This study examines whether influenza (flu), a potential threat to the conduct of public company audits in the U.S., is associated with audit outcomes. Because the peak months of flu season overlap with audit busy season, audit offices most impacted by the flu may be adversely affected. The...

This is the first large-scale academic study evaluating the impact of COVID-19 on the accounting profession. We find that physical restrictions and economic hardships resulting from COVID-19 impeded accountants’ productivity, ability to perform their work, ability to maintain relationships...

International and U.S. accounting and auditing standard setters have focused considerable attention and rule making around group audits and in particular the reporting quality of subsidiary entities. We examine how membership in a consolidated group and the related group audit affects the...

This paper presents the first comprehensive analysis of what judges have written about forensic accounting experts in federal and state court decisions. The earliest opinion was issued in 1982, but the majority of the cases (31 out of 40) were decided by federal and state courts during the...

Internal audit activity is a process that is performed on the analysis of risks activities and is designed to add value to the auditee. Internal audit activity should be planned in a manner that we ensure that the tasks The audit will be conducted in conditions of economy, efficiency,...

We examine the role of discretionary investments that affect the production of audits of multiple clients. Given such investments and their associated joint fixed costs, the investment decision and production of audit services must be analyzed over a client portfolio, rather than on an...

At the level of public discourse the debate surrounding European sovereign debt crises has become polarised between the need for greater levels of public spending cuts and privatisation (‘austerity') and the need to use government investment or reductions in regulatory policies to bring about...

Auditor independence was a global concern of financial regulators in the 1990's. Some observers saw this in a positive light, a natural development. Adjusting auditor independence rules was a manifestation of global convergence in corporate governance structures. New rules, especially rules...

In the model there are two types of financial auditors with identical technology, one of which is endowed with a prior reputation for honesty. We characterize conditions under which there exists a 'two-tier equilibrium' in which 'reputable' auditors refuse bribes offered by clients for fear of...

In the model there are two types of financial auditors with identical technology, one of which is endowed with a prior reputation for honesty. We characterize conditions under which there exists a "two-tier equilibrium" in which "reputable" auditors refuse bribes offered by clients for fear of...