This final thesis is focusing on internal audit. The objective of the thesis is to show the process of internal audit in practice and to assess whether the internal audit is effective and serves its purpose. I am describing the process of internal audit on a company providing services. Particular steps of this internal audit are being described in this thesis while the final report of the internal auditor is included. The report describes failures which occurred and the procedure of their resolution. I came to the conclusion that internal audit helps the organization to reduce the failures and mistakes risen up by ignorance, lack of attention or lack of knowledge. Following the results of the thesis I would recommend the companies not doing any internal audit to do so. Performing of the internal audit on the regular basis will allow achieving higher control over the activities and processes. Internal audit helps to gain and renew the quality certifications which are helping to become more competitive at the market.

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act mandates public companies to establish internal control systems and assess their effectiveness. Quarterly reports by all companies and annual reports by companies with less than $75 million public float (non-accelerated filers) do not require auditor’s attestation while annual reports by companies with $75 million or more public float (accelerated filers) do require such auditor attestations. Quarterly reports should provide early warning of any impending material weakness (MW) to be disclosed in subsequent annual filings. This dissertation explores three types of “surprise” MW disclosures—positive, negative and no surprise—and consequences of such surprise disclosures. In part one, I document the frequency of surprise MW disclosures and internal control factors that are associated with each surprise type by filer status. Results show that 78 (77) percent of accelerated (non-accelerated) MW disclosures are negative surprise MW disclosures during 2004-2016. Entity level MWs are more associated with no-surprise rather than negative or positive surprise MW disclosures. In part two, I examine some consequences of surprise MW disclosures. The results show that companies with MW disclosures are more likely to dismiss their auditors and CFOs, and experience more shareholder voting against auditor ratification, compared to companies that issue clean reports. Auditor dismissal and CFO turnover are equally likely at negative and no-surprise MW disclosure companies. However, negative surprise accelerated filer companies’ shareholders are more likely to vote against auditor ratification than no-surprise accelerated filer companies. The third essay investigates the association between MW disclosures and audit fees. The results indicate that there is a significant positive association between audit fees and MW disclosures. Further, the results show that audit fees are higher at no-surprise companies than at negative surprise companies. The fourth essay focuses on audit report lag. The results indicate that MWs are associated with increased audit report lags, for both accelerated and non-accelerated filers. Further, surprise MW firms are more likely to experience increased audit report lag than no-surprise MW firms. Overall the results suggest that adverse internal control reports have consequences, and that the consequences vary between surprise and no-surprise MW firms. The results provide relevant empirical evidence to the ongoing debate on the necessity and efficacy of SOX Section 404 requirements.

This study examines whether there is an association between the length of the client-auditor relationship and audit quality, using absolute unexpected accruals estimated by industry as a measure of audit quality based on a modified Jones model. The study is motivated by the proposal on mandatory audit firm rotation for publicly traded companies from the European Commission, which is based on the notion that longer auditor firm tenure creates a familiarity threat which reduces the audit quality. Both the relation between audit quality and auditor partner tenure and audit firm tenure is examined in this study, using multivariate regression controlling for auditor type (Big 