注册会计师的任期和强制轮换与会计盈余稳健性——来自沪深A股上市公司的经验证据

本文实证检验了注册会计师定期轮换规定对我国上市公司会计报告盈余稳健性的影响。研究发现:签字注册会计师任期对客户公司的会计报告盈余稳健性的影响受到会计师事务所与客户公司经济依存度的作用,在事务所经济重要程度较低的客户公司中,签字会计师任期的延长显著降低会计报告的盈余稳健性;而在事务所经济重要程度较高的客户公司中,任期与会计盈余稳健性的关系则并不明确。同时,上市公司在按照《关于证券期货审计业务签字注册会计师定期轮换的规定》更替签字注册会计师后,会计稳健性并未发生显著变化。这表明尽管注册会计师定期轮换规定的实施在我国是必要的,但其实施规定对上市公司盈余稳健性的提高并不完善。本文建议未来轮换规定可以考虑在事务所轮换层面提供更细致的要求,削弱现有轮换规定下客户公司与事务所长期合作关系。     

“轻信”的注册会计师影响了审计质量吗——基于中国综合社会调查(CGSS)的经验研究

本文以2008-2015年我国A股上市公司为样本,考察了签字注册会计师的社会信任程度(出生地区社会信任水平)对年报审计质量的影响。研究发现,注册会计师出生地区的社会信任程度更高,被审计上市公司的盈余管理程度更高,说明社会信任程度差异能够在一定程度上使注册会计师因"轻信"而"轻视"被审计单位的盈余管理行为,从而影响审计质量。考虑非标准审计意见类型后,发现对于存在不合规、不公允的"问题"上市公司年报,社会信任程度更高的注册会计师出具的审计意见是足够严厉的,说明社会信任程度差异造成的"轻信"影响是有限的。进一步研究发现,签字注册会计师中,项目复核人的社会信任程度对审计质量有显著影响,项目负责人则不显著;党员注册会计师和"十大"会计师事务所的注册会计师不容易受到"轻信"的影响。本文拓展了注册会计师个人特征对审计质量影响的相关文献,对监管机构加强注册会计师行业职业化建设,具有一定的启示意义。     

签字注册会计师个人特征对审计质量影响的研究

本文选取2016-2020年沪深A股1444家上市公司的财务数据和签字注册会计师的个人特征信息为研究样本，以审计质量为被解释变量，签字注册会计师个人特征为解释变量，实证研究签字注册会计师的个人特征对审计质量的影响。研究结果表明，其他条件不变时，签字注册会计师男女组合比同性组合的审计质量更高，签字注册会计师金融类专业组合比其他专业组合的审计质量更高，签字注册会计师职位组合越高，审计质量越高。     

审计团队是否“一山难容二虎”？——来自注册会计师签字大小的证据

已有研究主要关注签字注册会计师团队成员知识、经验和认知特征影响团队合作效果，但鲜有关注团队成员性格差异的后果。本文选取2009-2019年沪深A股上市公司为样本，用注册会计师签字大小衡量其自恋程度，发现相较于其他组合类型，两个签字注册会计师均自恋时审计质量更差；当两个自恋签字注册会计师当期合作时，下期更可能发生注册会计师更换，审计团队中存在“一山难容二虎”现象。进一步地，当团队权力结构越集中，客户业务复杂程度越高时，两个签字注册会计师自恋对合作效果的负面影响更加明显。本文从个性特征角度补充签字注册会计师团队开展研究，为会计师事务所签字注册会计师选派及内部管理提供可能的参考。     

法律责任、审计风格和感知的会计信息可比性

本文以2010年会计师事务所实施特殊普通合伙制转制为背景,研究市场是如何感知审计师法律责任对会计信息可比性的影响.研究发现:(1)市场感知转制增强了审计师的法律责任,提高了会计信息可比性.(2)市场感知法律责任的增强,不仅降低了不同会计师事务所之间的审计风格差异,提高不同会计师事务所客户之间的会计信息可比性,同时也降低了同一会计师事务所中不同合伙人之间的审计风格差异,提高了同一会计师事务所不同合伙人客户之间的会计信息可比性.本文研究对于监管者、行业协会、会计师事务所、企业管理层具有重要意义.     

