Abstract Problem: In today’s business environment, rising demand in financial reporting and frequent changes in accounting frameworks lead to an increased focus on reliability in Fair Value Measurement (FVM) and disclosures. The frequent changes in accounting frameworks create a challenge for managers in measuring accounting estimates accurately and have been an exceedingly difficult task. The difficult task is that of the auditors. How would auditors endorse and ensure the reliability and relevance of financial statements? Also how could they evaluate the accuracy of the measurement of fair values as presented in the financial statements? (IFAC, 2011, ISA 540). Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to explore the methods and approaches used by auditors while auditing fair values from practical perspectives. Method: A multiple case study with pure qualitative methods and an inductive approach has been adopted. The qualitative method used a semi-structured interview to collect data.  Result: The result shows that by understanding the challenges and following the phases of auditing, auditors can maintain the quality of financial reporting. Four key audit phases are relevant to audit FVM. These are: understanding the Client-Business environment, Engagement, Internal Control, and Planning phases of auditing. Furthermore, the results revealed key challenges of auditing FVM and disclosures. These challenges are information insufficiency in the market (reliability), competence, auditors’ lack of fair value audit exposure, and the manager's leadership role and style. Moreover, as previous studies on FV have primarily relied on synthesis of academic literature, the thesis contributes knowledge to academia by using an empirical approach.

This dissertation examines how differences between the strategic-systems audit approach and the traditional, transaction-based audit approach affect the content and complexity of client business knowledge in long-term memory, how these mental representations develop with experience, and how the representations affect risk assessment. Knowledge of the client?s business is essential to conducting an effective and efficient audit, but researchers have devoted little attention to how this knowledge is represented in memory and what effect it has on audit judgment. Moreover, proponents of the strategic-systems approach argue that this approach leads to the formation of a more-complex client business model and results in better audit judgments than the transaction-based approach. The study?s results contradict these claims, with the strategic-systems auditors having less-complex models than their TBA counterparts. Also, no experience-related differences were found in the client models, and risk assessments were only weakly affected by content and complexity differences between client models. After a variety of supplemental analyses, it was concluded that there is no evidence from this dissertation to suggest that the SSA methodology does not result in an auditor possessing an enhanced knowledge of the client?s business compared to that possessed by an auditor employing a traditional audit approach.

On all Swedish audits on fiscal years starting 1st of January 2011 or later, the clarified ISAs should be applied. Before that, the Swedish auditing standards were called RS, which were a direct translation of the elder version of the ISAs but with considerations of Swedish law and Swedish traditions. The EC states that there will be no fundamental changes for the Swedish audits when the clarified ISAs is implemented, and IFAC states that all audits will realize significant changes when the clarified ISAs is implemented. The purpose of this study is therefore to explain how the audit process has been affected by the implementation of the clarified ISAs and what effects it has given rise to. The study also aims at explaining the relationship between audit firm size and impact on the audit process. This study was conducted using qualitative methods for both collecting and analyzing data. The data have been collected using both primary and secondary data. The primary data was collected through questionnaires in order to get as many opinions as possible but interviews were conducted as well in order to get a deep insight about the subject and to make sure that the questions in the questionnaire was relevant. What emerged in this study is that both the EC and IFAC were right about the implementation of the clarified ISAs in Sweden. The auditors that participated in this study explained that the way they are doing an audit has not changed, which means that no fundamental changes have occurred in the audits. However, the auditors have experienced some changes in the audit process, for example an increased amount of requirements on documentation and a more complicated and time consuming auditor’s report. How much the audit process has changed differs depending on the size of the audit firm. Generally, the impact on the audit process at the “big four” are less than it is on small audit firms due to the fact that many of the “big four” have worked with ISA before. Overall, the auditors have experienced that the implementation of the clarified ISAs have meant an increased cost for doing audits, in the form of updates in audit methodologies, educations and more procedures to perform. However, the auditors have not experienced that the audit quality has increased due to this. This means that the costs for an audit have increased while the quality remains the same.