4 versus non-Big 4), signing auditors (one versus two auditors), firm size, profitability, leverage and age. There is a significant negative relationship between audit quality and audit partner tenure when only companies employing Big 4 is tested, which indicate that auditors constrain managements extreme accounting measures with longer tenure. The results provide no significant evidence of an increase in the absolute unexpected accruals with audit firm tenure, when only Big 4 companies are tested. The results also overall suggest that the audit quality is lower for shorter tenure relative to longer tenure, which is consistent with previous studies. The results of this study therefore implies that under the current regime with no obligation of firm rotation, longer audit tenure is on average associated with auditors in greater extent constraining managements extreme accounting choices. The results therefore do not support the call for mandatory rotation. However, the majority of the regression results were not statistically significant, which limits the possibility to apply these results to a population outside the scope of this study. / Revisorers oberoende i förhållande till sina klienter har under de senaste åren med anledning av finanskrisen samt de omtalade revisionsskandalerna medfört diskussioner om huruvida den befintliga lagstiftningen som reglerar revisorers arbete är tillräcklig. Det har även diskuterats om det behöver vidtas ytterligare åtgärder för att säkerställa revisorernas oberoende. Som ett led att stärka revisorernas oberoende har Europeiska Kommissionen lagt på förslag att införa obligatorisk byrårotation för publika bolag. Det har redan införts obligatorisk revisorsrotation. Dock anser emellertid kommissionen att detta inte är tillräckligt, då långa revisionsbyråuppdrag kan vara skadliga för oberoendet på grund av att det med tiden kan skapas en vänskaplig relation mellan revisionsbyrån och klienten. Majoriteten av tidigare forskning på området har emellertid inte funnit stöd för att varken långa partneruppdrag eller byråuppdrag skulle vara skadliga för revisionskvaliteten som omfattar revisorers oberoende. I studien undersöks således huruvida det finns ett samband mellan längden på revisionsuppdraget och revisionskvaliteten. Studiens syfte är därmed att undersöka om längden på partneruppdraget och byråuppdraget påverkar revisionskvaliteten. Utifrån studiens resultat syftar studien även till att kommentera rimligheten i Europeiska Kommissionens förslag på införandet av obligatorisk byrårotation. Studien utgår ifrån ett intressentperspektiv, eftersom det i slutändan är intressenter såsom aktieägare, investerare, långivare, anställda, kunder och staten som drabbas av de negativa konsekvenserna av att revisorer inte är oberoende i sin granskning, då tillförlitligheten till årsredovisningarna minskar.    De teoretiska utgångspunkterna baseras på tidigare forskning inom revision och företagsekonomi. I studien tillämpas teorier och tidigare forskningsresultat som främst gäller revisionskvalitet, vinstmanipulering och längden på partner- samt byråuppdraget i syfte att beskriva den befintliga forskningen som vid tiden för studien behandlar ämnet. En kvantitativ metod med ett deduktivt angreppssätt efter den positivistiska synssättet har använts för att på bästa möjliga sätt undersöka studiens uppställda problem och syfte. Urvalet består av publika bolag börsnoterade på NASDAQ OMX Nordics Large, Mid och Small Cap listor. I linje med tidigare studier används oväntade periodiseringar beräknad utifrån branschtillhörighet som mått på revisionskvalitet.    Resultaten visar att partnerlängden är signifikant negativt associerad med de absoluta oväntade periodiseringarna när endast företag reviderade av Big 4 studeras, vilket indikerar att revisorer begränsar företagsledningens möjlighet att genomföra extrema redovisningsbeslut i takt med att längden på partneruppdraget ökar. Resultaten ger inget stöd för att långa byråuppdrag påverkar revisionskvaliteten negativt, detta då inga signifikanta samband observerades. Studiens resultat visar även att korta revisionsuppdrag överlag har högre oväntade periodiseringar i förhållande till längre uppdrag. Studien ger således inget stöd för införandet av obligatorisk byrårotation.

