Aim: Auditors objectivity is an obvious part of auditing, but there is doubts and hesitation in society today because of the corporate scandals that have occurred in recent years. Several researchers suggest that auditors actions and behaviors is connected to the ethical climate within the organization. A relationship that also affects auditors objectivity and independence. This thesis aims to investigate how the ethical climate influence auditors choice of relationship to their clients, by choosing a relational and close relationship or a transactional and distanced relationship. And if the client approach have an effect on the auditors objectivity. Method: A survey was conducted among 232 certified accountants in Sweden. The questionnaire consisted of measuring instruments that measured accounting firms ethical climate, client relationship and client identification. The result was analysed with well established statistical methods. Result and conclusions: The result of the thesis showed that a weak ethical climate is associated with a stronger relationship orientation of the client relationship. The result showed that a stronger relationship orientation to their clients have a negative impact on auditor objectivity. The conclusion of the thesis is that the ethical climate affects the auditors relationship to their clients, a relationship that also has an negative impact on their objectivity. Suggestions for future research: Considering that the thesis only examines the ethical climates impact it can be of interest to investigate other underlying factors that affects auditors relationship approach and objectivity. Contribution of the thesis: The present study leave unique contribution to two research fields. The first is the demonstration of a relationship between ethical climate in audit firms and auditors' objectivity. Prior to this study, there is no study that used systematic measurement instruments in investigating the connection between ethical climate and the auditors' objectivity. The second is the demonstration of a relationship between ethical climate and the auditors' choice of approach to his clients. / Syfte: Revisorernas objektivitet är en självklar del i revisionsyrket, men i dagens samhälle så råder det tvivel och tveksamheter om att detta verkligen uppfylls p.g.a. de många företagsskandaler som har uppdagats under senare år. Många forskare menar att revisorernas handlingar och beteenden har ett samband med det etiska klimatet som råder inom organisationen vilket i sin tur påverkar revisorernas objektivitet. Denna studie ska undersöka om det etiska klimatet inom revisionsbolaget påverkar revisorns val av förhållningssätt till klienten, genom att antigen välja ett relationsinriktat eller transaktionellt förhållningssätt. Vi vill även undersöka om valet av förhållningssätt till klienten påverkar revisorns objektivitet. Metod: Data insamlades med en enkät från 232 revisorer i Sverige. Enkäten innehöll mätinstrument för mätning av revisionsfirmors etiska klimat, klientrelation och klientidentifikation. Resultatet analyserades med väletablerade statistiska metoder. Resultat och slutsats: Resultatet av studien visade att ett svagt etiskt klimat är förenat med en starkare relationsorientering av klientrelationen. Resultatet visade även att en starkare relationsorientering till sina klienter har en negativ påverkan på revisorernas objektivitet. Slutsatsen av studien är att det etiska klimatet påverkar valet av revisorns förhållningssätt till klienten, ett val som i sin tur kan ha en negativ påverkan på objektiviten. Förslag till fortsatt forskning:  Då denna studie endast tar upp det etiska klimatets påverkan så kan det vara intressant att undersöka andra bakomliggande faktorer som kan ha en påverkan på revisorernas val av förhållningssätt och deras objektivitet. Studiens bidrag: Föreliggande studie lämnar unika bidrag till två forskningsområden. Det första är påvisandet av en relation mellan etiskt klimat i revisionsfirmor och revisorers objektivitet. Före denna studie finns ingen undersökning som använt ett systematiskt mätinstrument vid undersökning av samband mellan etiskt klimat och revisorers objektivitet. Det andra är påvisandet av en relation mellan det etiska klimatet och revisorernas val av förhållningssätt till sina klienter.

