的企业空间范围虽然具有虚拟性,但产权范围却是明晰的,根据产权范围界定会计主体仍然具有可行性。会计报告主体是从会计主体概念衍生出来的概念,从产权视角分析,会计报告主体与会计主体都是由管理当局受托责任对应资产的产权边界决定的。