Examensarbete, Civilekonomprogrammet, Ekonomihögskolan vid Linnéuniversitetet, VT 2021 Författare: Emil Johansson och Hanna Landén Handledare: Sven-Olof Yrjö Collin Examinator: Andreas Jansson Titel: Hur pratar du med din klient? - En studie om hur revisorn interagerar med sin klient Bakgrund: Coronapandemins inträde i samhället har inneburit att människor förväntas dra ner på sina fysiska kontakter med andra människor. Eftersom revisionsbranschen å ena sidan kommit långt i digitaliseringen är det möjligt att den inte påverkas i större utsträckning, men å andra sidan är fysiska kontakter viktiga för att upprätthålla en god relation med klienten. Hur interaktionen sker kan påverka relationen som i sin tur kan påverka revisionskvalitén. Studien undersöker därför dessa interaktioner genom att studera val av interaktionsteknik mellan revisor och klient. Syfte: Uppsatsens syfte är att kartlägga och förklara hur revisorn interagerar med klienten i revisionens olika delar. Metod: Utifrån en teoretisk referensram sammanställs och kategoriseras de interaktionstekniker som används mellan revisor och klient i en typologi. Vidare genomförs en flermetodsforskning som inleds med en kvalitativ förstudie där dennatypologi prövas och som induktivt fångar sådant tidigare studier inte utforskat. Den teoretiska referensramen och förstudien ligger sedan till grund för den kvantitativa huvudstudiens utformning som har för avsikt att beskriva användandet av interaktionsteknikerna i revisionens olika delar. Slutsats: Studien kartlägger och förklarar varför en interaktionsteknik väljs i respektive del av revisionen genom att i en typologi och empirisk studie beskriva interaktionsteknikerna. Studien finner tre faktorer som påverkar valet av teknik; grad av digitalisering, teknikens tidsåtgång samt hur avancerad tekniken är. Studien påvisar även substitutionseffekter mellan några av interaktionsteknikerna. Denna kartläggning av interaktionstekniker möjliggör också framtida forskning på ämnet. Nyckelord: Interaktionsteknik, Revision, Relation, Klient, Kommunikation, Revisionsprocess, Pandemi / Master Thesis in Business Administration, School of Business and Economics at Linnaeus University, VT 2021 Authors: Emil Johansson and Hanna Landén Supervisor: Sven-Olof Yrjö Collin Examiner: Andreas Jansson Title: How do you approach your client? - A study of how the auditor interacts with their client Background: The coronavirus pandemic’s entry into society has meant that people are expected to reduce their physical contacts with other people. As the auditing industry has come a long way in digitalization, it is possible that it is not affected to a greater extent. But on the other hand, physical contacts are important for maintaining a good relationship with the client. How the interaction takes place can affect the relationship, which in turn can affect the audit quality. The study therefore examines these interactions by studying the choice of interaction technique between auditor and client. Purpose: The aim of the study is to map and explain how the auditor interacts with the client in the various parts of the audit. Method: Based on a theoretical framework, the interaction techniques used between auditor and client are compiled and categorized in a typology. Furthermore, a multi-method research is carried out which begins with a qualitative pilot study where the typology is tested. The pilot study also inductively captures what previous studies have not explored. The theoretical framework and the pilot study then form the basis for the design of the quantitative main study, which intends to explain the choice of interaction technique in the various parts of the audit. Conclusion: The study maps and explains why an interaction technique is chosen in each part of the audit in a typology and empirical study by describing the interaction techniques. The study finds three factors that influence the choice of technique; level of digitalization, the time required and how advanced the technique is. The study also discovers substitution effects between some of the interaction techniques. This mapping of interaction techniques also enables further research on the subject. Keywords: Interaction technique, Auditing, Relationship, Client, Communication, Auditing process, Pandemic

Fair Value Accounting is becoming increasingly more prominent, and auditing such measurements is at times difficult as a great deal of estimates and judgments are involved. This makes auditors jobs more challenging. Research has found that there is a need for understanding how auditing standards affect the audit process. Furthermore, some studies have shown that there is a gap between auditors and inspectors view of what constitutes sufficient and appropriate audit evidence regarding fair value measurements, the “FVM gap”. The aim of this study is to provide new insight on how auditing standards and inspectors affect the judgment of auditors in regards to fair value measurements. This study contributes to audit standard setters by illuminating how current auditing standards affect auditor judgment when auditing fair value measurements. It also contributes knowledge on how inspections affect judgment in the auditing process. Finally, it provides insight to practitioners on how box-checking and similar tools affect auditor judgment. We performed semi-structured interviews with respondents who have considerable experience of fair value measurements. The empirical data was thematically analysed and related to theories on judgment and decision-making as well as structure versus judgment research. A number of interesting findings were made; auditing standards seem to be well adjusted to auditors’ needs, documentation is one of the major issues when dealing with fair value measurements and the toughness of inspections between countries seem to differ. Some potential topics for future research were identified: whether or not a gap of interpretations exists between auditors and the lawyers of inspecting entities, and what effects such a gap could have; if the documentation of both audit clients and auditors needs to be improved upon. More potential areas for future research can be found in the Conclusion.

