International Auditing And Assurance Standards Board Research Articles

Comments of the AFAANZ Auditing and Assurance Standards Committee on Proposed International Standard on Auditing 570 (Revised) Going Concern

AbstractThe International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB) issued for public comment Proposed International Standard on Auditing 570 (Revised) Going Concern. The Australian Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (AUASB) and New Zealand Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (NZAuASB) also called for comments. The Auditing and Assurance Standards Committee of AFAANZ prepared a submission, based on the findings reported in extant research, informing a number of the questions asked by the IAASB. This technical note presents the formal submission made to the IAASB.

Comments on Exposure Draft for Proposed ISSA 5000, sustainability assurance engagements by the Auditing and Assurance Standards Committee of AFAANZ

AbstractThe Exposure Draft for Proposed International Standard on Sustainability Assurance (ISSA) 5000 has been issued by the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB) because there is increasing demand by stakeholders for assurance of sustainability information. Our recommendations include: (i) a more flexible approach to ethics and quality management instead of the requirements for standards that are at least as demanding as the accounting profession's standards; (ii) more differentiation between the requirements for limited as opposed to reasonable assurance and (iii) more cautious use of the term materiality and clearer definitions of the different materiality concepts to avoid potential confusion.

A COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS OF THE IMPACT OF GLOBALIZATION ON AUDITING STANDARDS

This article examines the profound impact of globalization on auditing standards, unraveling the complexities faced by auditors in an increasingly interconnected global economy. As businesses extend their operations across borders, auditors grapple with diverse regulatory frameworks, cultural nuances, and evolving business practices. The literature review reveals a compelling narrative, highlighting the imperative for harmonized auditing standards in the face of globalization. The International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB) plays a pivotal role in formulating and updating standards to align with the intricacies of a borderless economy. Technological advancements, particularly in data analytics and artificial intelligence, are transforming audit methodologies, enhancing efficiency, and addressing global financial challenges. Challenges emerge in adapting to local variations, requiring auditors to strike a delicate balance between standardization and cultural adaptability. Collaboration and communication among auditors, regulators, and standard-setting bodies emerge as critical elements for success in this dynamic global auditing landscape.

Evaluating the Use of International Standards for Assurance Engagements by Nonaccounting Practitioners

SUMMARY When last revising the International Standard for Assurance Engagements (ISAE) 3000, the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB) determined that it is in the “public interest” for all competent practitioners (including nonaccounting practitioners) to use the ISAEs. The IAASB imposed conditions on such use, that an engagement’s underpinning ethics and quality control frameworks should be disclosed in the assurance report. Although this explicit determination may encourage wider use of ISAEs by nonaccounting practitioners, the conditions imposed may also act as a deterrent. Using a pre-post design on 2,282 international assurance engagements undertaken by nonaccounting practitioners, we identify increased use of ISAEs and greater disclosure of underpinning ethics and quality control frameworks, although some breaches remain. We further find that switches to ISAEs by nonaccounting practitioners have resulted in enhanced transparency of assurance procedures and independence in the assurance report and an increased share of the assurance services market.

Audit evidence, technology, and judgement: A review of the literature in response to ED‐500

AbstractIn October 2022, the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB) issued Exposure Draft 500 (ED‐500). This is focused on revising and integrating the standard auditors use when evaluating audit evidence during an external audit. This study contributes to the ongoing discourse as the IAASB evaluates feedback to ED‐500 and executes its standard‐setting agenda. We review academic literature published in the past 10 years to synthesize extant knowledge specifically on the use of technology and the application of professional skepticism during audit evidence evaluation. Our review offers factors the IAASB should consider when seeking to modernize and future‐proof its standards, suggesting improvements to the proposed ED‐500. We also identify fruitful avenues for future academic research.

The Quality Management System – A New Approach to The Continuous Improvement of The Quality of Audit Missions

Regulatory norms are periodically renewed. In this regard, International Standards on Auditing (ISA), including quality standards, are no exception as they continue to generate increased interest in the current context. Therefore, the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB) has published a set of new and revised standards on their website, to be implemented starting from December 15, 2022.

