In this dissertation, I examine the effects of regulatory changes that affect the auditor's loss function on investors' perceptions of audit effectiveness. Specifically, I examine two changes intended (1) to improve audit efficiency and (2) to reduce auditor liability exposure. The first regulatory change, which was recently enacted, is the replacement of Auditing Standard 2 (AS2) with Auditing Standard 5 (AS5). The second regulatory change, which is currently a hypothetical change, is the passage of litigation reform aimed at limiting the auditor's liability exposure following an alleged audit failure. I examine perceived audit effectiveness rather than actual effectiveness because actual audit effectiveness is unobservable by investors. In an experiment using 101 MBA students as proxies for individual investors, I find that both changes are perceived by investors as reducing the amount of testing performed by the auditor when performing the internal control audit. I also find that both regulatory changes negatively affect investors' perceptions of audit effectiveness. Following the change in the auditing standard, experienced and inexperienced investors predict opposite stock price movement and, as a result, make different investment allocation decisions. In performing supplemental analyses, I find significant gender differences in predicted future stock prices, but not in perceptions of audit effectiveness or in perceptions of internal control quality.

Formed under the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) was charged with providing the interpretive guidance for auditors to use in carrying out their responsibilities under Sarbanes-Oxley Section 404. Auditing Standard No. 2 (AS2) provided the initial guidance to auditors beginning in 2004. Early research on audit delay and audit fees under these new requirements revealed significant increases in both. Although audit delay and audit fees decreased in subsequent years, they remained much higher than predicted. As a result of the concerns and complaints of the accounting profession and the public firms affected by AS2, the PCAOB rescinded AS2 and replaced it with Auditing Standard No. 5 (AS5) in 2007. The primary objective of the new guidance focuses the auditors’ attention on the most important matters in the audit of internal controls over financial reporting and eliminating procedures that the Board believes are unnecessary to an effective audit of internal control. Intended to streamline the audit process, the goal of the PCAOB was to reduce audit delay and audit fees. Research in the AS5 era has produced mixed results for both. In this study, I extend the early AS5 research to determine if AS5 has had a significant impact on reducing both audit delay and audit fees. Using multiple regression analysis, I examine audit delay and audit fees from 2007 through 2013 to determine their long-term trend. Data sources include Audit Analytics, Compustat, and CRSP. Based on the literature review, I expect to find a decrease to both audit delay and audit fees over the long-term.

The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of management altering its tone in communications on participants' perceptions of management credibility. Management's tone in communicating with participants was manipulated using communications from management under two treatment conditions. In period one of the study management's tone was manipulated within the management statement on internal controls as required by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board's (PCAOB) Auditing Standards No. 2. In period one, participants had no knowledge of management's prior forecasting accuracy. Consistent with predicted hypotheses, the findings reveal that management can increase its credibility with participants by communicating its empathy, responsiveness, and understanding. Management's increased credibility was measured using both a validated credibility scale and by examining participants' reliance on management's forecasts. In period two of the study all participants had knowledge of management's forecast failure in period one. The results from period two found that tone could impact the rating of management's credibility when management had previously failed to meet a forecast but that tone had no impact on participant's changes in their earnings per share estimates after management had previously failed to meet a forecast.

Syftet med studien har varit att undersöka och analysera komplikationer som revisorer upplever i samband med implementering av ISA inom mindre komplicerade företag. Utgångspunkten i studien har varit att undersöka varför det föreligger ett behov av en ny revisionsstandard. För att besvara studiens syfte och problemformulering har empiri samlats in genom en innehållsanalys av IAASBs diskussionspapper “Audits of Less Complex Entities: Exploring Possible Options to Address the Challenges in Applying the ISA”. Innehållsanalysen har utförts på 52 aktörer inom revisionsprofessionen. I analysen har insamlad empiri tolkats med hjälp av den teoretiska referensramen, vilken behandlar intressentteorin, legitimitetsteorin den institutionella teorin samt multi-governance teorin. Resultatet påvisar att svårigheter upplevs av MKF revisorer på grund av att ISA inte är anpassad efter mindre komplexa företag. Språket och bestämmelserna i standarden är alldeles för komplexa och omfattande. För att IAASB ska lösa denna problematik bör en ny revisionsstandard för MKF att utformas. Detta även bidrar till harmonisering inom MKF i världen. / The purpose of the study has been to investigate and analyze complications that auditors experience in connection with the implementation of ISA while auditing less complex entities. The main focus of the study has been to investigate why there is a need for a new auditing standard. To answer the study's research question, empirical data has been collected through a content analysis of the IAASB's discussion paper "Audits of Less Complex Entities: Exploring Possible Options to Address the Challenges in Applying the ISA". The content analysis has been performed on 52 organisations in the auditing profession. The collected empirical data has been interpreted with the help of the theoretical frame of reference, which deals with the stakeholder theory, the legitimacy theory, the institutional theory and the multi-government theory in the analysis. The results show that difficulties are experienced by LCE auditors due to the fact that ISA is not designed to be used for auditing inless complex entities. The language and the structure of the standard are far too complex and extensive. In order to solve this problem, IAASB has to make a new audit standard which is designed for LCE. This also contributes to harmonization within LCEs around the world.

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.