Titel: Redovisningskonsulternas arbete - hur har det påverkats av revisionspliktens avskaffande? Nivå: Kandidatuppsats i ämnet företagsekonomi, redovisning och revision, 15 Hp, FÖA300 Författare: Jenny Barkman Lövdal, Maarit Jansson, Cholticha Pruekwatcharakun Handledare: Ulla Pettersson  Datum: 31 maj 2012 Problemformulering: Revision har genomgått lagändringar under en lång tid och kravet på kunskap om revision har ändrats i takt med detta. År 2010 infördes en lagstiftning om avskaffande av revisionsplikt för små bolag i Sverige, vilket ökade efterfrågan på redovisningskonsulter. För att ta redan på vilka konsekvenser det fört med sig har följande frågor formulerats: Har redovisningskonsulternas uppdrag ökat i antal och omfattning?  Har branschorganisationerna SRF och FAR påverkat kompetenskravet på redovisningskonsulterna?  Har kontrollen av redovisningskonsulternas kunskap och arbete ändrats? Syfte: Huvudsyftet med denna uppsats är att undersöka hur de valda redovisningskonsulterna anser att avskaffandet av revisionsplikten påverkat deras uppdrag, arbetsuppgifter, kunskapskrav och kontrollen av detta. Delsyftet med studien är att ta redan på hur SRF och FAR, men även de valda revisorerna uppfattar förändringarna av avskaffandet av revisionsplikten i avseende redovisningskonsultens uppdrag. Metod: Genom att studera teori och insamlad data från både personliga och nätbaserade intervjuer får vi en kvalitativ undersökning som leder till pålitliga och relevanta slutsatser.  Empiri: Intervjusvaren vi fått från redovisningskonsulter, revisorer och representanter för branschorganisationen presenteras genom en sammanställning för varje yrkesgrupp. Slutsats: Vår slutsats är att det är för tidigt att uttala sig om hur vida redovisningskonsulternas uppdrag har ökat i antal och omfattning, att branschorganisationerna har påverkat kompetenskravet genom införandet avReko och auktorisationer och att kontrollen av redovisningskonsulternas kunskap och arbete har ökat. Nyckelord: Redovisningskonsult, revisor och revisionspliktens avskaffande. / Title: The accounting consultants work - how has it been influenced by the abolition of audit requirement? Level: Final assignment for Bachelor Degree in Business Administration, accounting and auditing, 15 ECTS, FÖA300 Author: Jenny Barkman Lövdal, Maarit Jansson, Cholticha Pruekwatcharakun Supervisor: Ulla Pettersson Date:  31st May 2012 Problem description: The audit has undergone changes in the law during a period of time. The essential knowledge of the auditor would be changed based on the law changes. The law that carried out recently (2010) through the abolition of mandatory auditing for small companies in Sweden, increasing demand on accounting consultants. To find out which are entailed consequences, the following questions are formulated: Have the accounting consultants assignments increased in quantity and scope?  Have the professional institutes of SRF and FAR influenced knowledge requirement for the accounting consultants? Has the control of the accounting consultant's knowledge and work changed? Purpose: The main purpose of this paper is to investigate how the selected accounting consultant’s consider that the abolition of the audit requirement has affected theirs knowledge and work, as well as the control of those. The aim of this study is to find out not only how the selected auditors but also how SRF and FAR perceive the changes of the abolition of the audit requirement considering on accounting consultant's duties. Method: A qualitative research is used to study various theories. Collecting data from questionnaires and interviews lead to find out reliable and relevant conclusions. Empirical: A statement of each occupational group will present the answers that are collected from accounting consultants, auditors and the representatives of the professional institute. Conclusion: It is too early to express an opinion regarding an increase of assignments for accounting consultants. The professional institutes of SRF and FAR have affected the skill requirements for the accounting consultants through the introduction of Reko and authorizations. The essential knowledge and profession of accounting consultants has increased. Keywords: Accounting consultant, auditor and the abolition of mandatory auditing.

