I examine three issues related to internal control reporting by non-accelerated filers. Motivation for the three studies comes from the fact that Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) continues to be controversial, as evidenced by the permanent exemption from Section 404(b) of SOX granted to non-accelerated filers by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010. The Dodd-Frank Act also requires the SEC to study compliance costs associated with smaller accelerated filers. In the first part of my dissertation, I document that the audit fee premium for non-accelerated filers disclosing a material weakness in internal controls (a) is significantly lower than the corresponding premium for accelerated filers, and (b) declines significantly over time. I also find that in the case of accelerated filers remediating clients pay lower fees compared to clients continuing to report internal control problems; however, such differences are not observed in the case of non-accelerated filers. The second essay focuses on audit report lag. The results indicate that presence of material weaknesses are associated with increased audit report lags, for both accelerated and non-accelerated filers. The results also indicate that the decline in report lag following remediation of problems is greater for accelerated filers than for non-accelerated filers. The third essay examines early warnings (pursuant to Section 302 disclosures) for firms that subsequently disclosed internal control problems in their 404 reports. The analyses indicate that non-accelerated firms with shorter CFO tenure, presence of accounting experts on the audit committee, and more frequent audit committee meetings are more likely to provide prior Section 302 warnings. Overall the results suggest that there are differences in internal control reporting between the accelerated and non-accelerated filers. The results provide empirical grounding for the ongoing debate about internal control reporting by non-accelerated filers.

Emerging research on real earnings management [REM] has expressed the concern that firms deviating from normal business practices may endure a negative impact on future cash flows and performance. This dissertation (in three essays) investigates the phenomenon of real earnings management in its association with: 1) enterprise resource planning systems [ERPs]; 2) audit report lags [ARLs]; and 3) future firm performance. In the first investigation I hypothesize that the increased monitoring associated with the implementation of an ERP will result in a decline in REM. In the second investigation I hypothesize that higher levels of REM will evoke greater auditor scrutiny and be associated with longer ARLs. In the third investigation I hypothesize that managerial actions that would ordinarily be classified as REM: reductions in discretionary expenditures or overproduction, are not REM but indicative of enhanced efficiencies when found in concert with prior period restructurings or expected future sales growth respectively. In each of the three investigations, my hypotheses are confirmed.

In my dissertation, I examine the role of the audit committee chair in the financial reporting process and test if the change in audit committee chair is associated with changes in audit fees, audit report lag, and audit quality. Motivation for this dissertation comes from the increased attention paid by legislators and regulators in recent years on the role of the audit committee in the financial reporting process. While prior studies have examined diverse issues related to the composition of the audit committee, no prior study has examined the role of the audit committee chair on the oversight of financial reporting, even though the chair of the committee has significant control over the functioning of the committee. In the first essay of my dissertation, I show that audit fees are higher in firms that have a change in the audit committee chair. In the second essay, I examine the association between changes in the audit committee chair and audit report lag. In a changes regression, I find that the change in audit committee is associated with higher audit report lag. The third essay examines the association between changes in audit committee chair and two different measures of audit quality: restatements and abnormal accruals. There is no evidence in support of the argument that changes in audit committee chair is associated with higher quality financial reporting. Overall, the results suggest that the change in audit committee chair has an important impact on the financial reporting process of public companies.