Slopandet av revisionsplikten har lett till att små bolag står mellan valet att anlita revisor eller inte. Studiens syfte har varit att utforska hur den upplevda nyttan med revision påverkar valet att anlita revisor eller inte för etablerade och nyetablerade bolag. Undersökningen genomfördes genom en kvalitativ undersökningsmetod vars syfte var att få en djupgående förståelse för vilka faktorer som påverkar valet att anlita eller inte anlita en revisor i etablerade samt nyetablerade bolag.  Genom intervjuer har studien undersökt vilka faktorer ägarna i både etablerade och nyetablerade anser påverkar valet att anlita revisor. Studiens teoretiska referensram är baserad på agentteorin, legitimitetsteorin, institutionellateorin samt intressentteorin. Referensramen ligger sedan till grund för insamlingen av empiri och genomförande av analysen. Den upplevda revisionsnyttan kunde analyseras genom att vi identifierade olika faktorer som anses påverka valet av att anlita revisor. Enligt studien kan vi inte påvisa någon åtskillnad angående revisionens upplevda nytta mellan etablerade och nyetablerade bolag. Studien visar indikationer på att faktorer som kunskapstillförsel, förbättring, försäkring, tradition, trygghet och legitimitet förklarar vad ägarna anser vara nyttan med revision. Vidare är dessa faktorer bidragande orsaker till att etablerade och nyetablerade bolag väljer att anlita en revisor. / The removal of the auditor requirement has led to the fact that a small company stands between hiring an auditor or not. The purpose of the study was to explore how the perceived usefulness of auditing affects the choice of hiring an auditor or not, for established and new established companies. The survey was conducted through a qualitative research method whose purpose was to gain an in-depth understanding of the factors that influence the above mentioned choice regarding established and new established companies. Through interviews, the study examined the factors the owners in both established and new established companies consider to affect the choice to hire auditor. The theoretical framework is based on agent theory, legitimacy theory, institutional theory and stakeholder theory. The framework is the basis for the collection of empirical data and the analysis. The perceived usefulness of hiring an auditor could be analyzed in that we identified various factors considered to influence the choice of hiring an auditor. According to the study, we can not show any distinction regarding auditing perceived benefit between established and newly established companies. The study shows indications that factors such as the supply of knowledge, improvement, insurance, tradition, security and legitimacy explains what the owners consider to be the benefits of auditing. Furthermore, these factors are contributing causes in why established and newly established companies choose to hire an auditor.

Revisorerna upprätthåller en viktig funktion som oberoende bedömare av ekonomisk information som regleras genom lagar och förordningar. I dagens samhälle är det viktigt för företag att upprätta pålitliga årsredovisningar för sina intressenter. Det är ett komplext uppdrag för revisorer att göra en adekvat bedömning av företagets fortsatta drift om going concern-varningar skall utfärdads som inte får leda till felbedömningar. Detta eftersom effekterna av sådana medför stora konsekvenser för både företagen och revisionsbyråerna. Utfärdandet av going concern-varningar kan i sin tur resultera i så väl stora intäktsbortfall för revisionsföretagen som negativa signaler till företagets intressenter som kan medföra stora konsekvenser. Exempel på åtgärder är att företaget byter ut sina revisorer eller att företaget begärs i konkurs, det vill säga att den självuppfyllande profetian går i uppfyllelse. Uppsatsens syfte är att visa om det finns ett samband mellan de förlorade revisionsarvodena vid utfärdandet av en första going concern-varning av svenska revisorer. Dessutom skall uppsatsen visa om det existerar ett samband mellan utfärdandet av going concern-varningar och sannolikheten för konkurs för de reviderade företagen.  Uppsatsen tillämpar en kvantitativ metod för att förklara sambanden. Detta sker genom att en testgrupp på 169 företag har selekterats som erhållit en första going concern-varning för bokslutsåret 2009. Testgruppen har jämförts med en kontrollgrupp på 169 företag som är lika finansiellt stressade men inte erhållit en going concern-varning. För att bevisa huruvida något samband existerar tillämpas statistiska beräkningar. Uppsatsens resultat fastställer att ett samband existerar mellan utfärdandet av en första going concern-varning och revisorsbyte. Ju längre ett revisorsuppdrag har pågått desto mindre är sannolikheten för att en going concern-varning skall utfärdas. Däremot visar undersökningen att det inte finns något samband mellan utfärdandet av going concern-varningar och företagskonkurser vilket också tyder på att det inte finns stöd för den självuppfyllande profetians existens. / The auditors maintain an essential roll as an independent authority for control of financial information governed by rules and regulations. In the modern society it’s crucial for the companies to present correct information within annual reports for the stakeholders. It’s a complex task for the auditors to make an adequate judgment of the companies ongoing business if an audit