向国际化迈进——写在天健会计师事务所首例H股IPO成功之际

2015年3月11日,天健会计师事务所客户---北京春立正达医疗器械股份有限公司在香港联交所正式挂牌上市,这被多家媒体评价为"是自1992年以来,中国注册会计师行业的一个重大突破——这是第一个由中国内地会计师事务所担任申报会计师,并采用中国国内会计准则和审计准则,由中国内地注册会计师签字的港股IPO项目。不仅是天健会计师事务所在H股上市审计服务领域的新拓展,也是中国     

审计人员的谈判让步策略与客户的谈判判断:一项实验证据

审计谈判策略是影响审计谈判的重要因素。本文采用实验研究方法检验注册会计师使用的谈判让步策略对客户财务负责人谈判判断的影响。研究结果发现,客户同意的审计差异调整金额在注册会计师使用逐步让步策略时显著高于注册会计师使用初始让步策略,并且客户对审计人员最终决定的审计调整金额的满意度和继续聘用该注册会计师的可能性在注册会计师使用逐步让步策略时也明显较高。这表明使用逐步让步策略审计质量更高,也更有利于审计人员。     

注会定期轮换以『独立』促进质量

中国证监会与财政部最近联合发布了<关于证券期货审计业务签字注册会计师定期轮换的规定>.<规定>的出台,对注册会计师业界乃至整个证券市场都将产生重大影响.为此,本报记者采访了中国证监会有关负责人.     

中注协提示相关事务所进一步抵制不正当低价竞争

近日,中注协以“抵制行业不正当低价竞争”为主题,在京约谈大华会计师事务所、天津倚天会计师事务所,就会计师事务所规范自身审计服务投标行为,保障招投标项目审计服务质量进行风险提示.北京注册会计师协会、天津市注册会计师协会相关负责人参加约谈.     

签字注册会计师的自然轮换状态与强制轮换政策的初步影响

本文考察了中国证券市场中签字注册会计师的自然轮换规律以及强制轮换政策产生的初步影响。自然轮换状态下的经验证据显示,会计师事务所与上市客户之间的长期业务关系普遍以个别签字注册会计师的长期连续签名方式维系。强制轮换政策施行后,各证券特许会计师事务所对该政策的遵循程度从2003年审中的50%左右提高到了2004年审中的80%左右。通过观察签字注册会计师强制轮换前后的审计结果变化,我们初步估计签字注册会计师的强制轮换对提高证券特许会计师事务所公开报告上市公司潜在财务报告问题的促进作用是有限的。     

中注协约谈部分证券资格事务所负责人及注册会计师 提示上市公司年报审计风险

为深入贯彻落实会计师事务所执业质量检查制度改革精神和《上市公司年报审计监管工作规程》要求,中注协在系统总结2010年年报审计监管约谈经验的基础上,通过创新约谈工作思路、健全约谈工作机制、加强约谈工作技术支持力量,进一步加大年报审计事前事中监管力度,有效抵制不正当低价竞争,更好地引导和帮助事务所防范审计风险。2012年,中注协先后约谈了9次(其中,当面约谈6次,书面约谈3次)、共20家证券资格事务所,就部分上市公司2011年年报审计风险进行提示,引起社会各界的高度关注和积极反响。为帮助广大读者深入了解中注协年报审计监管约谈机制和全面把握风险提示内涵,现接上期,继续将有关约谈的情况予以刊发。     

Financial crisis and accounting quality: Evidence from five European countries

This study investigates how the economic crisis affects the scope for earnings manipulation and the value relevance of reported financial numbers for companies that are audited by a big 4 auditor. The analysis is focused on Portuguese, Irish, Italian, Greek and Spanish listed companies. The findings show that Portugal, Italy and Greece tend to engage more in earnings management in their effort to improve their lower profitability and liquidity, and accommodate their higher debt and growth. Ireland exhibits less evidence of earnings manipulation, while the findings for Spain are to some extent conflicting. Additionally, the reported financial numbers of Portuguese and Greek companies that are audited by a big 4 auditor were found to be of higher quality before the crisis. In contrast, Irish, Italian and Spanish companies report more value relevant financial numbers during the crisis. The results of this study are particularly useful for accounting regulators when preparing accounting rules that seek to reduce information asymmetry and earnings manipulation and increase the quality of reported disclosures in light of a crisis and for investors that need further assistance for the establishment of a profitable investment strategy in periods characterized by high uncertainty and volatility.     

ESG框架下财会背景独立董事履职能否改善会计信息质量? ——基于内部控制有效性的视角

基于内部控制有效性视角,运用人力资本和公司治理理论,结合ESG(环境、社会、公司治理)框架,依据2010-2019年沪、深主板上市公司数据,考量财会背景独立董事履职的三大维度与会计信息质量的关系.结果发现:财会背景独立董事占比越大,兼职同行业、同类型公司越多,年龄性别为非大龄女性,亲自与会次数越多,会计信息质量相对较高;而在任期和薪酬回归结果与稳健性检验则出现了背离.进一步研究表明,与国有上市公司相比,非国有上市公司财会背景独立董事履职在薪酬、任期和亲自与会次数三方面对会计信息质量有更好的促进作用.     

Accounting: The Structure of a Growing Profession

Complete membership records of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants in Israel are analysed to determine the level of concentration and growth of the accounting profession. This study differs from previous studies in that it concentrates on the supply side of the market. Previously, because of the unique characteristics of auditing services, they were assumed to have no substitute. An analysis of firm switching by CPAs in Israel indicates the existence of substitutes in production. Low levels of overall concentration were found, although large clients are generally audited by large public accounting firms. The profession appears to be competitive as entry is quite easy and switching between firms by CPAs is common.     