Cette recherche présente un double objectif. Dans un premier temps, elle s’intéresse à la compréhension de la perception de l’utilité du rapport d’audit (RA) suite à l’introduction de réformes cherchant à le moderniser. Dans un deuxième temps, elle est orientée vers la compréhension des facteurs qui sont à l’origine de la faible utilisation du RA.Ce rapport bien qu'il dispose d’un potentiel informationnel, demeure peu utilisé et fait l’objet d’une lecture binaire de la part des utilisateurs qui ne le consultent pas régulièrement. Partant de ces constats, et conformément aux objectifs de notre recherche, nous avons conduit des entretiens semi-directifs auprès de soixante-neuf (69) investisseurs institutionnels et analystes financiers français. Notre positionnement interprétatif et la méthodologie qualitative mise en œuvre, nous ont aidés à cerner la place qu’occupe le RA chez les utilisateurs français et le degré d’utilisation qu’ils lui réservent. Ainsi, les résultats de notre étude nous ont permis de comprendre que, malgré les réformes introduites sur le RA en France, il demeure peu utilisé et il est perçu comme un document subsidiaire. Nous classerons les facteurs qui se trouvent à l’origine de cette situation en trois familles: des facteurs liés au RA, des facteurs liés à l’auditeur et des facteurs liés aux utilisateurs. Nous concluons que la faible utilisation du RA n’est pas due uniquement à la forme et au contenu de ce document. La perception de l’image des CAC et de leur indépendance influence aussi l’utilisation du RA. Au même titre, la méconnaissance du processus d'audit renforce le décalage dans la perception du message d'audit et l'utilisation du RA. / This research sets out two aims. Firstly, it is interested in understanding the perceived usefulness of audit report (AR) by a sample of French users in the wake of recent developments of the normative framework and introduction of reforms seeking to modernize this report. Secondly, it is focused on understanding factors that are causing AR’s lack of attractiveness and use. The AR as a result of the audit process has an informational potential that allows it to be considered as a governance mechanism. However, the AR remains unattractive and poorly used. On this basis, and according to the objectives of our research, we conducted an empirical study in two phases based on semi-structured interviews with sixty-nine (69) French professionals, mainly, institutional investors and financial analysts. The interpretive epistemological position of our research and the qualitative methodology used, helped us to identify the place hold by the AR in French professionals’ decisional process.The results of our study allowed us to understand that despite reforms introduced on the French AR, it stills rarely used by professionals and perceived as an alternative document. We classify factors that are responsible of this situation into three families: factors related to the report itself, factors related to auditors, and factors related to users of AR. We conclude that the low use of AR is not due, only, to the form and the content of this document. The perception of auditors’ image and their status influences the use of AR. In the same time, the ignorance of audit process contributes to the worsening of audit expectation gap and the use of the AR.

This diploma work deals with the manner in which the internal auditor should communicate the results of their engagement findings to other departments within the organization. This diploma work deals with to whom the internal auditor should disclose certain facts and how to choose the appropriate form of audit reports in order to give their addressees best possibility to point to these audit findings and create follow-up with an effective remedy for the irregularities found.

Public performance auditing is a type of auditing government departments’ use to review three specific aspects (efficiency, effectiveness and economy) of a sector, department or project. Upon completion of a public performance audit, the relevant supreme audit institution releases a performance audit report. The purpose of this study is to determine the level content compliance in these public performance audit reports with the international performance audit standards ISSAI 3000-3001. This study compares the level of content compliance in South Africa, a developing countries against Australia, a developed country. A type of text analysis was used to collate the levels of content compliance in a total of fifty reports, twenty-five reports published by the Auditor General of South Africa (AGSA) and twenty-five reports published by the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO), during the period 2006 – 2013. The finding revealed that public performance audit reports published in Australia have a greater level of content compliance than reports published in South Africa. The results of the report further detail the content shortcomings in the reports reviewed. This study will assist both the AGSA and ANAO in highlighting content concerns in these performance audit report, which is the first step towards improvement.