In response to the rapid economic transitions in Taiwan and abroad, government bureaus shall establish, promote, and execute internal control, besides the reform and review of laws, regulations, and systems. Although the internal control and internal audit procedures, as well as the allocation budgets, in government bureaus have followed related standards, auditing departments are still reporting major financial scandals and financial flaws, and informing suggestions and improvements. Therefore, this study aimed to discuss the roles of accountants from the perspectives of internal control, internal review, and internal auditing. The research methods included questionnaire survey and literature review. Self-developed scale on ¡§The role of governmental accountants from the perspectives of internal control, internal review, and internal auditing¡¨. The samples included accountants and non-accountants of government bureaus in Taiwan and Kinmen areas. And the types of bureaus included ministries of the central government, Taipei City Government, Kaohsiung City Government, and bureaus of local counties and cities. The results are as below: 1. Both accountants and non-accountants are highly identified with the systems of internal control, internal review, and internal auditing, difficulty in executions, and outcomes of fault-proof. Except for significant difference in some parts of internal auditing, all others have no significant difference. 2. Accountants with different backgrounds and seniority in internal control and internal review have significant differences in identification; there is high identification with difficulty in executions and outcomes of fault-proof in internal auditing, except for parts of significant difference. The suggestions are as follow: 1) present the questionnaire in a more practical way to allow the subjects answering questions based on their experience; 2) probe into the integrated topic of the role of internal auditing and external auditing to enhance the administrative performance; 3) carry out comparison analysis for accountants of different bureaus; 4) interpret the background variables of the subjects, including work environment, bureau rank, and suitable systems to make the results more practical. Keywords: government bureau, accountants, internal control, internal review, internal auditing

For many medium and small enterprises, ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) has been a mature solution as a main application system. It is not only to support organizational internal operation but also business between corporations. However, this solution is usually complicate and expensive. Prior research has indicated that about three quarters of the attempted ERP projects turned out to be unsuccessful. A common problem encountered in adopting an ERP package has been the issue of project delay. In many cases, lack of project auditing is the main reason for project delay. This study proposes a methodology, enhanced from Wu (2008) and integrates it with auditing to address the above problem. The enhanced methodology includes eight steps: Implementation Plan, Monitor, Training, Operation Analysis, Solution plan, System tailoring to ready, Pilot Run, Officially online and efficiency evaluation. Three cases are used to demonstrate the usability of proposed methodology. It helps to identify and resolve the potential problems for each ERP implementation process systematically and thereby increase the probability of ERP implementation success.

<p>Vad revision innebär är idag inte lagstadgat. Det definieras av FAR som ”att kritiskt granska, bedöma och ge utlåtande om redovisning och förvaltning” (FARs revisions-bok, 2000). Det finns däremot rekommendationer som styr revisorns arbete. Dessa rekommendationers innebörd är dock något allmänheten inte har någon större kännedom om. Detta kan skapa problem mellan revisor och kund som då har skilda förväntningar på vad revisionen ska leda till.</p><p>För att studera dessa skilda förväntningar valde vi att undersöka två separata fall med revisor och respektive kund. Fallen skiljde sig åt storleksmässigt då det ena kan betraktas som ett medelstort företag och det andra som ett litet företag. Den empiriska studien genomfördes kvalitativt genom fyra intervjuer.</p><p>Medan de inblandade parterna hävdade att det inte förelåg något förväntningsgap mellan kund och respektive revisor kunde vi genom att ställa intervjusvaren mot varandra jämföra skillnader i förväntningar mellan det medelstora och det mindre företaget och dess revisorer. Svaren skiljde sig åt på ett antal punkter inom områdena revisionens syfte, revisorns roll och förväntningar på revisorn.</p><p>Vi kunde konstatera att det förelåg att dolt förväntningsgap mellan revisor och kund i de båda fallen. De viktigaste faktorerna bakom det dolda förväntningsgapet var okunskap hos kunderna och brist på kommunikation mellan parterna. Vi kunde även se tecken på att Revisionsstandard kan öka risken för ett förväntningsgap i fallen. Storleken på företagen visade sig vara av mindre betydelse än vad vi hade förutspått i våra utvalda fall.</p><p>I nuläget är det dolda förväntningsgapet inte något problem i de båda fallen men parterna bör trots detta ta de skilda förväntningarna i beaktande för att på så sätt undvika framtida problematiska förväntningsgap.</p> / <p>What auditing means is not prescribed by law. It is defined by FAR as: critically examine, judge and state an opinion about accounting and administration of the business (FARs Revisionsbok, 2000). There are, however, recommendations that govern the work of the auditor. The meaning of these recommendations is not really clear in the eyes of the public. This can create problems between the auditor and the client who then have different expectations on what the auditing should result in.</p><p>To study these different expectations we chose to examine two separate cases with auditor and client respectively. The cases differed in sizes where one could be considered a medium-sized enterprise and the other a small enterprise. The empirical investigation was performed qualitatively through four interviews.</p><p>While the involved parties claimed that an expectation gap did not exist between the client and its auditor, we could compare differences in expectations between the medium-sized enterprise and the small enterprise and their auditors, by putting the answers against each other. The answers differed in a number of ways within the following areas: purpose of the auditing, the role of the auditor and expectations on the auditor.</p><p>We could conclude that a hidden expectation gap existed between auditor and client in both cases. The most important factors behind the hidden expectation gap was ignorance on the clients’ parts and lack of communication between the parties. We could also see signs of the new standards on auditing in Sweden increasing the risk of an expectation gap in the two cases. The size of the companies turned out to be a less important factor than what we had anticipated in our specific cases.</p><p>At present time, the hidden expectation gap is not a problem in the two cases but despite this, the parties involved should take the differing expectations under consideration and through this avoid future problematic expectation gaps.</p>