modified opinion should be issued which may not lead to any misjudgements. As the results of such a misjudgement will have huge consequences for both client and auditor. Issuing a going concern modified audit opinion may result in large loss of revenues for the auditors as well as negative information to the stakeholders of the company which may lead to serious consequences for the business of the company. As example on measures taken by the company is to replace their auditors or that the company files for bankruptcy, which means that the self-fulfilling prophecy is accomplished. The purpose of this paper is to show if it exists a correlation between the losses of auditors revenues when issuing a first going concern modified audit opinion by Swedish auditors. In addition this paper will prove if it exists a correlation between issuing a going concern modified audit opinion and the probability of bankruptcy for the revised company. This paper applies a quantitative method to explain the correlations. This analysis is made by the selection of a test group of 169 companies which have received a first going concern modified audit opinion during the financial year of 2009. The test group has been compared by a control group of 169 companies which are financial distressed but have not received a going concern modified audit opinion. To prove whether if it exist any correlations statistical calculations is applied. The results of this paper determine the existence of a correlation between issuing a first going concern modified audit opinion and audit switch. The longer the audit tenure has lasted the lesser is the probability that a going concern modified audit opinion to be issued. However this paper finds no evidence of any correlation between issuing of a going concern modified audit opinion and company bankruptcy which reject the existence of self-fulfilling prophecy.

Inom den kommunala revisionen samarbetar förtroendevalda och externa revisorer för att tillsammans genomföra en granskning av kommunens räkenskaper och förvaltning. Kommunfullmäktige utser politiskt utvalda förtroendevalda revisorer och de ska enligt kommunallagen biträdas av externa revisorer för att kunna fullgöra sitt uppdrag utifrån god revisionssed. Majoriteten av kommunerna i Skåne väljer att upphandla en extern revisionsbyrå på marknaden, där PwC, KPMG samt EY tillhörande the Big 4 konkurrerar om att bli upphandlade. Relationen mellan de externa och förtroendevalda revisorerna är outforskad och syftet med uppsatsen är att undersöka relationen mellan de förtroendevalda revisorerna och de externa revisorerna, och vidare granska hur samarbetet fungerar och för vem revisionen skapar värde.   Tre kommuner i Skåne har medverkat i uppsatsen där tre förtroendevalda samt fyra externa revisorer från kommunernas upphandlade revisionsbyrå intervjuats. Utifrån studiens empiriska material har tre aspekter av relationen identifierats: relationens uppkomst, relationens utformning samt relationens slutliga framställning. Relationen uppstår efter en upphandlingsprocess där relationens utformning bland annat influeras av de fem elementen reliance, competence, independence, earlier work performancesamt trust. De förtroendevalda revisorerna måste uppleva en tillit till det arbete som de externa revisorerna utför eftersom de externa framställer underlag, rapporter och revisionsberättelsen åt de förtroendevaldas vägnar. Competence, independence, earlier work performancehar en inverkan på graden av upplevd relianceoch trustär ett element som är av stor vikt för ett effektivt samarbete och revisionskvalitén. Relationens slutliga framställning är en revisionsberättelse som är tänkt att bidra som underlag till kommunfullmäktige och skapa värde för allmänheten. / The municipal audit system in Sweden consists of political appointed and external auditors that together audit the municipality's accounts and management. The municipal council elects politically appointed auditors, which are assisted by external auditors in order to fulfill their assignment according to the Swedish municipal law. The majority of the municipalities acquire external auditors from PwC, KPMG or EY. The relationship between the political and the external auditors is unexplored and the purpose of this thesis is to investigate the relationship between the political and the external auditors, and examine how the cooperation works and to whom the audit system creates value for.  Three political auditors and four external auditors from three municipalities were interviewed. Based on the empirical material, three aspects of the relationship have been identified: the origin of the relation, the relationship's configuration and the relationship's final output. The relationship begins when the municipality selects an external audit firm. The relationship's configuration is influenced by five elements: reliance, competence, independence, earlier work performance and trust. The political auditors experience a high level of confidence in the work made by the external auditors, as the external auditors construct the audit reports on behalf of the political auditors. Competence, independence and earlier work performance have an impact on the extent of reliance and trust is of great importance for an effective collaboration. The output of the relationship is an audit report that is intended to be of value for both the council and the public.

