This study explores audit implications of shared leadership in client firms. Shared leadership via co-CEO appointments may lead to either suboptimal or optimal managerial decisions, depending on the conflicting or complementary dynamics between multiple CEOs. Analyzing data from 2002 to 2013 of...

Auditors' incentives to be conservative are likely to vary both cross-sectionally and over time based on their legal liability exposure. We predict that Big Eight (Six/Five) auditors are likely to be more conservative than non-Big Eight Auditors. We show that the earnings reported by Big Eight...