Comments of the AFAANZ Auditing and Assurance Standards Committee on Proposed International Standard on Auditing 500 (Revised) Audit Evidence

AbstractThe International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB) issued for public comment Proposed International Standard on Auditing 500 (Revised) Audit Evidence. The Australian Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (AUASB) and New Zealand Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (NZAuASB) also called for comments. The Auditing and Assurance Standards Committee of AFAANZ prepared a submission, based on the findings reported in extant research, responding to a number of the questions asked by the IAASB (and AUASB/NZAuASB). This technical note presents the formal submission made to the IAASB.

An analysis of comment letters on a new, stand-alone standard for audits of less complex entities’ financial statements

PurposeThe objective of this paper is to extend the debate on audit quality in the less complex entity (LCE) context by analyzing comment letters submitted to the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB). The IAASB has drafted a new, stand-alone standard for audits of LCEs’ financial statements.Design/methodology/approachThe Gioia method is utilized to conduct the qualitative analysis. This enables the material to shine and provide a comprehensive picture of the important aspects of the comment letters about the International Standard on Auditing (ISA) for LCEs. A content analysis of the 145 comment letters is conducted to identify the extent of the support for and the arguments against the new, stand-alone draft standard for audits of LCEs’ financial statements. In addition, this study considers how the comment letters describe the respondents’ views on audit quality in relation to the new standard. Finally, the tone of the comment letters and audit quality arguments is investigated.FindingsThe findings provide a useful framework of the most frequently used arguments supporting and opposing the ISA for LCEs. Within the themes identified, a wide variety of issues and concerns are discussed. The results reveal that the arguments in the comment letters are contradictory. For instance, when discussing audit quality, those interest groups that perceived many positive opportunities in the adoption of the ISA for LCEs thought that the audit quality would increase. Conversely, those interest groups that were skeptical about the success of the ISA for LCEs argued that the audit quality could be compromised by the general prejudice that the ISA for LCEs might be perceived as a lower-quality audit with fewer procedures.Originality/valueThis paper is, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, the first to examine the content of comment letters in the context of a new, stand-alone standard for audits of LCEs. The international audience can utilize the results in the context of the widely discussed issue of reducing LCEs’ auditing obligations. This study aims to contribute to the two streams of accounting literature concerning audit quality and political lobbying.

The impact of changes to auditors' reporting and audit committee strength on bank directors' perceptions and decisions: An experimental investigation

This study investigates the impact of two changes to the auditor's report—a separate section addressing going concern uncertainties (GCU section [GCUsec]) and information on management and auditor responsibilities—and the characteristics of the audit committee on bank directors' perceptions and decisions. In a 2 × 2 × 2 between‐subjects experimental design with 85 German bank directors, we observe that a GCUsec in the auditor's report leads to more unfavourable decisions. Contrarily, explanations of responsibilities and different characteristics of the audit committee do not significantly impact on bank directors' perceptions and decisions. We thus confirm the effectiveness of the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB)'s revision of the International Standard on Auditing (ISA) 570 to enhance the informational value and decision usefulness of the auditor's report.

The Impact of the Implementation of Key Audit Matters in the 2022 Independent Auditor Report of PT Bank Amar Indonesia Tbk

The International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB) implemented new auditing standards which became effective on December 15, 2016, which require auditors to disclose Key Audit Matters (KAM) in their reports. KAM was initiated by the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB) as an international auditing standard setting body, which aims to increase the transparency of audited financial reports. This study uses qualitative and quantitative methods which use secondary data sources. The secondary data used in this study is in the form of financial reports obtained from the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) via the internet. Based on the results of data analysis of the financial statements of PT Bank Amar Indonesia Tbk Q2 of 2022, in the independent auditor's report, the main audit item disclosed is the allowance for impairment losses on loans. Based on data obtained from the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX), the share price per share at the end of the fourth quarter of 2021 and the share price on June 30, 2022, has fluctuated. It was concluded that in the period following the issuance of the Q2 2022 financial statements with the existence of an independent auditor's report disclosing key audit matters facilitated the flow of company-specific information to the market.