Bakgrund: Finanskriser, företagskonkurser och olika skandaler runt om i världen har resulterat i att revisorns tillförlitlighet har ifrågasatts och förtroendet för revisionsbranschen har skadats. Det bristande förtroendet tyder på att det finns skillnader mellan användarna av den finansiella rapporten och revisorernas förväntningar gällande revisionens utfall och har utmynnat i ett förväntningsgap. Revisorns uttalanden i revisionsberättelsen har utstått mycket kritik genom åren då den inte tillför ett informationsvärde för användarna. Revisionens förväntningsgap är ett fenomen som studerats över tid och nationella gränser men trots utveckling av lagstiftning fortfarande är bestående. IAASB har utgett ett utkast av en ny revisionsstandard, ISA 701, som ska bidra till en mer individualiserad revisionsberättelse i syfte att minska förväntningsgapet. De nya förändringarna kommer innebära att revisorn ska förse användarna med mer väsentlig information om vad revisorn funnit under granskningen i revisionsberättelsen.   Syfte: Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka revisorernas tolkningar angående den kommande revisionsstandarden ISA 701 samt vilken effekt de nya upplysningarna i revisionsberättelsen kan ge på revisionens förväntningsgap. Metod: Studiens empiriska material insamlades via kvalitativa intervjuer med nio auktoriserade revisorer. Slutsats: Den nya revisionsberättelsen bidrar till en bättre kommunikation än den som råder idag men effekten på förväntningsgapet kommer vara begränsad och inte på den nivå som IAASB har i åtanke. Revisorernas uttalanden enligt ISA 701 kommer i konflikt med revisionens lagstiftning i form av tystnadsplikt och därav blir informationsvärdet för användarna begränsat. Revisorernas uppfattning om ISA 701:s effekt på förväntningsgapet är att det kommer minska ytterst lite då den nya revisionsstandarden inte är fullt ut anpassad efter revisorernas förutsättningar. Ett förslag är en förändring av lagstiftningen som begränsar skadeståndsansvaret. Detta kan öka revisorernas trygghet i att ge användarna en större insyn i företaget genom att de kommer bort från den utsatta position som de upplever finns i dagsläget. / Background: Financial crises, corporate failures and various scandals around the world have resulted in that the auditors’ reliability has been questioned. This has consequently resulted in a loss of confidence in the accounting profession. This lack of confidence suggests that the differences between the users of the financial statements and the auditors’ expectations regarding the audit results have led to an expectation gap. Auditors’ statement in the audit report has endured much criticism over the years as it does not add an information value to users. Expectation gap is a phenomenon that has been studied over time and national boundaries but despite the development of legislation is still enduring. The IAASB has issued a draft of a new auditing standard, ISA 701, which will contribute to a more individualized audit report in order to bridge the expectation gap. The new changes will mean that the auditor will provide users with more substantive information about what the auditor found during the audit in the auditor’s report. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the auditors’ interpretations regarding the upcoming auditing standard ISA 701, and the impact of the new information in the audit report may provide the audit expectation gap. Method: The study’s empirical material was collected through interviews with nine certified public accountants. Conclusion: The new auditor’s report will contribute to a better communication than the one that exists today but the effect on the expectation gap will be limited and not at the level that IAASB has in mind. The auditor statements in accordance with ISA 701 will conflict with the Swedish legislation in the form of secrecy and hence gets the information value to users is limited. The auditors’ opinion on the ISA 701’s effect on the expectation gap is that it will reduce very little when the new audit standard is not fully adapted to the auditors’ requirements. A proposal is a change in the law that limits the auditors’ liability. This may increase the auditor’s confidence in giving users a greater insight into the company by coming away from the exposed position that they feel are in the current situation.