Tidigare forskning har identifierat vilka kärnvärden och mervärden klientföretagen kan uppfatta av revisorn. Forskningen har visat att värdet som klientföretagen uppfattar av revisorn varierar beroende på olika faktorer. Däremot har det oss veterligen inte lagts något fokus på att undersöka huruvida klientföretags uppfattade värde av revisorn påverkas av klientföretagets branschtillhörighet. Syftet med uppsatsen är att förklara huruvida klientföretags uppfattade värde av revisorn påverkas av klientföretagets branschtillhörighet. Studiens tänkta bidrag är att kunna förklara ytterligare varför klientsföretags uppfattade värde av revisorn skiljer sig åt mellan olika klientföretag. För att svara på syftet har teori om koncepten kärnvärdet (försäkran, förbättring och försäkring) och mervärdet (relationen och råd) av revisorn använts. Det har konstruerats hypoteser samt en modell utifrån argumentation kring kapitalintensiva och kunskapsintensiva branscher. För att testa hypoteserna och modellen användes en webbaserad enkätundersökning riktad mot klientföretag från en kapitalintensiv och kunskapsintensiv bransch. Resultatet av studien visar att klientföretagens branschtillhörighet är en förklarande faktor för koncepten kärnvärde och mervärde. Mer specifikt kan vi se att förbättring, relationen och råd förklaras av branschtillhörighet. Studiens slutsats är således att branschtillhörighet är en förklarande faktor till klientföretagens uppfattade värde av revisorn. Studiens teoretiska bidrag är att branschtillhörighet kan adderas till de förklarande faktorerna av klientföretags uppfattade värde av revisorn. Studiens praktiska bidrag är att revisorer kan förstå att värdet klientföretag uppfattar av revisorn skiljer sig åt mellan klientföretag, vilket är av större vikt sedan avregleringen av revisionsplikten för att revisorn ska kunna fortsätta sälja sin tjänst. / Previous research has identified which core values and added-values companies can perceive of the auditor. Research has shown that client companies perceived value of the auditor differ between companies due to different factors. However, to our knowledge no one has studied if industry is an explanatory factor for the client company’s perceived value of the auditor. The purpose of the study is to explain if client companies perceived value of the auditor is affected by its industry. The study aims to further explain why client companies perceived value of the auditor differs between companies. To fulfill the purpose theory about core value (assurance, improvement and insurance) and added-value (relationship and advice) has been used. Hypotheses and a model has been constructed based on an argumentation about capital and knowledge intensive industries. To test the hypotheses and the model a survey was conducted among companies from capital and knowledge intensive industries. The results show that the client’s industry is an explanatory factor for core value and added-value. More specific can improvement, the relationship and advice be explained by industry. The conclusion is that industry is an explanatory factor for the client companies perceived value of the auditor. The theoretical contribution is that industry can be added to the explanatory factors of client companies’ perceived value of the auditor. The practical contribution is that auditors can understand that the perceived value of the auditor differ between companies, which is important since the abundance of the statutory audit to continuing selling their service.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-03-15T19:32:25Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Francisco Angelo Antunes.pdf: 675685 bytes, checksum: 426efb87cac081ba7d086b13f5a89079 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-11-17 / The development of the capitalist system has required more and more participation in the labor market of qualified professionals and the development process of capitalism in its various stages has led to constant changes in the structure of that market. Lately the changes in business in Brazil have been more applicants, mainly from the process of stabilization and liberalization of the economy, these changes, which has been accentuated in the current phase of increasing globalization. This study is a contribution for the research of the emergence and evolution of the activity of the independent auditor in Brazil. The study also presents a brief comparative analysis of the development process of this activity in Brazil with that presented in other countries and also an assessment of the contribution that the activity can bring to society. For this, a search was conducted based on the sociology of professions, in order to understand how this specialization has become institutionalized, narrowed its field of operation in the country and whether it is or not, in the process of becoming from a field of accounting to autonomous