近年來，政府會計之改革為各國探討之議題，本研究探討當政府公部門財務報告採用國際會計準則編製，並且經過獨立審計機關查核後，對其發行公債之殖利率利差之影響。本研究從英國債務管理辦公室及倫敦證券交易所之資料庫，蒐集英國中央政府發行公債之資訊，以 2006 年至 2014 間有交易行為之公債為樣本，進行迴歸分析。結果顯示，公債殖利率利差與採用國際會計準則呈現顯著負相關，意即政府報表採用國際財務報導準則，會使市場投資人獲得更透明之財務資訊，而預期公債之無法償還風險降低，且更加願意投資公債。除此之外，當政府提供依國際財務報導準則編製之政府財務報告，再經過會計師查核，審計效果與殖利率利差亦呈現負相關。敏感性測試則指出，當不考慮金融危機的非常規狀況時，同樣可以顯示出相同結果。 / The reform of government accounting systems has become a trend in many countries during recent decades. This study investigates the effect on sovereign bond yield spread of adopting IFRS in government sector, and how yield spreads might be affected after financial reports are audited. Data of tradable UK sovereign bonds are collected from UK Debt Management Office and London Stock Exchange for the period of 2006-2014. Based on the results of regression analysis, the adoption of IFRS by UK governments is negatively associated with gilt bond yield spreads, which means sovereign risk is perceived to be lower by the investors after the adoption of IFRS by central government. When the IFRS-based government financial reports are audited, negative connections between audited reports and yield spreads provide further evidence that investors show higher faith in the sovereign bonds. Additionally, the results remain the same when data of 2009, an abnormal year because of world financial crisis are added back to the regression.

本研究以權益基礎報酬占總報酬的比率來捕捉薪酬結構，並據以探討給予審計委員會的薪酬結構對於公司權益資金成本及信用評等之影響。利用 2006 至 2010 年間納入美國 S&P1500指數之公司 (排除金融服務與保險業) 為樣本，本研究發現，若權益基礎報酬佔審計委員會薪酬比率越高，其公司之權益資金成本越低，但該公司之信用評等卻越差。顯示權益基礎報酬之比重在二種財報使用者眼中具有不同涵義。投資人認為給予審計委員會較高之權益基礎報酬比重，可使監督更有效，投資人承擔之資訊風險降低，進而願意降低其要求報酬；信用評等機構則認為，給予較高的權益基礎報酬比重將傷害審計委員會獨立性，影響公司治理結構，並降低財務報導之品質，因而給予此類公司較差之信用評等。 / This study examines how investors and credit rating agents react to audit committees’ equity-based compensation. Based on a sample of S&P 1500 firms during 2006-2010, the empirical results show that firms who pay audit committees higher portion of equity-based compensation have lower cost of equity capital and lower credit rating. These results suggest different information users perceive and react to equity-based compensation in different ways. Particularly, investors appear to perceive that higher portion of equity-based compensation can align audit committee members’ interest with the shareholders’, leading to more effective monitoring and smaller information risk. Therefore, investors react by reducing their cost of equity capital. In contrast, credit rating agents appear to perceive that higher portion of equity-based compensation may harm audit committees’ independence, resulting in decreased quality of financial reporting. Therefore, credit rating agents react by downgrading firms’ credit ratings.

本研究檢測審計品質與經理人能力對於分析師盈餘預測行為之相對有用性。根據Compustat 及 I/B/E/S所蒐集之1996至2011年資料，本研究發現，相對於非四大會計師事務所或非產業專家，當公司被四大會計師事務所或產業專家查核時，分析師預測之準確度較高，且離散度較小。此外，本研究發現當公司經理人能力較高時，分析師預測之準確度亦愈高，而離散度亦愈小。最後，為探討沙賓法案對分析師預測行為之影響，本研究將樣本區分為沙賓法案前及沙賓法案後兩組。實證結果顯示，相對於沙賓法案前，在沙賓法案後，分析師較重視審計品質與經理人能力。整體而言，審計品質與經理人能力皆會為分析師的盈餘預測帶來正面影響，而經理人能力之影響較為顯著。 / This study examines the relative usefulness of audit quality and managerial ability on financial analysts’ earnings forecast behavior. Based on data collected from Compustat and I/B/E/S from 1996 to 2011, the empirical results show that analysts' earnings forecast accuracy is higher and dispersion is smaller when firms are audited by a Big 4 auditor or an industry specialist. Similarly, analysts' earnings forecast accuracy is also higher and dispersion is also smaller when firms employ more capable managers. To investigate whether SOX affects analysts’ behavior, sample is divided into pre-SOX and post-SOX groups. The regression results from both groups show that analysts take audit quality and managerial ability into their earnings forecasts after SOX. Overall, the results suggest that both audit quality and managerial ability are associated with analysts’ earnings forecast properties. Importantly, the effect of managerial ability appears to be larger than the effect of audit quality.

