Financial scandals worldwide have led to an auditing profession crisis. Society has lost confidence in the profession because of a growing perception that it does not act in the public interest, but in its own interest only. The way in which the auditing profession is regulated may impact positively or negatively on the value of the audit function. Consequently there is danger that the profession may lose its very reason for existence. Conversely, the profession has an opportunity to re-invent itself, and by so doing, regain the trust of society. The South African auditing profession, as elsewhere, has begun to recognise this situation as an opportunity to introduce changes to the regulation of the profession. These regulations are the key to society’s willingness to trust the outcome of the audit process. While the current regulations are obviously flawed, it is believed that, once revised, society may regain confidence and trust in the profession and its services. To this end the Draft Auditing Profession Bill, 2004 was published in November 2004. In this thesis the profession’s regulations, including the Draft Auditing Profession Bill, 2004, are evaluated in terms of factors that are central to an effective and credible regulatory system. The burning issues involving the auditing profession are also identified in this study, and evaluated. In comparison with changes already made in other countries, it appears that those important regulatory system factors and the key public interest issues of credibility and trust are inadequately addressed by the proposed auditing profession regulations. The fundamental reasons for this failure are the proposed composition and financing of the regulator and associated bodies. Hence, in this study a normative framework for regulating the auditing profession in South Africa is proposed in an effort to regain society’s trust. / Thesis (DCom (Accounting Sciences))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Auditing / unrestricted

Professionell skepsis är en förutsättning för en fungerande revision och för att upprätthålla kvaliteten på revisionen krävs det av revisorerna att vara professionellt skeptiska. Det finns flera faktorer som påverkar hur revisorer kan upprätthålla kvaliteten på revisionen. Bland annat har den tidspress som revisorer utsätts för visat sig ha en negativ inverkan på revisionskvaliteten eftersom revisorer till följd av tidspress kan uppvisa dysfunktionella beteenden som kan innebära att de lägger ner mindre tid än vad som faktiskt behövs för att utföra en bra revision. Vidare finns det en utmaning för revisorer i de situationer där de ska granska verkliga värden om det inte finns några marknadspriser för tillgången eller skulden och redovisning till verkligt värde ska beräknas med hjälp av interna uppskattningar och beräkningar.Tidigare studier har undersökt hur tidspress och granskning av redovisning till verkligt värde påverkar revisionskvaliteten, men inte hur den professionella skepsisen påverkas av dessa två faktorer, trots att professionell skepsis är en förutsättning för en god revisionskvalitet. Tanken med denna undersökning är därför att beskriva och analysera hur revisorers professionella skepsis påverkas av dessa två faktorer. För att besvara studiens syfte skickades enkäter ut till totalt 3477 svenska kvalificerade revisorer varav 132 användbara svar inkom. Enkäten innehöll bakgrundsinformation om respondenten, frågor om revisorers professionella skepsis, granskning av redovisning till verkligt värde samt tidspress. Tillsammans utgjorde dessa basen för studiens analys och slutsats.Utifrån resultatet kan vi konstatera att revisorerna inte upplever särskilt stor tidspress utan tycker att tidsbudgetarna är relativt uppnåeliga trots att revisorerna till viss del agerar på ett dysfunktionellt sätt till följd av den tidspress som förekommer. Vidare pekar resultatet på att revisorer anser att de står inför en utmaning när det gäller granskning av redovisning till verkligt värde. Vi kan dra slutsatsen att varken tidspress eller granskning av redovisning till verkligt värde starkt påverkar revisorers professionella skepsis. Däremot visar resultatet ett svagt negativt samband mellan professionell skepsis och granskning av redovisning till verkligt värde. Den låga svarsfrekvensen på 3,8 procent gör det viktigt att påpeka att studiensslutsatser måste dras med stor försiktighet. / Professional skepticism is a prerequisite for a functioning audit and to maintain the quality of the audit it is required by the auditors to be professionally skeptical. There are several factors that affect how auditors can maintain the quality of the audit. Time budget pressure, for example, has shown to have a negative impact on audit quality since the auditors as a result of time budget pressure may show dysfunctional behavior. This means that auditors may spend less time that is actually required to perform a good audit. Furthermore, there is a challenge for the auditors in auditing fair value measurements if there is no active market for the asset or liability and when the fair value is calculated using internal estimates and calculations.Previous studies have examined how time pressure and audit of fair value measurements have affected audit quality, but not how auditors’ professional skepticism is directly affected by these two factors, despite the fact that professional skepticism is a prerequisite for a good audit quality. The aim of this study is to describe and analyze how the auditor's professionalskepticism is affected by these two selected factors.To answer the aim of the study questionnaires was sent out to a total of 3477 Swedish qualified auditors and we got 132 useful answers. The questionnaire included background information of the respondent, questions about auditor's professional skepticism, audit of fair value measurements and time budget pressure. These questions formed the base of the study's analysis and conclusionThe results indicate that auditors does not experience great time budget pressure but feel that the time budgets are relatively attainable although they still to a certain extent show dysfunctional behavior as a result of time budget pressure. The result also indicates that auditors feel that they face challenges when auditing fair value measurements. Further, we canbased on the result conclude that neither time budget pressure nor audit of fair value measurements strongly influence auditors’ professional skepticism. The results however, show a weak negative correlation between professional skepticism and audit of fair value measurements. The study's low response rate of 3.8 percent means that the results must be interpreted with great caution. / <p>160603</p>