<p>I samband med revisionsskandaler i USA så infördes ett nytt kontroll organ för revisorer, Public Company Accounting Oversight Board. De har syftet att kontrollera att revisorer som arbetar med klienter som lyder under Sarbanes-Oxley Act efterföljder de nya reglerna. Den svenska revisorsprofessionen har länge varit självreglerad men på grund av PCAOB möts professionen av en tydligare reglering vilket kan resultera i problem. Därför finns det ett behov att undersöka hur svenska revisorer ser på PCAOB och hur det har påverkat revisorsprofessionen.</p><p>Syftet med denna uppsats är att undersöka svenska revisorers åsikter om PCAOB och om PCAOB har förändrat den svenska revisorsprofessionen. Uppsatsen har också syftet att förklara orsakerna bakom de svenska revisorernas åsikter och varför den svenska revisorsprofessionen påverkas.</p><p>Utifrån uppsatsen syfte valdes en kvalitativ ansats. Data har samlats in genom semistrukturerade telefonintervjuer och personlig intervju. Urvalet består av 4 stycken anonyma auktoriserade revisorer som alla har erfarenhet av Sarbanes-Oxley Act.</p><p>PCAOB har påverkat revisorsprofessionen till att bli mer professionell men samtidigt har formaliseringen ökat för professionen och bidragit till mindre tid för analytiskt arbete vilket i längden kan påverka kvaliteten på revisionen negativt och därmed kan PCAOB utgöra ett hot mot professionen.</p><p>Trots att revisorsprofessionen är och har varit starkt kopplad till självreglering så verkar regulativa förändringar från PCAOB som syftar till att stärka revisorernas förtroende vara viktigare än att vidhålla professionens självreglering</p> / <p>As auditing scandals occurred in the US, a new controlling institute for auditors was formed, Public Company Accounting Oversight Board. It has the purpose to monitor auditors who are working with clients that have to comply with Sarbanes-Oxley Act. The Swedish auditing profession has for long time been self-regulated, but due to PCAOB the profession faces a stricter regulation which could lead to some problems. Hence, there exists a need to investigate how Swedish auditors look upon PCAOB and how it has effected the auditing profession.</p><p>The purpose of this thesis is to examine Swedish auditor’s opinions about PCAOB and if PCAOB has affected the Swedish auditing profession. Furthermore, this thesis aims to explain the reasons behind the Swedish auditor’s beliefs and why the Swedish auditing profession is affected.</p><p>On the basis of the purpose, a qualitative research method was chosen. Data has been collected through semi-structured telephone interviews and personal interview. The selection consists of four anonymous authorized public accountants who all have experience of Sarbanes-Oxley Act.</p><p>Due to PCAOB the auditing profession has become more professionalized but at the same time an increase in formalisation has left little time for actual analytical work and the quality of the audit might in the end be lower which constitute a major threat to the auditing profession.</p><p>Although, the tradition of the auditing profession is and has been self-regulation it appears that PCAOB is welcomed by auditors since a regulative change that aim to improve auditors’ trust is more important than maintaining a self-regulated profession.</p>