The technology development within the accounting field has grown tremendously during the last years and generated great impacts to the accounting firms and led to an enormous change in how accounting consultants conducting their daily tasks. The continuous development has now entered a new phase, where automation of accounting processes is now perceived as the current major trend and it will affect the profession even more. Automated accounting may bring both positive and negative impacts to the accounting firms and their consultants, but many threats may also come to light where questions have arisen about the need of accounting consultants if the procedures are automatic. Studies on automation in various fields have been conducted over the years, but the impacts of automated accounting on accounting firm and their accounting consultants have been neglected in previous research. Moreover, since the consultants are affected as well, their attitude toward such changes and corresponding impacts are of interest to understand their stance to these changes. Thereof, the interest in how accounting firms and their consultant will be affected resulted in these two research questions: 1) What are the potential impacts of automated accounting for accounting firms and their accounting consultants? 2) What are the accounting consultants’ attitudes towards automated accounting? The purpose of this thesis is to extend the current knowledge of the potential effects and explain the phenomena of automation in the context of accounting firms and their consultants. The aim is also to extend the knowledge of the accounting consultants’ attitude towards automated accounting and what they perceive as threats and opportunities. This thesis answers the research question by a qualitative method where empirical data has been collected from interviews with accounting consultants from different accounting firms in Umeå. The findings from the empirical data shows that automated accounting may lead to a decreased need of accounting consultants if the accounting firms do not extend or diversify their services. Moreover, advisory and analytical services will dominate the industry because automation will lead to more financial misstatements, which drives the need of analytical services. To comply with these changes, the future accounting consultant needs to possess more technical knowledge. The accounting consultant assistant will most probably be replaced by IT-consultants and in the long term, all consultants will be salespersons rather than accounting consultant. Regarding the attitude, the majority of the accounting consultants are positive towards automated accounting and their impacts, even though some tend to show a negative attitude to certain impacts.

Att vara partner i de större revisionsbyråerna i Sverige innebär dels att en roll som delägare axlas och dels att individen fortsätter tjänstgöra i den operativa verksamheten. Medarbetarnas motivation till att ta klivet högst upp för karriärstrappan och anamma ett partnerskap har studerats. Däremot, en studie som ser till vad byrån letar efter hos den optimala partnern har tidigare inte genomförts. Syftet med studien är att utreda och skapa förståelse för den rekryteringsprocess som tillämpas när en ny partner ska väljas ut inom de större revisionsbyråerna i Sverige. Studien tillämpar en tvärsnittsdesign med en abduktiv ansats för att utreda hur rekryteringsprocessen genomförs i de fem största revisionsbyråerna i Sverige. Denna förståelse fångas genom kvalitativa intervjuer som genomförs med nuvarande partners. För att skapa förståelse för denna process ur ett teoretiskt perspektiv appliceras styrformerna; resultat-, beteende- och normativ styrning. Utifrån detta kan en teoretisk reflektion genomföras samt öppna för studiens abduktion genom en inducering av den empiriska informationen. Studien finner att revisionsbyråerna genomför både interna och externa rekryteringar, där interna rekryteringar förespråkas. Inom revisionsbyråerna finns tre olika partnertyper; omsättningspartners, ledarpartners samt specialister. Resultatet visar att en revisionsbyrå eftersöker individer med ett affärsmannaskap, genom en kommersiell attityd och entreprenöriella egenskaper. Dessutom är kandidatens förmåga att leda och utveckla medarbetare väsentligt. Trots ovan visar studiens resultat på att partnerrekryteringen är baserad på den aktuella situationen. / Being a partner in the big audit firms in Sweden means that a role as a part-owner is shouldered and that the individual continues to serve the operational activities. Employees' motivation to climb the stairs and embrace a partnership is previously studied. However, a study that observe what the accounting firm is looking for, to find the optimal partner has not been conducted before. The purpose of this thesis is to investigate and create an understanding of the recruitment process that is applied when a new partner is to be selected within the big accounting firms in Sweden. The study applies a cross-sectional design with an abductive approach to investigate how the recruitment process is carried out in the five largest accounting firms in Sweden. This understanding is captured through qualitative interviews conducted with current partners. In order to create an understanding of this process from a theoretical perspective, some control forms where applied; result, behavior and normative control. Based on this, a theoretical reflection could be conducted as well as open to the study's abduction through an induction of the empirical information. The study finds that the accounting firms applies both internal and external recruitment, where internal recruitment is advocated. There are three different types of partners within the accounting firms; sales partners, management partners and specialists. The result shows that an accounting firm seeks individuals with a business acumen, in terms of a commercial attitude and entrepreneurial characteristics. In addition, the candidate's ability to lead and develop employees is essential. Despite the above, the study's results show that the recruitment is based on the current situation.