近來陸續爆出的舞弊案件已連帶引起了社會大眾對關係人交易行為的注意。本文先探討審計品質與關係人交易之關聯性，而實證結果顯示關係人銷貨、進貨、應收款項與應付款項交易與審計品質皆呈負向關係，足見關係人交易之查核是困難的。因此本文期望透過外部審計人員的專業屬性來降低關係人交易對審計品質產生的不良影響，提升投資人對公司財務報導的信任。過去文獻針對會計師專業屬性部分，指出會計師事務所規模愈大以及產業專精程度愈高者，具備較佳的查核品質。研究結果顯示當關係人銷貨、進貨及應收款項交易係由四大會計師事務所或產業專家會計師事務所查核時，因大型會計師事務所或產業專家會計師事務所具備較佳會計師專業屬性，能抑制或減少關係人交易對審計品質之負面影響，而提升財務報表之審計品質。 / Numerous financial reporting frauds over recent years have made related party transactions the center of public attention. We first investigate the association between related party transactions and audit quality (proxied by discretionary accruals), and find that four kinds of related party transactions (including sales to related parties, purchases from related parties, accounts receivable from related parties and payable to related parties) all have negative impacts on audit quality. We posit that (1) external auditing is a monitoring mechanism to reduce audit quality decline caused by related party transactions, and (2) auditor attributes including big 4 audit firms and industry specialist audit firms can mitigate the audit quality decline thereof. Empirical results show that companies audited by big 4 or industry specialist audit firms, whose sales to related parties, purchases from related parties and accounts receivable from related parties show significantly smaller negative impacts on audit quality than companies not audited by big 4 or industry specialist audit firms.

在市場競爭不斷加劇之環境下，會計師事務所究竟要如何因應？削價競爭固然為一種經營策略，但並非長久之計。過去文獻指出，會計師事務所可藉由發展產業專業化以因應市場競爭，且會計師產業專精對審計公費有正向之影響。然而，過去文獻亦指出客戶產業特性對審計公費訂價有一定之影響力，故本研究目的乃在探討會計師產業專精對審計公費影響力之大小，及是否會計師產業專精對審計公費之影響力會大於客戶產業特性對審計公費之效果。實證結果顯示會計師產業專精與客戶產業特性兩者對審計公費皆有相當之影響力，但客戶產業特性對審計公費訂價之影響較大。另外，在將樣本區分為高科技產業與傳統產業後可發現，會計師在高科技產業之專長對客戶而言較具有價值，產業專精會計師在高科技產業對審計公費訂價之影響力較大、能夠收取較高之審計公費。 / How can accounting firms build up competitive advantages when they face increased competition? One way is to cut costs and decrease prices, but this may not be the best strategy in the long run. Casterella et al.(2004) suggest that product differentiation based on industry expertise may be a more sustainable solution because auditor specialization shows a significantly positive association with audit fees. Prior researches also indicate that client industry characteristics influence audit fees. Therefore, the main objective of this study is to examine whether auditor specialization and client industry characteristics influence audit fees and which one has greater effect. We find evidence that auditor specialization and client industry characteristics both have an influence on audit fees, while client industry characteristics exhibit even greater impacts. Furthermore relative to conventional industries, auditor specialization in high technology industries demonstrates greater value, and contributes to higher audit fees.

歐盟保險業者於2005年開始，將強制採用IFRS之相關規定。而過去IFRS對於保險業之影響主要以理論探討為主，因此本研究以歐盟壽險業為主要研究對象，探討IFRS適用對壽險業之影響。研究結果發現歐洲壽險業者於適用IFRS後，整體而言的確對於其盈餘波動程度產生正向影響；在資金成本方面則為負向之影響。有關投資配置之影響部分，IFRS之實施對於壽險業者之投資決策並未產生顯著之影響。另一方面，壽險業者之審計公費有降低之趨勢，但其資訊揭露成本有顯著增加之趨勢存在。 / Beginning in 2005, compliance with the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) has been required in the European Union insurance industry. In the past, the influences of IFRS on the insurance business primarily take the theory discussion. The study takes the European Union life insurance industry as the main objects of study, trying to discuss what the influences of life insurance industry to adopt IFRSs. The study finds that after European Union life insurance industry adopting IFRS, the earning volatility increase and cost of capital would decrease. But in the investment allocations, the influences of IFRS are not significant. In the other hand, audit cost would decrease and information disclosure cost would increase.