近年來由於經濟景氣的因素及製造業與建築業的景氣停滯，使得銀行的逾放比率及金額大增，遂使得銀行經營更加困難。根據現行辦法規定，當企業向銀行申請融資額度超過三千萬以上者，必須檢附會計師的融資簽証報告，且融資簽証業務一直都是會計師主要的業務之一，故本研究將探討審計報告的資訊內涵－運用於財務危機之預測，即是結合財務報表的資訊及審計報告意見型態的資訊建立一套較佳的財務預警模式，以探討審計報告的資訊內涵於財務預警的貢獻。 　　本研究以金融聯合徵信中心的資料庫中於民國八十一年底及民國八十一二年底仍列為催收或呆帳的公司且在發生財務危機前三年有完整的財務報表為違約公司，運用違約公司的所屬產業別、資產總額及銷售額為配對標準，選出正常履約公司進行分析。計算十九種公司財務比率、十九種產業相對財務比率及審計報告意見型態為變數，區別前期樣本及全體樣本分別建立財務預警模式。 　　首先先檢定財務比率是否符合常態分配的假說，其次檢定財務資訊的資訊內涵，亦即比較二群體間財務比率是否有差異，最後分別運用因素分析及不採用因素分析建立Λογιτ模式，並比較模式的正確性及加權效率性以選擇出較佳的模式。 　　研究結果如下： 　　1.在前期樣本中，不論採用何種變數，僅有固定資產比率符合常態性假說；在全體樣本中，均不符合常態分配的假說。 　　2.以公司財務比率為變數時，有八種財務比率於二群體間不具差異性；但當以產業相對財務比率為變數時，則有十一種財務比率於二群體間不具差異性。 　　3.審計報告具資訊內涵，對於預測企業是否發生違約與否有所貢獻。 　　4.不論採用何種變數所建立的財務預警模式對於前期樣本及全體樣本的正確分類上均優於隨機分類，但對於後期樣本的正確預測上則不優於隨機分類，故模式的貢獻有限。

<p>In the beginning of the 21^th century several successful companies filed for bankruptcy. These bankruptcies have been known as large accounting scandals and the largest scandals did Enron and Worldcom stand for. These bankruptcies arose without any warning signal from the auditors about the companies’ financial problems and their inability to continue as a going concern. The bankruptcies damaged the reputation of auditors and broad criticism has developed at the auditors’ inability to discover companies’ financial problems and their unwillingness to reveal a going concern opinion in the audit report. The going concern assumption developed during the 17^th century and it has become one of the most fundamental and important accounting principles when making an annual report. The accounting principle implies that the companies will continue as a going concern in the foreseeable future. The investing publics have questioned whether auditors take enough responsibility for evaluating companies going concern uncertainties for a long time. Their defective confidence is reflected in the expectation gap, which means there are a difference between what the investing publics believes auditors are responsible for and what the auditors believe their responsibilities are. Several researchers have showed that even if auditors find out about companies’ financial problems, the auditors might not choose to issue a going concern opinion in the audit report due to predicted costs the opinion might have to both the companies and the auditors. Therefore, the primary purpose of this study is to investigate Swedish companies that have gone bankrupt in the period between 2006-01-01 and 2006-12-31, to see if the auditors have disclose a going concern opinion in the audit report in the companies latest annual report. The study also intend to investigate if there are geographical differences in Sweden, differences between audit firm size, differences between auditor’s competence, and differences between client size according to number of going concern opinions. We have made a quantitative study by collecting data from the companies’ annual reports. 354 companies which filed for bankruptcy during 2006 were selected by a systematic choice. In fact, our study found that only 19.8 % of all companies had received a going concern opinion in their latest annual report before they failed for bankruptcy. We made a chi-square test for all variables. These statistical tests did not show any significant correlation between the numbers of going concern opinions and the independent variables. A normal distribution shows that it is only in the geographical division there are a significant difference from the total average value. The average value for “Norrland” differs significantly from the average value for all the companies that had a going concern opinion in the audit report. But there are percentage differences between all variables that indicates that auditors with a higher competence issue more going concern opinions than auditors with a lower competence, smaller audit firms issue more going concern opinions than “the big four”, and client companies with a low turnover get more going concern opinions than companies with a medium and high turnover.</p><p> </p> / <p>I början på 2000-talet gick flera framgångsrika företag i konkurs vilket gav upphov till stora redovisningsskandaler. De två största skandalerna stod Enron och Worldcom för. Dessa konkurser uppkom utan att företagens revisorer hade lämnat någon varningssignal om företagens fortlevnadsproblem till intressenterna. Konkurserna skadade revisorernas rykte och det har vuxit fram en stark kritik mot revisorernas oförmåga att upptäcka företags finansiella problem samt deras ovilja att lämna ett going concern utlåtande i revisionsberättelsen. Fortlevnadsprincipen växte fram under 1600-talet och har därefter utvecklats till att bli en av de mest grundläggande och viktiga redovisningsprinciperna vid upprättandet av årsredovisningen. Redovisningsprincipen innebär att företagen ska förutsättas fortsätta sin verksamhet under en överskådlig framtid. Intressenterna har under en lång tid ifrågasatt om revisorerna verkligen tar ett tillräckligt stort ansvar i utvärderingen