Inadequate testing of fair value accounting estimates, including goodwill, is often cited as an audit deficiency in PCAOB inspection reports, and, in some cases, these deficiencies have led to enforcement actions against the auditor. As a result of these issues, the PCAOB recently proposed a new...

Although "good" companies have incentives to signal their types by listing in the strict regulatory environment of the US, there have been an unprecedented number of recent accounting frauds by US-listed Chinese companies. We argue that the traditional bonding argument failed for US-listed...

This paper examines the relationship between board characteristics and external audit fees for Fortune 1000 companies. Competing arguments exist regarding the possible relationship between board characteristics and fees.One view is that a more independent, diligent, and expert board would be...

This study examines the relation between the composition of financially distressed firms' audit committees and the likelihood of receiving going-concern reports. For firms experiencing financial distress during 1994, we find that the greater the percentage of affiliated directors on the audit...

Accounting scandals and concerns about the quality of financial statements have led to many calls for improved audit committee effectiveness. Prior research indicates that audit committee independence is positively related to effective oversight of the financial reporting process. Unfortunately,...