It is necessary for large companies to understand and be able to adapt to the industrial transformation towards an increasing focus on energy efficiency, which takes place today. The Energy Efficiency Directive (EED)issued by the European Union has enlarged the focus on working with energy efficiency within large companies. Further, the Swedish government has introduced the law about energy auditing in large companies, which is based on the EED. These regulations encourage companies to develop a management system that includes requirements on conducting energy audits and propose cost effective measures.  Energy efficiency is already an important aspect within many companies environmental work, however a more developed and systematic approach to energy efficiency than most companies already have is needed in order to fulfill the legal requirements. The Company investigated in this study is one the world’s leading technology companies with more than 9000 employees in Sweden. Currently, they have energy as a significant aspect in their environmental work according to the international management system standard ISO 14001. Today they are also developing their energy work by conducting energy audits in order to comply with the new legislation. This gives a more detailed view of the energy use and potential improvements that can be done, but in order to ensure continual improvements over a long period of time further measures are needed.  Within this study it was investigated what measures a large company needs to implement in order to increase their energy performance and comply with the legislation. By a literature review focusing on management systems as well as interviews within the Company, a complementary study with two companies covered by the EED and three expert interviews, five key factors were identified. These factors are top management commitment, awareness, goals, measurements and evaluation. A model was then developed aligning these factors. Further, concrete proposals for action to manage these factors were presented. By increasing focus on these key factors and implement proposed measures companies will increase their energy performance and make the organization aware of how actions affect a company’s energy performance.

Text in Afrikaans / Die doel met hierdie studie was om didaktiese riglyne te formuleer waarvolgens die afstandsonderrig van ouditkunde, as deeldissipline in die opleiding van rekenmeesters en ouditeure, beplan, uitgevoer en deurlopend geevalueer kan word. Sodanige riglyne kan dien as rigtingwysers vir die verdere ontwikkeling van geskikte afstandsonderrigstrategiee. Ten aanvang is die leerinhoud van die ouditkunde vakgebied ontleed en afgebaken. Daarna is 'n didakties-gefundeerde onderrigmodel beskryf en op die ouditkunde vakinhoud, afstandsleerders en dosente toegepas. Hieruit is riglyne geformuleer wat gevolg kan word vir die wetenskaplike beplanning, uitvoering en evaluering van ouditkunde afstandsonderrig. Uit 'n evaluering van die huidige afstandsonderrigstrategiee vir ouditkunde aan Unisa het dit gebly~ dat sekere leemtes bestaan. Ten slotte is daar op grond van die didaktiese riglyne voorstelle gemaak om hierdie leemtes te oorbrug en is verskeie onderwerpe vir verdere navorsing ook geidentifiseer. / The aim of this study was to formulate didactic guidelines according to which the distance teaching of auditing, as part-discipline in the training of accountants and auditors, can be p 1 an ned, imp 1 emented and continually evaluated. These didactic guidelines can serve as guidelines for the further development of suitable distance education strategies. First, the auditing syllabus was analysed and delineated. Next, a didactically founded instructional model was described and applied to the subject matter of auditing, distance students and tutors. From this, guidelines were formulated which can be followed to scientifically plan, implement and evaluate the distance teaching of auditing. An evaluation of the existing distance teaching strategies for auditing at Unisa indicated that certain shortcomings exist. Finally, recommendations based upon the didactic guidelines were made to overcome the shortcomings. identified. / Auditing / M. Com. (Auditing)