av företagens fortlevnadsförmåga. Samhällets bristande förtroende återspeglas i det förväntningsgap som finns som innebär att det är en skillnad mellan vad intressenterna tror att revisorerna är ansvariga för och vad revisorerna tror att deras ansvar är. Tidigare studier har visat att även om revisorerna upptäcker att klientföretag har finansiella problem kan de välja att inte utfärda ett going concern utlåtande i revisionsberättelsen på grund av förutspående kostnader som utlåtandet kan ha både för klientföretagen och för revisorerna. Vårt huvudsakliga syfte med studien är därför att undersöka svenska aktiebolag som har gått i konkurs mellan perioden 2006-01-01 och 2006-12-31 för att se om revisorerna har lämnat ett going concern utlåtande i revisionsberättelsen i aktiebolagens senaste årsredovisning. Studien ämnar också undersöka om det finns geografiska skillnader i Sverige, skillnader med anledning av revisionsbyråernas storlek, skillnader mellan godkända och auktoriserade revisorer samt skillnader till följd av klientföretagens storlek och i vilken utsträckning going concern utlåtanden lämnas i revisionsberättelsen. Vi har genomfört en kvantitativ studie genom att ha granskat konkursdrabbade aktiebolags senaste årsredovisningar och revisionsberättelser. Studien grundar sig på en dokumentstudie då 354 konkursdrabbade företag valdes ut genom ett systematiskt urval från Internetsidan konkurs.se. Därefter hämtades de utvalda aktiebolagens årsredovisningar från databasen Affärsdata. Studiens resultat visar att endast 19,8 % av de undersökta aktiebolagen hade fått ett going concern utlåtande i den senaste årsredovisningen innan de gick i konkurs. Vi upprättade chi-två test för samtliga variabler som uppvisade att det inte finns något signifikant samband mellan andelen going concern utlåtanden och de oberoende variablerna. Vi beräknade även en normalfördelning som uppvisade att det endast är i den geografiska indelningen som det finns en signifikant avvikelse från det totala medelvärdet. Det gäller för Norrlands medelvärde som signifikant avviker från medelvärdet för samtliga konkursdrabbade aktiebolag som hade fått ett going concern utlåtande.  Det finns dock procentuella skillnader mellan samtliga variabler som uppvisar att auktoriserade revisorer lämnar fler going concern utlåtanden än godkända revisorer, att små revisionsbyråer lämnar fler going concern utlåtanden än ”the big four” samt att aktiebolag med en liten omsättning erhåller fler going concern utlåtanden än aktiebolag med en medelstor och stor omsättning.</p><p><strong> </strong></p>

In the beginning of the 21th century several successful companies filed for bankruptcy. These bankruptcies have been known as large accounting scandals and the largest scandals did Enron and Worldcom stand for. These bankruptcies arose without any warning signal from the auditors about the companies’ financial problems and their inability to continue as a going concern. The bankruptcies damaged the reputation of auditors and broad criticism has developed at the auditors’ inability to discover companies’ financial problems and their unwillingness to reveal a going concern opinion in the audit report. The going concern assumption developed during the 17th century and it has become one of the most fundamental and important accounting principles when making an annual report. The accounting principle implies that the companies will continue as a going concern in the foreseeable future. The investing publics have questioned whether auditors take enough responsibility for evaluating companies going concern uncertainties for a long time. Their defective confidence is reflected in the expectation gap, which means there are a difference between what the investing publics believes auditors are responsible for and what the auditors believe their responsibilities are. Several researchers have showed that even if auditors find out about companies’ financial problems, the auditors might not choose to issue a going concern opinion in the audit report due to predicted costs the opinion might have to both the companies and the auditors. Therefore, the primary purpose of this study is to investigate Swedish companies that have gone bankrupt in the period between 2006-01-01 and 2006-12-31, to see if the auditors have disclose a going concern opinion in the audit report in the companies latest annual report. The study also intend to investigate if there are geographical differences in Sweden, differences between audit firm size, differences between auditor’s competence, and differences between client size according to number of going concern opinions. We have made a quantitative study by collecting data from the companies’ annual reports. 