The thesis is focused on process of external auditing with emphasis on the use of the work of other professionals. At the beginning it introduces the definition of external audit, historical development of auditing process, its objectives and legislation to the readers. Next item of the thesis is a comparison of the external audit with internal audit and specification of their relationship. The main part of the work is related to auditing process with emphasis on the use of the work of other professionals, which is illustrated on a fictional company called "Tipni si a vyhraj".

本研究檢測會計師事務所總所審計與分析師盈餘預測行為的相關性。以中國大陸2010年至2015年A股上市公司為研究對象，構造分析師盈餘預測行為的回歸模型，並以分析師追蹤人數、分析師盈餘預測準確度及預測分歧度三種特性進行分析。 研究結果顯示，會計師事務所總所審計與分析師追蹤人數、盈餘預測準確度皆呈顯著正相關，與預測分歧度呈顯著負相關。進一步檢測發現：總所的審計公費更高，經會計師事務所總所審計的企業，分析師更願意對其股票給予較高的投資評級。這也顯示會計師事務所總所付出的努力更多，審計品質更好，因而分析師對其會計資訊信賴程度更高，對該公司之追蹤意願更高，盈餘預測誤差與預測分歧度更低，分析師也更願意推薦其股票。 / The primary objective of this thesis is to explore the association between headquarter office auditors and analysts’ earnings behaviors. I use a sample of firm observations from China during 2010-2015. The main findings can be summarized as follows. I find that firms audited by headquarter office auditors have more analysts following compared to those audited by branch office auditors. Secondly, I find that analysts’ earnings forecasts are more accurate and less dispersed for firms audited by headquarter office auditors than firms audited by branch office auditors. Further analysis indicates that the reason for the above results is that headquarter office auditors exert more effort, measured as audit fees, than branch office auditors. Finally, the empirical results indicate that analysts make more favorable recommendations for firms audited by headquarter office auditors than for those audited by branch office auditors. Overall, the findings suggest that headquarter office auditors have better audit quality and in turn result in more analysts following and issuing higher-quality forecasts and favorable recommendations.

Diploma thesis focuses on internal audit and conditions for this job. At the beginning is some history and development of internal audit. Another part deals with internal audit, relation to the external audit and internal control systems. Other passage look into processing of internal audit and preparing of internal auditor's report. There are some requirements for person of internal auditor and his/her role in company. A part of thesis is devoted to Institute of internal auditors, membership terms and European confederation for institutes of internal auditors. Other part focuses on risks and frauds join with profession of internal auditors. Practical part deals with real situation of internal audit profession in private enterprise and banking sector.