Text in English / This study explores the phenomenon of auditor switching. The purpose of this study is to further contribute to the auditor switching literature by examining the reasons client companies in South Africa switch auditors, where the topic has not previously been studied and following a period of rapid and significant change in the auditing profession. Using previous literature as a foundation, forty-four variables that contribute to auditor switching are presented and tested based on empirical data elicited by means of a questionnaire survey of sample companies that experienced auditor switching during the period 1 January 1998 to 30 June 1999 as obtained from Practitioners in the KwaZulu-Natal Region. The factors motivating auditor switching were based on a questionnaire response of seventy-five companies (response rate 67% ). The empirical study also tested whether or not the switch variables thus identified are statistically related to auditor switching. The findings of this study revealed that audit fees are both the most frequently cited reason for switching auditors and found to be statistically significant at the 0.05 level of significance. Dissatisfaction over the overall quality of services provided by the auditor, lack of communication including the lack of responsiveness to client needs, poor working relationship with audit partner followed as switch factors but were not found to be statistically significant at 0. 05 level. The findings of this study revealed that two other variables, namely, management change and the need for group auditor rationalisation, appear to be significantly related to auditor switching at the 0.05 1evel of significance. / Auditing / M. Comm. (Auditing)

Thesis (MComm)--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: An application software package implementation is a complex endeavour, and as such it requires the proper understanding, evaluation and redefining of the current business processes to ensure that the project delivers on the objectives set at the start of the project. Numerous factors exist that may contribute to the unsuccessful implementation of application software package projects. However, the most significant contributor to the failure of an application software package project lies in the misalignment of the organisation’s business processes with the functionality of the application software package. Misalignment is attributed to a gap that exists between the business processes of an organisation and what functionality the application software package has to offer to translate the business processes of an organisation into digital form when implementing and configuring an application software package. This gap is commonly referred to as the information technology (IT) gap. The purpose of this assignment is to examine and discuss to what degree a supporting framework such as the Projects IN Controlled Environment (PRINCE2) methodology assists in the alignment of the organisation’s business processes with the functionality of the end product; as so many projects still fail even though the supporting framework is available to assist organisations with the implementation of the application software package. This assignment proposes to define and discuss the IT gap. Furthermore this assignment will identify shortcomings and weaknesses in the PRINCE2 methodology which may contribute to misalignment between the business processes of the organisation and the functionality of the application software package. Shortcomings and weaknesses in the PRINCE2 methodology were identified by: • Preparing a matrix table summarising the reasons for application software package failures by conducting a literature study; Mapping the reasons from the literature study to those listed as reasons for project failure by the Office of Government Commerce (the publishers of the PRINCE2 methodology); • Mapping all above reasons to the PRINCE2 methodology to determine whether the reasons identified are adequately addressed in the PRINCE2 methodology. This assignment concludes by proposing recommendations for aligning the business processes with the functionality of the application software package (addressing the IT gap) as well as recommendations for addressing weaknesses identified in the PRINCE2 methodology. By adopting these recommendations in conjunction with the PRINCE2 methodology the proper alignment between business processes and the functionality of the application software package may be achieved. The end result will be more successful application software package project implementations. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Toepassingsprogrammatuurpakket implementering is komplekse strewe en vereis daarom genoegsame kennis, evaluasie en herdefiniëring van die huidige besigheidsprosesse om te verseker dat die projek resultate lewer volgens die doelwitte wat aan die begin van die projek neergelê is. Daar bestaan talryke faktore wat kan bydrae tot die onsuksesvolle implementering van toepassingsprogrammatuurpakket projekte. Die grootste bydrae tot die mislukking van toepassingsprogrammatuurpakket lê egter by die wanbelyning van die organisasie se besigheidsprosesse met die funksionaliteit van die toepassingsprogrammatuurpakket. Wanbelyning spruit uit gaping tussen die besigheidsprosesse van `n organisasie en die funksionaliteit wat die toepassingsprogrammatuur kan aanbied om die besigheidsprosesse van 'n organisasie om te skakel in digitale formaat wanneer `n toepassingsprogrammatuurpakket geimplementeer en gekonfigureer word. Daar word gewoonlik na hierdie gaping verwys as die informasie tegnologie (IT) gaping. Die doel van hierdie opdrag is om te evalueer en bespreek in watter mate ondersteunende raamwerk soos die PRojects IN Controlled Environment (PRINCE2) metodologie kan help om die organisasie se besigheidsprosesse in lyn te bring met die funksionaliteit van die eindproduk; aangesien so baie projekte steeds misluk ten spyte van die ondersteunende raamwerke wat beskikbaar is om organisasies by te staan met die implementering. Die opdrag beoog om die IT gaping te definieer en te bepreek. Verder sal hierdie opdrag die swakhede in die PRINCE2 metodologie, wat moontlik die volbringing van behoorlike belyning tussen die besigheidsprosesse en die funksionaliteit van die toepassingsprogrammatuurpakket belemmer, identifiseer. Swakhede en tekortkominge in die PRINCE2 metodologie is as volg geïdentifiseer: • Voorbereiding van matriks-tabel wat die redes vir toepassingsprogrammatuurpakket mislukking deur middel van die uitvoering van literatuurstudie opsom • Koppeling van die redes bekom deur middel van die literatuurstudie met die redes vir projek mislukking geidentifiseer deur die Office of Government Commerce (uitgewers van die PRINCE2 metodologie) • Koppeling van al die bogenoemde redes na die PRINCE2 metodologie om vas te stel of die redes wat geïdentifiseer is voldoende deur die PRINCE2 metodologie aangespreek word. Die opdrag sluit af met aanbevelings om die besigheidsprosesse in lyn te bring met die funksionaliteit van die toepassingsprogrammatuurpakket en aanbevelings vir swakhede wat in die PRINCE2 metodologie geïdentifiseer is aan te spreek. Behoorlike belyning tussen besigheidsprosesse en die funksionaliteit van toepassingsprogrammatuurpakket kan behaal word indien hierdie aanbevelings aangeneem word en tesame met die PRINCE2 metodologie gebruik word. Die eindresultaat is meer suksesvolle implementering van toepassingsprogrammatuurpakket projekte.

The International Standards on Auditing are created and published by the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board. These standards are high quality, modern and approved by regulators throughout the world. Most of the developed countries addopted the ISAs in some way. The International Standards on Auditing have been effective for all audits in the Czech Republic since 2005. Their implementation in the European Union is expected shortly. Standards contribute to better international comparability and enhance the credibility and quality of the audit, including auditor's report. The Clarity project was in progress between 2003 and 2009. It was aimed at clearing standards, increasing clarity and facilitating their interpretation.