<p>Abstract</p><p>Problem In Sweden, there is currently a debate concerning statutory audit. Different stakeholders debate whether the government should change the legis-lation concerning statutory audit for limited companies below a certain size. A study made by Thorell & Norberg (2005) and other researchers are of the opinion that banks are positive toward statutory audit. We find it very reasonable for banks to have this positive opinion, but we ask ourselves if the importance of the statutory audit is so great that it is reason enough for the banks to be an influential part in the ongoing debate.</p><p>Purpose The purpose of the thesis is to contribute to the debate regarding statutory audit for small limited companies by studying the argument that banks and credit processes benefit from statutory audit.</p><p>Method This study was conducted through a qualitative method. The data was collected by interviewing representatives from three banks. We investigated and compared the process of granting credits for unregistered firms, partnerships and small limited companies. This means that we compared credit processes for companies that are under the regulation of statutory audit and companies that are not.</p><p>Conclusions Based on this study, we agree with Thorell & Norberg (2005), that banks positive attitudes towards statutory audit is based on convenience rather than real benefits. Banks can conduct the same research for small limited companies, as for unregistered firms and partnerships. The personal responsibility for unregistered firms and partnerships is no defence in keeping the statutory audit, because it is of minor importance. As the bank representatives in this study do not know what an audit consist of, we can see no reason for them to say that the statutory audit should be kept. An auditor’s advice can create benefits for the company that is greater than the cost of the audit, but we can not see why the statutory audit should be kept because of this. Company representatives can hire an auditor or an-other advisor whenever he/she wants. Based on the results from this study, we can see no reason to keep the statutory audit for small limited companies, from a bank perspective.</p> / <p>Sammanfattning</p><p>Problem I Sverige pågår en debatt om revisionsplikten. Olika intressenter debatte-rar om regeringen ska ändra lagstiftningen om revisionsplikt för aktiebo-lag under en viss storlek. En studie av Thorell & Norberg (2005) och andra studier visar att banker är positivt inställd till revisionsplikten. Vi anser det vara rimligt att bankerna har denna positiva inställning, men vi ifrågasätter om revisionsplikten är så viktig för bankerna så att de kan vara en inflytelserik aktör i debatten.</p><p>Syfte Syftet med denna uppsats är att bidra till debatten angående revisionsplikten för små aktiebolag genom att undersöka argumentet att banker och kreditgivningsprocesser gynnas av revisionsplikt.</p><p>Metod Studien genomfördes genom en kvalitativ metod. Data insamlades genom intervjuer med tre banker. Vi undersökte och jämförde kreditgivningsprocessen för enskilda firmor, handelsbolag och små aktiebolag. Det innebär att vi jämförde kreditprocessen för både företag som har revisionsplikt på sig och de som inte har det.</p><p>Slutsats Baserat på denna studie, så håller vi med Thorell & Norberg (2005), att bankernas positive inställning till revisionsplikten är baserad på bekvämlighet istället för riktig nytta. Banker kan genomföra samma undersökningar på små aktiebolag som på enskilda firmor och handelsbolag. Bristen på personaligt betalningsansvar i aktiebolag ingen ursäkt för att behålla revisionsplikten, då den enligt bankerna är av mindre betydelse. Eftersom representanterna för bankerna i denna studie inte vet vad som innefattas i en revision, så kan vi inte se att de har någon grund att påstå att revisionsplikten ska vara obligatorisk. Råden från en revisor kan skapa större fördelar än vad kostnaden för revisionen är, men vi kan inte förstå varför man ska behålla revisionsplikten på grund av detta. Företagens representanter kan anlita revisorer eller andra rådgivare ändå. Baserat på resultaten från denna studie så kan vi inte någon anledning till att behålla revisionsplikten för små aktiebolag, ur ett bankperspektiv.</p>

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Oregon, 2000. / Typescript. Includes vita and abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 54-55). Also available for download via the World Wide Web; free to University of Oregon users.