為順應國際趨勢，提升我國會計師事務所之永續經營能力，會計師法修正草案針對事務所組織型態做出重大調整，增設法人事務所，增加相關配套措施，並研擬訂定最高責任上限。 本研究透過問卷調查的方式，以執業會計師以及報表使用人兩者不同的角度，分別了解法人事務所就雙方立場而言之可行性，以及應具備配套措施之看法。 實證結果顯示，受試者對成立法人事務所平均持同意看法，雙方看法有顯著差異，執業會計師平均同意程度較高。受試者對法人事務所應採取之配套措施普遍同意，以應揭示有限責任地位、強制投保責任險及提撥法定盈餘公積之同意程度最高。雙方除就法人事務所應限制設立條件、提撥法定盈餘公積並於清算過程保全資產、擬定風險管理策略、設立賠償責任上限及加重會計師相關刑事責任之同意程度顯著不同外，其餘規範要件同意看法無顯著差異。 / In order to follow the international tendency and enhance the ability of going–concern of Taiwan’s CPA firms, the revised Certified Public Accountants Act has legalized CPA firms in legal form of corporation. Otherwise, the revised Certified Public Accountants Act has also added some related indispensable conditions and has set the upper limit of the legal liability. The paper attempts to examine the issue by surveying certified public accountants and financial statements users to figure out their perceptions about the feasibility of the incorporated firms and the necessity of the conditions. According to the empirical results, the most of the respondents agree about the feasibility of the incorporated firms. The CPAs’ viewpoints are significant different from the financial statements users’. Most of the respondents also agree about the indispensable conditions, especially to the limited liability situation disclosure and the compulsory liability insurance. There are no significant different views between the CPAs and the financial statements users except to add the establishing limitations, to set aside the legal reserve, to plan the risk management strategies, and to place the upper limit of the legal liability.

Digitaliseringen av revisionsbranschen har varit ett omdiskuterat ämne, vilket beror på att branschen har genomgått stora förändringar under de senaste åren. Digitaliseringen har påverkat hur uppgifter utförs och hur problem tas an, vilket har och kommer innebära en förändring av samhällets olika delar. Sedan tidigare har det forskats på vilka faktorer som påverkar användningen av revisionsverktyg bland revisionsbyråer och revisorer, däremot mindre ur en svensk synvinkel. Syftet med denna studie är således att identifiera och bekräfta eller dementera tidigare forsknings funna faktorer som påverkar användningen av revisionsverktyg, samt testa dessa faktorers tillämpbarhet i Sverige. För att undersöka studiens syfte har en kvantitativ ansats använts med hjälp av en webbaserad enkät som har skickats ut till svenska revisionsbyråer. Hypoteserna i studien är baserade på den redan existerande forskningen. Studien utgår från Technology-Organization-Environment ramverkets tre kontexter, den tekniska, organisatoriska och miljömässiga. Faktorerna som undersöktes under respektive kontext var IT-kunskap, uppmuntran och standarder. Resultatet indikerar att det finns faktorer som påverkar användningen av revisionsverktyg även i en svensk kontext. Studien kan påvisa att uppmuntran och standarder har en signifikant påverkan på användningen. Det finns emellertid ett fortsatt behov av att forska vidare på ämnet då följande studies förklaringsgrad visar på en liten variation i användningen av verktygen. / The digitalisation of the audit profession has been a discussed topic due to the major changes in the industry in recent years. The digitalisation has affected how tasks are performed and how problems are addressed, which has caused changes in different parts of society. Factors that influence the use of Computer Assisted Audit Tools (CAATs) have previously been researched, but less in a Swedish context. The purpose of this study is to identify and confirm or deny previous factors found to affect the use of CAATs as well as the applicability of those factors in Sweden. To examine the purpose of the study a quantitative approach was used with the help of a web-based survey, sent out to Swedish auditing firms. The hypotheses in this study are based on previous research in the field. The study is based on the three contexts of the Technology-Organization-Environment framework, the technical, organisational and environmental context. The factors that were examined under each context were IT-knowledge, encouragement and standards. The result indicates that there are factors that affect the use of CAATs in a Swedish context. The study proves that encouragement and standards have a significant impact on the use of the tools. However, there is a continuing need to research the subject further as the degree of explanation in the analysis shows a small variation in the use of the tools.