In den letzten Jahren häuften sich spektakuläre Bilanzskandale, was zu einer „Krise der Überwachungssysteme“ geführt hat. Vor diesem Hintergrund beschäftigt sich die Studie mit der Untersuchung und der Würdigung des Managerverhaltens im Prüfungsverhältnis aus Interner Revision, Aufsichts- bzw. Verwaltungsrat und Abschlussprüfer im Vergleich deutscher und kamerunsicher Aktiengesellschaften. In der Studie sollen die wesentlichen Elemente ans Licht gebracht werden, welche die Interaktionsmuster und die unterschiedlichen Verhaltensstrategien charakterisieren, die von den Akteuren mittels der sich ihnen bietenden Freiräume genutzt werden können. Mit Hilfe der für jedes Land spezifischen rechtlichen Rahmenbedingungen werden die Interaktionen zwischen diesen Akteuren anhand eines Prüfungsdreiecks dargestellt bzw. aufgezeigt. Die Analyse des Zusammenspiels der Akteure bietet auch die Möglichkeit, die formelle und die informelle Macht der Akteure des Prüfungsprozesses Anhang ausgewählter Corporate-Governance-Theorien zu extrahieren. Auf diesen Charakteristika aufbauend wurde eine den einzelnen Aktiengesellschaft entsprechende Management-Typologie erstellt. Anschließendes Ziel der Studie ist die Entwicklung eines einheitlichen Corporate Governance Modells sowie die Formulierung von Empfehlungen zur Verbesserung der Überwachungsstruktur der Aktiengesellschaft.:Erster Teil: Gegenstand und theoretischer Rahmen der Untersuchung 1. Einleitung 2. Theoretischer Rahmen und Grundsätze der Corporate Governance Zweiter Teil: Rechtliche Grundlage der Corporate Governance deutscher und kamerunischer Aktiengesellschaften 3. Einblick in die Corporate-Governance-Systeme und die Organisationsstruktur der deutschen und kamerunischen AG 4. Überblick der Interaktionen zwischen den Überwachungsorganen und der Geschäftsleitung der deutschen und kamerunischen Aktiengesellschaften: die Entstehung eines Prüfungsdreiecks Dritter Teil: Auf der Suche nach einem geeigneten Governance-Modell der deutschen und kamerunischen Aktiengesellschaften 5. Charakteristiken des Managementmodells der SA/AG: Gemeinsamkeiten und Unterschiede der beiden Corporate-Governance-Systeme 6. Für die Verbesserung der Governance der AG/“SA“: Auf der Suche nach einer rationalen Organisation der Macht in der Aktiengesellschaft 7. Zusammenfassung / From the perspective of the spectacular accounting scandals that have led to a 'crisis of the monitoring systems', the study deals with the investigation and assessment of managerial behavior towards the internal audit, the supervisory board or the board of directors and the external auditor in German and Cameroonian public companies. The study thus aims to bring to light the essential elements that characterize the nature of the interactions and the different behavioral strategies that the actors can use through the freedom afforded to them. With the help of the legal frameworks specific to each country, the interactions between these actors are presented through an examination triangle. Based on the exchanges, it is also possible to extract the formal and informal power of the actors in the audit process Appendix of selected corporate governance theories. Based on these characteristics, we introduce a management typology corresponding to the individual public limited companies. Instead, the aim is to develop a unified corporate governance model and recommendations for improving the supervisory structure of the public limited company.:Erster Teil: Gegenstand und theoretischer Rahmen der Untersuchung 1. Einleitung 2. Theoretischer Rahmen und Grundsätze der Corporate Governance Zweiter Teil: Rechtliche Grundlage der Corporate Governance deutscher und kamerunischer Aktiengesellschaften 3. Einblick in die Corporate-Governance-Systeme und die Organisationsstruktur der deutschen und kamerunischen AG 4. Überblick der Interaktionen zwischen den Überwachungsorganen und der Geschäftsleitung der deutschen und kamerunischen Aktiengesellschaften: die Entstehung eines Prüfungsdreiecks Dritter Teil: Auf der Suche nach einem geeigneten Governance-Modell der deutschen und kamerunischen Aktiengesellschaften 5. Charakteristiken des Managementmodells der SA/AG: Gemeinsamkeiten und Unterschiede der beiden Corporate-Governance-Systeme 6. Für die Verbesserung der Governance der AG/“SA“: Auf der Suche nach einer rationalen Organisation der Macht in der Aktiengesellschaft 7. Zusammenfassung

