The Impact of COVID-19 on the Quality of Auditing from the Point of View of Jordanian Certified Public Accountants

Abstract

The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on audit quality from the perspective of Jordanian Certified Public Accountants. It also aims to identify any differences in the views of Jordanian Certified Public Accountants regarding this impact based on respondents' demographic characteristics such as gender, academic qualification, scientific specialization, job title, years of experience in audit, and professional certifications. A quantitative approach was used in this study, where 150 questionnaires were distributed to 150 Jordanian certified public accountants, and 144 questionnaires were retrieved (27 of them were incomplete), resulting in 117 questionnaires being used for statistical analysis. The results of the study indicated that the COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on audit quality through the dimensions of audit fees, going concern assessment, audit procedures, auditor's experience, audit period, and audit firm size. The results also showed that there were differences in the views of Jordanian Certified Public Accountants regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on audit quality based on academic qualification, job title, and years of experience in auditing, while no differences were attributed to gender, scientific specialization, and professional certifications of the respondents. Based on the study's findings, the researcher provides several recommendations, including: Audit firms should prioritize the development of skills and experiences of their employees through alternative training programs and remote work arrangements. Audit firms should also review their audit processes and procedures to adapt to the new business environment created by the COVID-19 pandemic. Regulatory bodies should consider reviewing their oversight standards to address the exceptional challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic especially with regard to auditing and quality auditing.