profession. The research method used was the historiography, based on the model developed by Larson (1977) called Professional Project. We also conducted interviews with teachers and recognized experts in the area and the results were analyzed by the methodological approach of content analysis, which was based on the model developed by Bardin (2004). The results suggest that the process of professionalization of the independent auditor is still ongoing and for now does not meet all the requirements necessary and sufficient to be considered, from the perspective of the sociology of professions, a full profession. Although the activity already meets most of these requirements, there are still some steps to go. / O desenvolvimento do sistema capitalista tem requerido cada vez mais a participação, no mercado de trabalho, de profissionais qualificados, e o processo de desenvolvimento do capitalismo vem provocando constantes alterações na estrutura desse mercado. Ultimamente as mudanças no mundo dos negócios brasileiro têm sido mais recorrentes, principalmente a partir do processo de estabilização e abertura da economia, processo que tem se acentuado na atual fase de globalização econômica. A presente pesquisa é uma contribuição ao estudo do surgimento e da evolução da atividade do auditor independente no Brasil. O estudo apresenta também uma breve análise comparativa do processo de desenvolvimento dessa atividade no Brasil com o apresentado em outros países e, ainda, uma avaliação sobre a contribuição que a atividade pode trazer à sociedade. Para tanto, foi realizada uma pesquisa fundamentada na Sociologia das Profissões, com o objetivo de entender como esta especialização se institucionalizou, delimitou seu campo de atuação no país e se está, ou não, em processo de se transformar, de especialização contábil, em profissão autônoma. O método de pesquisa utilizado foi o historiográfico, baseado no modelo desenvolvido por Larson (1977) de estratégia profissional (Professional Project). Foram também realizadas entrevistas com professores e profissionais de renome e experiência reconhecida na área, e o resultado foi analisado pela abordagem metodológica da análise de conteúdo, que se baseou no estudo desenvolvido por Bardin (2004). Os resultados obtidos sugerem que o processo de profissionalização do auditor independente ainda está em curso e, por ora, não atende a todos os requisitos necessários e suficientes para ser considerada, sob a ótica da Sociologia das Profissões, uma profissão plena. Embora a atividade já atenda à maioria desses requisitos, ainda existem algumas etapas a percorrer.

Submitted by Estagiário SPT BMHS (spt@fgv.br) on 2013-08-08T15:01:44Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação Antonio Carlos dos Santos Guedes.pdf: 287431 bytes, checksum: fcf1b56859f877ad75d364f1354808be (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Estagiário SPT BMHS (spt@fgv.br) on 2013-08-08T15:02:05Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação Antonio Carlos dos Santos Guedes.pdf: 287431 bytes, checksum: fcf1b56859f877ad75d364f1354808be (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Estagiário SPT BMHS (spt@fgv.br) on 2013-08-08T15:02:16Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação Antonio Carlos dos Santos Guedes.pdf: 287431 bytes, checksum: fcf1b56859f877ad75d364f1354808be (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2013-08-08T15:02:33Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação Antonio Carlos dos Santos Guedes.pdf: 287431 bytes, checksum: fcf1b56859f877ad75d364f1354808be (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008 / O objetivo deste trabalho é investigar a relação existente entre a ressalva imposta no parecer da auditoria independente e a reapresentação exigida pelo Banco Central, a existência de forte correlação entre haver ressalva e reapresentação por exigência, indicariam que o parecer teria capacidade de antecipar exigência de reapresentação por parte do Banco Central. Selecionamos o grupo formado pelos bancos que tem ações negociadas na bolsa de valores e mapeamos as combinações formadas pelo tipo de parecer com o tipo de apresentação, de igual modo utilizamos este método em dois estratos da amostra, por porte da firma de auditoria e por haver ou não algum nível de Governança Corporativa. Os resultados não mostraram relação significativa entre parecer com ressalva e reapresentação, nem os estratos demonstraram percentuais significativamente melhores em relação aos demais estratos ou mesmo em relação à amostra. Concluímos que não há relação entre parecer e reapresentação por exigência, nem relevância com relação ao porte ou a governança corporativa, porém os resultados mostraram haver maior percentual de reapresentação espontânea no estrato por governança corporativa, o que indicaria um cuidado maior em relação às demonstrações independente do parecer da auditoria independente.