本研究檢測會計師事務所總所審計與分析師盈餘預測行為的相關性。以中國大陸2010年至2015年A股上市公司為研究對象，構造分析師盈餘預測行為的回歸模型，並以分析師追蹤人數、分析師盈餘預測準確度及預測分歧度三種特性進行分析。 研究結果顯示，會計師事務所總所審計與分析師追蹤人數、盈餘預測準確度皆呈顯著正相關，與預測分歧度呈顯著負相關。進一步檢測發現：總所的審計公費更高，經會計師事務所總所審計的企業，分析師更願意對其股票給予較高的投資評級。這也顯示會計師事務所總所付出的努力更多，審計品質更好，因而分析師對其會計資訊信賴程度更高，對該公司之追蹤意願更高，盈餘預測誤差與預測分歧度更低，分析師也更願意推薦其股票。 / The primary objective of this thesis is to explore the association between headquarter office auditors and analysts’ earnings behaviors. I use a sample of firm observations from China during 2010-2015. The main findings can be summarized as follows. I find that firms audited by headquarter office auditors have more analysts following compared to those audited by branch office auditors. Secondly, I find that analysts’ earnings forecasts are more accurate and less dispersed for firms audited by headquarter office auditors than firms audited by branch office auditors. Further analysis indicates that the reason for the above results is that headquarter office auditors exert more effort, measured as audit fees, than branch office auditors. Finally, the empirical results indicate that analysts make more favorable recommendations for firms audited by headquarter office auditors than for those audited by branch office auditors. Overall, the findings suggest that headquarter office auditors have better audit quality and in turn result in more analysts following and issuing higher-quality forecasts and favorable recommendations.

本文主要針對因安隆公司所造成的會計醜聞事件對美國資本市場及投資大眾之影響，因此為解決公司治理及重建投資人之信心，美國國會迅速通過「沙賓法案」。由於沙賓法案對在美國的公開發行公司有重大的影響，尤其是第404條管理階層對內部控制之評估影響最大，故以沙賓法案第404條來探討其對金融業的影響及執行細節。 本論文分為五個章節 第一章，緒論為研究動機、研究目的、研究架構、研究方法 第二章，沙賓法案之產生背景、目的、內容及美國會計監督委員會之成立。 第三章，主要說明沙賓法案第404條相關內部控制之要求，及金融業如何藉由COSO的內部控制架構來證明其財務報表內部控制制度(ICOFR)之有效性及自我評估之要求。 第四章，沙賓法案對金融業所造成之影響及應採取之步驟。 第五章，結論與建議

2006年1月11日公布之證券交易法修正條文，正式將「獨立董事」、「審計委員會」等制度納入我國公開發行公司法制中，因此，我國目前公開發行公司的董事會，可分為三種型態：第一種是傳統的董事會，不設獨立董事，僅設董事會及監察人；第二種是設立獨立董事，且同時設有監察人；第三種類型則是有董事會及審計委員會，但無監察人。 這樣劇烈的變革，毫無疑問地，勢必將對我國公司治理法制中內部監控機關之設置帶來深刻的影響。譬如說：獨立董事與監察人二者並用，是否在組織機制層面上會疊床架屋，其相互間之權責會否不易界定而混淆不清，進而相互推諉？監察人和審計委員會之間是否為可相互取代之制度？二者設計的目的、監控方法和範圍在本質上有何異同？又如何的設計才能確保其「獨立性」和監控機能的有效發揮，但又不致陷入只會除弊不會興利的刻板印象？2006年修正之證券交易法的相關條文，其優劣為何，是否尚有不足之處仍待補充？本文即以此為研究方向，進行探討，惟鑑於國內研究監察人之專著專文已汗牛充棟，故本文著重於介紹此次證券交易法所正式引進之審計委員會制度在美國法下之相關規範及運作情形，並就引進獨立董事和審計委員會制度須搭配之相關配套措施及監察人制度之改善等相關問題提出淺見。 針對以上三種模式，本文認為，在模式二下的獨立董事，有責無權，頂多只能在董事會中扮演「諍友」的角色，其力量之極限亦僅止於透過公開其「諍言」來引起外部力量對公司之注意與監督。此種逐步、分階段實施獨立董事制度之設計，雖然優點是對企業之衝擊較小，但壞處是使得獨立董事制度的健全性，仍有很大的進步空間 。蓋立法者若真希望獨立董事能發揮其監督功能，則至少要讓其權責相符，如此一來功能性委員會之運作配合便是不能少的，且尚須使獨立董事能占董事會及功能性委員會之多數，才能使其較無懼地發揮監督之功能，此亦為國外法制之發展趨勢 。因此，此種既非純粹雙軌制亦非純粹單軌制之過渡階段的模式二設計，將來修法時實宜予以廢除，改由公司從經過修法補強完備之模式一（即水平式雙軌制）或模式三（即單軌制）中，依公司本身之需求，選擇適用其一，如此一來不但可避免現行架構上之混亂，亦符「公司自治」之法理。 而關於現行模式一下尚存如監察人之專業性、獨立性不足，欠缺對內、外審計單位之人事權及相關權責執行規定不夠細緻與選任方式不甚理想等缺失部分，本文建議可透過確立監察人獨立性資格；改善監察人提名、選任、報酬決定機制；賦予監察人辭任時之意見陳述權及引進監察人會等方式加以改進。 至於模式三之部分，本文則建議透過明確劃分董事會、管理階層及審計委員會之責任範圍；引進獨立董事責任免除或減輕之機制；明文要求公司應同時設置提名委員會及報酬委員會；加重對金融犯罪之處罰與設立專責法庭及禁止違反相關規定者轉任至其他發行公司擔任董事或經理人和引進預警機制等方法，以補強現制未臻完美之處，期使單軌制能真正於我國法制中落地生根、成長茁壯。

