The article focuses on financial statement fraud based on cases wherein the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission sanctioned auditors for their association with fraudulent financial statements. All of the cases involved public companies, most of which engaged ill fraudulent financial...

We examine internal auditors' fraud risk decisions in response to variations in audit committee quality and management performance incentives. Using an experimental approach, we find that internal auditors serving in a either a self-assessment role or a due diligence role were sensitive to...

Prior research has shown that when auditors are aware of overall risk information from procedures performed earlier in the audit, halo effects in subsequent judgments result (e.g., O'Donnell and Schultz 2005). The purpose of this study is to examine whether such effects occur in the context of...

This descriptive study analyzes deficiency data disclosed in peer review reports of the AICPA's Center for Public Company Audit Firms Peer Review Program (CPCAF PRP). We analyze the reports of the largest 20 triennially inspected firms that have both a PCAOB inspection report and a CPCAF peer...

Internal audit quality is an issue of great importance to both the internal and external audit professions. PCAOB Auditing Standard No 2 highlights this importance when addressing the reliance that the external auditor can place on the internal audit work product. The study discussed here...

This paper examines the relations between three board characteristics (independence, diligence, and expertise) and Big 6 audit fees for Fortune 1000 companies. To protect its reputation capital, avoid legal liability, and promote shareholder interests, a more independent, diligent, and expert...

We examine changes in internal auditing during the time of the Enron and WorldCom disasters and the related legislative and media focus on internal control and corporate governance. Data gathered from 271 mid-sized US public companies reveal that internal audit budgets, staffing levels, meetings...

This study examines whether client satisfaction can help explain cross-sectional variation in Big 6 audit fees paid by Fortune 1000 clients. After controlling for other factors related to audit fees (including audit quality attributes), client satisfaction with the audit team is positively...