Submitted by Marcia Bacha (marcia.bacha@fgv.br) on 2013-10-25T18:38:27Z No. of bitstreams: 1 fabiano_pereira_santos.pdf: 474472 bytes, checksum: 40c5579375e54c5aa8a0d823b040c795 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Marcia Bacha (marcia.bacha@fgv.br) on 2013-10-25T18:38:40Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 fabiano_pereira_santos.pdf: 474472 bytes, checksum: 40c5579375e54c5aa8a0d823b040c795 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Marcia Bacha (marcia.bacha@fgv.br) on 2013-10-25T18:38:49Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 fabiano_pereira_santos.pdf: 474472 bytes, checksum: 40c5579375e54c5aa8a0d823b040c795 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2013-10-25T18:39:00Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 fabiano_pereira_santos.pdf: 474472 bytes, checksum: 40c5579375e54c5aa8a0d823b040c795 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008 / The main purpose of this study is to verify whether there is a relationship between the spontaneous change of an independent auditor and the qualified audit report issued in the previous year and also whether there is a positive relationship between the turnover of auditors and the issuing of qualified audit reports in the year of the turnover and subsequent years. This paper is justified by its proposal to scientifically evaluate the impact of the administration’s influence and adopting the auditing turnover in the independence of the external auditor, without bias by the interested of the professional involved, since this is solely a documental study. Therefore, one arrives at diverse hypotheses in regard to the occurrence of a qualified report as a factor that encourages the administration to change auditors and in relation to the mandatory turnover of auditors favoring the issuing of qualified reports. In addition to the documental study, this paper is also comprised of a review of the academic and specialized literature that is the basis for the made questions addressed. The results obtained after the considerations and verification observed in the bibliographic studies, and the tests results from the Chi-square statistics, verify that the administration is more favorable to changing auditing firms when it receives a report modified by relevant safety clauses and emphases than when it receives a clean report from the current auditing firm. Another verification is the absence of a relationship between adopting the mandatory auditing turnover and issuing modified reports in the years after such change takes place. / Esta pesquisa tem como objetivo principal verificar se há relação entre a troca espontânea da auditoria independente e o parecer não limpo emitido no ano anterior e também se há relação positiva entre o rodízio de auditores e a emissão de pareceres não limpos no ano do rodízio e nos seguintes. Justifica-se este trabalho pela proposta de avaliar cientificamente o impacto da influência da administração e da adoção do rodízio de auditoria na independência do auditor externo, sem ser enviesado pelos interesses dos profissionais envolvidos, uma vez que esta é uma pesquisa exclusivamente documental. Portanto, chega-se a diversas hipóteses quanto à ocorrência de parecer não limpo como fator motivador para a troca de auditores por parte da administração e quanto ao rodízio obrigatório de auditorias propiciando a emissão de pareceres não limpos. Além da pesquisa documental, este trabalho também é composto por revisão da literatura acadêmica e especializada, que fundamentam e respaldam as principais questões abordadas. Os resultados obtidos, após as considerações e constatações observadas nas pesquisas bibliográficas, e nos resultados dos testes da estatística qui-quadrado, verificam que a administração é mais propensa a trocar a firma de auditoria quando recebe um parecer modificado por ressalvas e ênfases relevantes que quando recebe um parecer limpo da firma de auditoria atual. Outra constatação é a ausência de relação entre a adoção do rodízio obrigatório de auditoria e a emissão de pareceres modificados nos anos após esta troca.