Abstracts in English, Afrikaans and Sepedi / Approximately half of the people in the world is female and yet women hold just more than one in every five senior management positions. This underrepresentation is a worldwide phenomenon that is also evident in the audit profession where there are few women at audit partner level. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of women audit managers – to gain an understanding of the reasons why they resign from audit firms before they are promoted to audit partner level. It was anticipated that this understanding could enable audit firms to develop and implement effective retention strategies to retain women in audit partner positions and to overcome the potential barriers to the equal representation of men and women in senior management positions in audit firms. An exploratory qualitative research approach and an interpretative phenomenological analysis design were used to explore and interpret the lived experiences of the women audit managers to understand the reasons why they resign from audit firms. The study found that unclear progression paths due to uncertain timelines, as well as the black economic empowerment pressures experienced by the audit firms, explained some of the women’s resignations from the audit firms. Unhealthy supervisor relationships, discrimination, no female role models and the “old boys club” as part of the audit firms’ leadership and organisational culture also played a prominent role in the women audit managers’ experiences. Moreover, unsatisfactory compensation together with no work-life balance were found to have influenced the majority of the women’s decisions to resign from the audit firms. Finally, the study also found that some of the participants’ aspirations to become audit partners were not distinct and that other matters were more important to them than their careers. / Alhoewel ongeveer die helfte van die wêreldbevolking vrouens is, is net een uit elke vyf senior bestuurders 'n vrou. Hierdie onderverteenwoordiging is 'n wêreldwye fenomeen, ook in die ouditberoep waar daar net 'n paar vrouens op ouditvennootvlak is. Die doel van hierdie studie was om die ervarings van vroulike ouditbestuurders te verken – om 'n begrip te kry van die redes waarom hulle bedank uit ouditfirmas voordat hulle tot ouditvennootvlak bevorder word. Die verwagting is dat hierdie begrip ouditfirmas in staat kan stel om effektiewe behoudstrategieë te ontwikkel en te implementeer om vrouens in ouditvennootposisies te behou en om die potensiële struikelblokke tot die gelyke verteenwoordiging van mans en vrouens in seniorbestuursposisies in ouditfirmas te bowe te kom. 'n Eksploratiewe, kwalitatiewe navorsingbenadering en 'n interpretatiewe, fenomenologiese ontledingsontwerp is gebruik om die geleefde ervarings van die vroulike ouditbestuurders te verken en te interpreteer om te kan verstaan waarom hulle uit ouditfirmas bedank. Die studie het bevind dat onduidelike progressiebane as gevolg van vae tydlyne, asook die druk van swart ekonomiese bemagtiging wat oudifirmas ervaar, kan verduidelik waarom sommige van die vrouens uit die ouditfirmas bedank. Ongesonde toesighouerverhoudings, diskriminasie, geen vroulike rolmodelle en die stelsel van baantjies vir boeties as deel van die ouditfirmas se leierskap- en organisasiekultuur speel ook 'n prominente rol in die vroulike ouditbestuurders se ervarings. Boonop is bevind dat onbevredigende vergoeding asook geen werk-lewebalans die meerderheid van die vrouens se besluite beïnvloed om uit die ouditfirmas te bedank. Die studie het ten slotte bevind dat dit nie sommige van die deelnemers se kennelike ambisie is om ouditvennote te word nie, en dat ander aangeleenthede van groter belang vir hulle is as hulle loopbane. / Tekanyetšo ya seripa sa batho mo lefaseng ke basadi efela basadi ke fela o tee godimo ga maemo a mahlano a bolaodi bja godimo. Kemedi ye ye nnyane ke setlwaedi sa motlalanaga seo se bonagalago ka go mošomo wa tlhakišo fao go nago le basadi ba bannyane maemong a bolekane bja tlhakišo. Mohola wa phatišišo ye e be e le go nyakolla maitemogelo a basadi ba balaodi ba batlhakiši – go kwešiša mabaka a go re ke ka lebaka la eng ba tlogela mešomo difemeng tša tlhakišo pele ba ka hlatlošetšwa maemong a bolekane bja tlhakišo. Go be go lebeletšwe gore kwešišo ye e ka kgontšha difeme tša tlhakišo go tlhabolla le go phethagatša maanotšhomo a maleba a go dula le bona sebaka mo go maemo a molekane wa