审计师个人特征与审计费用率相关性研究——来自中国上市公司2009年的经验数据

本文利用审计费用率研究模型,以2009年度沪、深上市公司为样本,研究了审计业务的供给方——签字注册会计师的个人特征对审计费用率的影响,并设定审计师的性别、年龄、学历、专业、执业时间五个变量.研究表明,审计师的年龄、专业、执业时间与审计费用率显著相关.这说明审计师特征作为审计质量的显示信号,已经得到市场的认可,这为我国注册会计师人才的培养和发展提供了实证依据.     

The impact of voluntary audit and governance characteristics on accounting errors in private companies

This paper examines the extent to which the audit and corporate governance characteristics of UK private companies are associated with defective accounting information. Despite the economic importance of private firms, relatively little is known about their financial reporting and governance characteristics. Using a large sample of UK private companies, we examine the effects of voluntary audit, board gender balance and financial expertise on the likelihood of errors occurring in published annual accounts. Our results indicate that audited accounts are approximately half as likely as unaudited accounts to contain errors. In addition to contributing to recent academic research in this field, our findings are likely to be of interest to policy makers, who are considering exempting more firms from mandatory audit. We also find that gender diversity among board members is positively associated with the accuracy of accounting information, though our primary measure of directors’ financial expertise has no significant effect.     

会计估计变更的动因分析——来自中国A股上市公司的证据

本文以2001—2004年沪深股市出现“会计估计变更”的A股上市公司为样本,在控制相关变量的影响后,研究发现:发生会计估计变更公司与未发生会计估计变更公司的特征存在系统性差异;公司“会计估计变更”受债务水平、公司业绩及事务所变更的影响。     

Engagement partner specialization and corporate disclosure transparency

This paper explores the association of audit partners' industry specialization with corporate disclosure transparency and the latter's informativeness. The distinctive institutional designs of partner signature requirement and Information Disclosure and Transparency Ranking System (IDTRS) adopted in Taiwan allow us to empirically address the issue. We posit and find that the rankings from the IDTRS are higher for firms audited by industry specialist engagement partners than for firms audited by non-specialist engagement partners. Additionally, the results show that the probability of informed trade (PIN) proxy for information asymmetry is negatively associated with the rankings for clients of industry specialist engagement partners, but not for clients of industry non-specialist engagement partners. The results are robust with respect to alternative estimation method and alternative measures of industry specialization. Overall, the evidence suggests that industry specialist engagement partners enhance the credibility of corporate disclosure transparency, through which information asymmetry is further declined. The evidence provides policy implications to the partner signature requirement adopted in Taiwan and China.     

会计师事务所人力资本特征与审计质量——来自中国资本市场的经验证据

人力资本在会计师事务所中具有十分重要的意义。本文利用2009年我国会计师事务所及其非金融类上市公司客户的数据,以操控性应计额度量审计质量,检验会计师事务所中注册会计师所占比重以及注册会计师的学历、年龄、参加行业领军人才培训情况等人力资本特征对审计质量的影响,结果发现,在我国本土事务所中,注册会计师的年龄以及入选行业领军人才培训计划的人数与正向的操控性应计额之间存在显著的负向关系,这表明,会计师事务所中注册会计师的经验丰富程度和对培训的重视程度对于抑制客户的正向盈余管理行为、提高审计质量具有积极作用。文章没有发现会计师事务所中注册会计师的比重以及注册会计师中高学历者所占比重与审计质量之间存在显著关系的证据。     

The use of the Internet for corporate reporting in the Mercosur (Southern common market): The Argentina case

This study examines disclosure practices on the websites of companies listed on the Buenos Aires Stock Exchange. We perform content analysis to provide evidence on Internet reporting practices by 84 publicly traded firms. We also identify the characteristics of firms that communicate financial and non-financial information on the Internet. We find that companies in the financial and insurance, services and mining industries disclose more financial and non-financial information on their websites than companies in other industries. The average concentration of ownership is 68%, with 27% of the companies being controlled by foreign groups. Those companies with higher concentration disclose more financial and non financial information than companies with less concentration. Companies in the financial and insurance and service industries, utilize their websites for commercial purposes to facilitate access to customers to their accounts and also to sell services. This e-commerce usage of websites is less developed in other industries. About 71% of companies in the financial and insurance industry are included in the Merval25 index and are audited by Big 4. These companies are both larger in size and less profitable than companies in other industries. We find that profitability and leverage do not have significant effect on corporate Internet reporting practices and that growth has negative effect on corporate Internet reporting practices. We also find that companies in the mining sector provide significantly more disclosure about social responsibility indicating a desire to improve the public image of harming the environment. The results documented, herein, extend the literature on voluntary disclosure of financial and non-financial information using the Internet in emerging markets.