沙氏法是美國在經歷一連串包括安隆、世界通訊等知名企業在內的財報不實醜聞後，為重建投資大眾對公開發行公司財報及美國證券市場的信心，迅速於2002年7月30日頒佈之一項企業革新法。綜觀其中66項條款，引發最多爭議、且對所有公司影響最大的首推404條款。該條款要求管理階層與簽證會計師評估公司與財務報導有關之內部控制制度其有效性，而爭議的重點主要在其實施方式和高遵循成本。 本研究透過個案研究，以深度訪談與問卷調查的方式，瞭解個案公司為遵循沙氏法404條款而推動之專案其組織架構與施行程序，同時蒐集公司主管及員工之意見，以分析實施效益並提出建議。 研究發現，33.34%的受訪者認同公司遵循沙氏法404條款所獲得的效益大於成本，17.34%反對，49.33%持中性看法。受訪者除認為實施沙氏法專案有助於強化同仁的風險意識、引導公司重新檢視與財務報導有關之內部控制制度，並將作業程序標準化、提升內控品質與財報可信度、遵循集團政策外，同時認為沙氏法專案有改善的空間，尤其在整合公司現有的風險控管機制、簡化測試流程及對測試文件的要求等方面。 誠如個案公司財務長所重視的“塑造企業文化”，沙氏法404條款強調的是“由上到下、以風險為基礎”，因此，樹立正確的在上位者之語調與表態極為重要，尤其是董事會、執行長和財務長，必須全力支持，建構具成本效益且符合沙氏法404條款的測試架構，以評估與財務報導有關之內部控制，進而確保財務報導之可靠性。 / After a whole series of financial scandals, such as Enron and WorldCom frauds, the US government swiftly declared the Corporate Reform Law on July 30, 2002, i.e. the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (“SOX”), aiming to restore investors’ confidence in financial statements of the public companies and the US security market, as well. Among 66 sections in total in SOX, the most contentious aspect, which has also made significant impacts on companies, is Section 404 (“SOX 404”) requiring management and the external auditors to assess the effectiveness of Internal Control over Financial Reporting (“ICFR”). The key point of contention is its stringent implementation and high compliance cost. In-depth interview and questionnaire survey methods were adopted in this case study to explore how the researched company (“the Company”) implemented its project in response to SOX 404 and then to have a detailed analysis based upon the answers and comments obtained from the interviewees and the questionnaire respondents. Suggestions are made at the end of the study. The study finds that 33.34% of the respondents agreed with the view that compliance with SOX 404 generates greater benefit than cost to the Company, while 17.34% were against it, and 49.33% remained neutral. Despite the fact that abiding by SOX may enhance the employees’ risk awareness, guide the company to reexamine its ICFR, add more credibility of financial reports, and conform to Group policy etc., both the interviewees and the respondents consider that there is room for improvement as far as SOX 404 project is concerned. For example, a full integration of the existing risk management mechanisms and also a great simplification of testing procedures and documentation requirements. Just as the CFO of the Company highlights the importance of molding enterprise culture, SOX 404 is also top-down, risk-based oriented. As a result, it is essential to set the right tone at the top. The Board of Directors, CEO, and CFO must give their full support for building a testing framework, which is cost-effective and keeps to SOX 404. By doing so, ICFR can be accurately assessed, and the reliability of financial reports can be virtually assured.