354 companies which filed for bankruptcy during 2006 were selected by a systematic choice. In fact, our study found that only 19.8 % of all companies had received a going concern opinion in their latest annual report before they failed for bankruptcy. We made a chi-square test for all variables. These statistical tests did not show any significant correlation between the numbers of going concern opinions and the independent variables. A normal distribution shows that it is only in the geographical division there are a significant difference from the total average value. The average value for “Norrland” differs significantly from the average value for all the companies that had a going concern opinion in the audit report. But there are percentage differences between all variables that indicates that auditors with a higher competence issue more going concern opinions than auditors with a lower competence, smaller audit firms issue more going concern opinions than “the big four”, and client companies with a low turnover get more going concern opinions than companies with a medium and high turnover. / I början på 2000-talet gick flera framgångsrika företag i konkurs vilket gav upphov till stora redovisningsskandaler. De två största skandalerna stod Enron och Worldcom för. Dessa konkurser uppkom utan att företagens revisorer hade lämnat någon varningssignal om företagens fortlevnadsproblem till intressenterna. Konkurserna skadade revisorernas rykte och det har vuxit fram en stark kritik mot revisorernas oförmåga att upptäcka företags finansiella problem samt deras ovilja att lämna ett going concern utlåtande i revisionsberättelsen. Fortlevnadsprincipen växte fram under 1600-talet och har därefter utvecklats till att bli en av de mest grundläggande och viktiga redovisningsprinciperna vid upprättandet av årsredovisningen. Redovisningsprincipen innebär att företagen ska förutsättas fortsätta sin verksamhet under en överskådlig framtid. Intressenterna har under en lång tid ifrågasatt om revisorerna verkligen tar ett tillräckligt stort ansvar i utvärderingen av företagens fortlevnadsförmåga. Samhällets bristande förtroende återspeglas i det förväntningsgap som finns som innebär att det är en skillnad mellan vad intressenterna tror att revisorerna är ansvariga för och vad revisorerna tror att deras ansvar är. Tidigare studier har visat att även om revisorerna upptäcker att klientföretag har finansiella problem kan de välja att inte utfärda ett going concern utlåtande i revisionsberättelsen på grund av förutspående kostnader som utlåtandet kan ha både för klientföretagen och för revisorerna. Vårt huvudsakliga syfte med studien är därför att undersöka svenska aktiebolag som har gått i konkurs mellan perioden 2006-01-01 och 2006-12-31 för att se om revisorerna har lämnat ett going concern utlåtande i revisionsberättelsen i aktiebolagens senaste årsredovisning. Studien ämnar också undersöka om det finns geografiska skillnader i Sverige, skillnader med anledning av revisionsbyråernas storlek, skillnader mellan godkända och auktoriserade revisorer samt skillnader till följd av klientföretagens storlek och i vilken utsträckning going concern utlåtanden lämnas i revisionsberättelsen. Vi har genomfört en kvantitativ studie genom att ha granskat konkursdrabbade aktiebolags senaste årsredovisningar och revisionsberättelser. Studien grundar sig på en dokumentstudie då 354 konkursdrabbade företag valdes ut genom ett systematiskt urval från Internetsidan konkurs.se. Därefter hämtades de utvalda aktiebolagens årsredovisningar från databasen Affärsdata. Studiens resultat visar att endast 19,8 % av de undersökta aktiebolagen hade fått ett going concern utlåtande i den senaste årsredovisningen innan de gick i konkurs. Vi upprättade chi-två test för samtliga variabler som uppvisade att det inte finns något signifikant samband mellan andelen going concern utlåtanden och de oberoende variablerna. Vi beräknade även en normalfördelning som uppvisade att det endast är i den geografiska indelningen som det finns en signifikant avvikelse från det totala medelvärdet. Det gäller för Norrlands medelvärde som signifikant avviker från medelvärdet för samtliga konkursdrabbade aktiebolag som hade fått ett going concern utlåtande.  Det finns dock procentuella skillnader mellan samtliga variabler som uppvisar att auktoriserade revisorer lämnar fler going concern utlåtanden än godkända revisorer, att små revisionsbyråer lämnar fler going concern utlåtanden än ”the big four” samt att aktiebolag med en liten omsättning erhåller fler going concern utlåtanden än aktiebolag med en medelstor och stor omsättning.