Vi har studerat vilken inverkan digitala verktyg har på redovisningskonsulters dagliga arbete. Syftet med studien är att förklara hur och varför redovisningskonsulter använder och upplever digitala verktyg i sitt arbete. Den teoretiska referensramen utgår från tidigare forskning om digitaliseringens påverkan på redovisningsbranschen, digitala verktyg som används i redovisningskonsulters arbetsuppgifter dessutom lyfts institutionell teori för att förklara förändringen i redovisningsbranschen. Metoden som vi utgått från i vår studie har varit en kvalitativ metod där vi genomfört semistrukturerade intervjuer med sju deltagande respondenter. Vårt resultat har visat att digitala verktyg har bidragit till förbättringar och effektiviseringar. Genom att implementera digitala verktyg har redovisningskonsulter kunnat minska manuellt arbete och öka automatiseringen och integreringen med olika försystem och bokföringsprogram. Detta har lett till tids- och kostnadsbesparingar samt högre grad av noggrannhet. Studien visar också att införandet av RPA och AI-teknologi erbjuder en intressant framtid, vilket frigör tid för mer värdeskapande arbetsuppgifter som rådgivning, kundkontakt och analysarbete. För att möta risken för att redovisningskonsultyrket försvinner betonar studien behovet av anpassning, kompetensutveckling och säkerhet iimplementeringen av digitalisering. Samt bristen på digitala verktyg i redovisningskonsulternas utbildning, där ansvaret för detta i dagsläget ligger på redovisningsbyråerna. / We have studied the impact of digital tools on the daily work of accounting consultants. The purpose of the study is to explain how and why accounting consultants use and perceive digital tools in their work. The theoretical framework draws on previous research on the impact of digitalization on the accounting industry, digital tools used in the tasks of accounting consultants, and institutional theory to explain the changes in the accounting industry. The method we have used in our study was qualitative, involving semi-structured interviews with seven participating respondents. Our results have shown that digital tools have contributed to improvements and efficiencies. By implementing digital tools, accounting consultants have been able to reduce manual work and increase automation and integration with various subsystems and accounting software. This has resulted in time and cost savings, as well as improved accuracy. The study also shows that the adoption of RPA and AI technology offers a promising future, freeing up time for more value-added tasks such as advisory services, client interaction, and analytical work. To address the risk of the accounting consultant profession disappearing, the study emphasizes the need for adaptation, skills development, and security in the implementation of digitalization. It also highlights the lack of digital tool training for accounting consultants, with the responsibility for this currently lying on accounting firms.

我國近年勞工意識抬頭，受雇者日漸重視自身工作權益，罷工運動頻傳，其中，工會理事表示，過去上對下的單向考評制度並不公平，因此，工會所訴求之員工績效評估方式，不再只是主管打員工的考績，而是雙向評估，亦即，員工亦打主管的考績。會計師事務所為服務型組織，成敗基於人，故衡量成員之績效相當重要。因此，本文以其員工之績效評估為例，探討其適當之績效評估制度為何。本研究以問卷方式蒐集資料，並以我國大專院校之會計系、所學生為受測對象。透過情境設計，結合不同績效評估制度，以了解並推論會計師事務所員工對向上績效評估制度公平程度之認知。本研究之結論有二，第一，會計師事務所員工對績效評估制度公平程度之認知，會受到向上績效評估影響，且在有向上績效評估時，認為績效評估制度比較公平。第二，向上績效評估結果是否納入受評主管之年底績效，會影響員工對績效評估制度公平程度之認知，且當該結果納入績效時，員工認為績效評估制度比較公平。易言之，當向上績效評估結果無法直接影響受評主管之年底績效，員工仍認為事務所之績效評估制度有欠公平。 / Labor consciousness is rising in recent years, and labor are paying more and more attention to their interest. The director of a labor union after one striking activity pointed out that the traditional (top-down) performance evaluation approach is unfair, and requested for a two-way performance evaluation approach, that is, subordinate also evaluate the performance of their supervisor in addition to the traditional way. This research studies the performance evaluation system of accounting firm, for it is a service organization, it’s very important to measures the performance of members, and establishing an appropriate performance evaluation system is an continuing challenge for them. To infer the perception regarding the fairness of performance evaluation of the staff of the accounting firm, the research uses method of questionnaire survey to collect data, a combination of different performance evaluation systems with designed context is embedded in the questionnaire. Students of the department of accounting of universities participate in the experiment. There are two findings. First, the perception of fairness of performance evaluation system by the staff of the accounting firm will be affected by the upward appraisal system. Moreover, the performance evaluation system will be considered fair when there is an upward appraisal system. Second, the staff’s perception of fairness of performance evaluation system will also be affected if the results of upward appraisal system is counted as the performance of the supervisor. Furthermore, the performance evaluation system will be considered fair when the results of upward appraisal system will be counted as the supervisor’s performance. In other words, the performance evaluation system will be considered unfair if the results of upward appraisal system have no direct impact on the supervisor’s performance.