I Sverige begränsas allmänna och publika bolags totala uppdragstid för en revisor genom ett flertal lagbestämmelser samt kontinuerliga revisors- och byrårotationer. Mindre aktiebolag i Sverige hamnar dock ofta utanför dessa bestämmelser, vilket resulterar i att den enskilde revisorn i hög grad behöver utgå ifrån principbaserade bestämmelser vid svåra avvägningar. De principbaserade bestämmelserna har varit föremål för förändring under de senaste åren, eftersom uppdragstiderna oftast är betydligt längre i mindre bolag gentemot stora bolag. Detta skapar ett spelrum som ställer högre krav på att revisorn agerar utefter en moralnivå som passar yrket för att uppfylla den integritet och objektivitet som yrket kräver, samt för att undvika att oberoendeställningen påverkas eller kritiseras av samhället. Syftet med uppsatsen var att kvalitativt utreda hur olika revisorer uppfattar problematiken kring deras oberoendeställning, som är förknippat med uppdragstiden. Genom att identifiera revisorers individuella uppfattningar kring integritet, objektivitet och deras oberoendeställning har det även kunnat att därefter att analysera vad för påverkningar deras etiska perspektiv samt moraliska nivå har, således förklarar denna uppsats hur deras oberoendeställning kan påverkas av en bestämd uppdragstid i mindre bolag. Resultatet visar att det finns vissa skillnader i hur revisorer ser på problematiken gällande oberoende förknippad till uppdragstiden, eftersom de revisorer som ingick i studien resonerade utifrån olika etiska perspektiv samt olika nivåer av moral men i slutändan hade de liknande uppfattningar kring detta område. / In Sweden, general and public companies' total assignment time for an auditor is limited through a several of legal provisions and continuous auditors and agency rotations. However, smaller limited companies in Sweden often end up outside these regulations, which results in the individual auditor needs to be largely based on principle-based regulations for difficult trade-offs. The principle-based regulations have been the subject of change in recent years, as assignment times are usually considerably longer in smaller companies towards large companies. This creates a space for maneuver that places higher demands that the auditor acts along a moral level that fits the profession to fulfill the integrity and objectivity to which the profession requires, as well as to avoid the fact that the independence is affected or criticized by society. The purpose of the study was to qualitatively investigate how different auditors perceive the problem of independence, which is associated with the mission time. Resultatet visar att det finns vissa skillnader i hur revisorer ser på problematiken gällande oberoende förknippad till uppdragstiden, eftersom de som ingick i studien resonerade utifrån olika etiska perspektiv samt olika nivåer av moral. Men i slutändan hade de liknande uppfattningar kring detta område. By identifying auditors' individual perceptions of integrity, objectivity and their independence has done it possible to analyses what kind of affections their ethical perspective and level of moral has, by other words does this study explains how auditors' independence can getting affected by designed assignment time in smaller companies. The result shows that there are some differences in how auditors look at the problems regarding independence associated to designed assignment time for smaller companies, since the auditors' that were included in this study reasoned based on different ethical perspective and levels of morality. But in the end did they have similar perceptions regarding this area.

The master´s thesis is focused on the external audit. It is about a description of each stages and procedures for the audit of financial statements by an auditor. In the practical part, theoretical knowledge is applied to the selected corporations with focusing on audit procedures in the field of tangible and intangible fixed assets. The thesis contains descriptions of identified mistakes of each individual corporations and suggested solutions to overcome them.

The thesis deals with the audit of the financial statements of the selected company. In the theoretical part, there is the general knowledge about the auditing, the audit legislation, the procedure of financial statements audit and the auditing issues from the audited company's perspective. The next separate part concerns Austrian auditors. The practical part applies the selected audit procedures in the audited company and analyzes the preparation of the audited company for the audit. The proposal part contains the recommendations for the organization of accounting work within this preparation.

My main intention of this thesis is to describe the preparation for the re-certification audit of the integrated management system in the way someone else except for me has a benefit from my experience in this area. I will depict which actions have to be done, what, when and how it has to be checked. In all parts, not just in the project one, I will try to integrate some advices into the text, e.g. how the internal auditors should behave. As this thesis is finished after the end of the audit, I will be able to strike a balance of my proposals according to the results of the audit.