tlhakišo le go fediša tšeo e ka bago mapheko go kemedi ya go lekana ga banna le basadi maemong a taolo ya godimo ka go difeme tša tlhakišo. Mokgwa wa diphatišišo tša boleng bja go nyakolla le tlhamo ya kahlaahlo ya ditiragalo tšeo di hlaloswago di be di šomišwa go nyakolla le go hlatholla maitemogelo ao balaodi ba tlhakišo ba basadi go kwešiša mabaka a go re ke ka lebaka la eng ba tlogela mošomo mo difemeng tša tlhakišo. Thuto ye e hweditše gore ditsela tša go se bonale tša kgatelopele ka lebaka la ditatelano tšeo di se nago bohlatse, go tee le matlafatšo ya ikonomi ya bathobaso tšeo di itemogetšwego ke difeme tša tlhakišo, e tlhalositše tše dingwe tša ditlogelo tša mošomo ka basadi go difeme tša tlhakišo. Dikamano tšeo di sa lokago le balebeledi, kgethollo, basadi ba go se tšewe bjalo ka mehlala le “old boys club” bjalo ka karolo ya boetapele bja difeme tša tlhakišo le setšo sa sehlongwa le tšona di ralokile karolo ya bohlokwa go boitemogelo bja balaodi ba basadi ba difeme tša tlhakišo. Go feta fao, tefelo yeo e sa kgotsofatšego go tee le tekanyetšo ya bophelo bja mošomo di hwetšagetše di na le khuetšo go bontši bja diphetho tša basadi tša go tlogela mošomo go tšwa go difeme tša tlhakišo. Mafelelong, phatišišo e hweditše go re ditumo tša batšeakarolo ba bangwe tša go ba balekane ba tlhakišo di be di sa bonale le go re merero ye mengwe e be e le bohlokwa kudu go bona go feta mešomo ya bona. / College of Accounting Sciences / M. Phil. (Accounting Sciences)

I investigate the effects of requiring the audit engagement partner (EP) signature and individual EP’s quality on information asymmetry, analysts’ forecast errors and forecast dispersion. I predict and find that, ceteris paribus, there is a significant decline in information asymmetry, analysts’ forecast errors and forecast dispersion from the pre- to post-EP signature period in the UK over both of short-term (e.g., 2008-2010) and long-term (e.g., 2004-2014). These findings hold when using a control sample approach and a different proxy for the information asymmetry, which indicate that my results are not likely due to the effect of concurrent events and correlated omitted variables. These findings provide timely and important empirical evidence to the ongoing debate about whether the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board should pass a similar requirement in the U.S. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2016. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Text in Afrikaans / Die doel met hierdie studie was om didaktiese riglyne te formuleer waarvolgens die afstandsonderrig van ouditkunde, as deeldissipline in die opleiding van rekenmeesters en ouditeure, beplan, uitgevoer en deurlopend geevalueer kan word. Sodanige riglyne kan dien as rigtingwysers vir die verdere ontwikkeling van geskikte afstandsonderrigstrategiee. Ten aanvang is die leerinhoud van die ouditkunde vakgebied ontleed en afgebaken. Daarna is 'n didakties-gefundeerde onderrigmodel beskryf en op die ouditkunde vakinhoud, afstandsleerders en dosente toegepas. Hieruit is riglyne geformuleer wat gevolg kan word vir die wetenskaplike beplanning, uitvoering en evaluering van ouditkunde afstandsonderrig. Uit 'n evaluering van die huidige afstandsonderrigstrategiee vir ouditkunde aan Unisa het dit gebly~ dat sekere leemtes bestaan. Ten slotte is daar op grond van die didaktiese riglyne voorstelle gemaak om hierdie leemtes te oorbrug en is verskeie onderwerpe vir verdere navorsing ook geidentifiseer. / The aim of this study was to formulate didactic guidelines according to which the distance teaching of auditing, as part-discipline in the training of accountants and auditors, can be p 1 an ned, imp 1 emented and continually evaluated. These didactic guidelines can serve as guidelines for the further development of suitable distance education strategies. First, the auditing syllabus was analysed and delineated. Next, a didactically founded instructional model was described and applied to the subject matter of auditing, distance students and tutors. From this, guidelines were formulated which can be followed to scientifically plan, implement and evaluate the distance teaching of auditing. An evaluation of the existing distance teaching strategies for auditing at Unisa indicated that certain shortcomings exist. Finally, recommendations based upon the didactic guidelines were made to overcome the shortcomings. identified. / Auditing / M. Com. (Auditing)