An Investigation of the Effect of Audit Partner’s Disclosure on Earnings Management for Egyptian Companies

International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB), Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) and European Union (EU) have made significant efforts to restore the credibility, information, accuracy, and independence of the audit report by requiring disclosure of the audit partner's name and/or the audit partner's signature on the audit report. This research aims to study and examine the relationship between the audit partner's voluntary disclosure and earnings management. In precise, examine whether the audit partner's disclosure leads to lower level of earnings management. The research has also aimed for examining the impact of the audit partner quality on the aforementioned relationship, using a sample from the companies listed in the Egyptian Stock Exchange for the period starting from 2014 to 2018. The results indicated that: (1) there is a statistically significant negative effect for the audit partner disclosure on the absolute value of earnings management proxied by Miller Ratio; which in turn means that the audit partner disclosure increases the earnings quality. (2) There is no effect for the audit partner quality proxied by his industrial specialization on the relationship between audit partner disclosure and the earnings quality. The findings of this research have important consequences for regulators in determining whether the actual effects of a disclosure requirement are as expected, for investors in reducing costs of obtaining information, and for audit committees in making better decisions when hiring auditors.

Audit fee determinants in small municipalities: Further evidence from Connecticut small towns

Guided by a call for research on small entities using innovative methodologies, this study is the first to analyse small municipality audit fees on a per capita basis. The research utilises a complete dataset of all 92 Connecticut municipalities that meet the study criteria and does not rely on samples or survey results. The measure of per capita was utilised to account for differences between town populations allowing for a more accurate comparison of audit fees and audit fee determinants across municipalities of differing populations. Consistent with the premise that auditee characteristics are an important consideration in audit fees, we find that when examining audit fees on a per capita basis in the subset of small municipalities: (1) smaller towns pay considerably more for audit services than larger towns, (2) towns with an ethics committee oversight function and best practices financial reporting practices have lower per capita audit fees than those that do not and (3) audit firm size, audit firm tenure and existence of audit/finance committee oversight have no significant impact on per capita audit fees. The results of this study help fill a void in the audit literature by providing insights into audit fee determinants in small municipalities by considering the added feature of a per capita analysis. The authors also sought to provide additional information for consideration in the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB) efforts to streamline standards for auditing of less complex entities.

Comments of the AFAANZ auditing and assurance standards committee on proposed international standard on auditing ISA for LCE

AbstractThe International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB) issued for public comment Proposed International Standard on Auditing for Audits of Financial Statements of Less Complex Entities (ISA for LCE). The Australian Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (AUASB) and New Zealand Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (NZAuASB) also called for comments. The Auditing and Assurance Standards Committee of the Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand (AFAANZ) prepared a submission, based on the findings reported in extant research, informing a number of the questions asked by the IAASB (and AUASB/NZAuASB). This commentary presents the formal submission made to the IAASB.

The effects of person‐specific, task, and environmental factors on digital transformation and innovation in auditing: A review of the literature

AbstractThis study reviews literature examining digital transformation in the external audit setting. Our review will inform the standard‐setting initiatives of the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB) related to the use of technology in auditing. We identified 36 articles on digital transformation in the external audit published between 2000 and 2021 across 20 journals ranked A*, A, B, and C on the Australian Business Deans Council (ABDC) 2021 Journal Quality List. We also identified 18 advanced working papers. These articles cover conceptual frameworks and archival, experimental, interviews, case studies, and survey research methods. Fifty percent of the published articles appear in A* or A journals, of which nine were published in one of the premier six accounting research journals (i.e., A*) since 2020. This trend is a promising sign that there appears to be increasing interest in publishing digital transformation‐related research in these general interest journals. We use the Bonner judgment and decision‐making framework, coupled with the four primary data analytic tools, to organize and evaluate the literature. This study examines descriptive and diagnostic analytics; more complex techniques, such as predictive and prescriptive, are not as prevalent. Further, existing research insufficiently addresses how data analytic tools impact auditor judgment and decision‐making, providing multiple future inquiry lines.

Study of the Provisions Concerning the Audit of Less Complex Entities Financial Statements

The International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB) has decided to issue a new International Standard on Auditing for the audit of less complex entities. It should be noted that, based on the analysis of the audit services market, examining the criteria for classification of entities in the Republic of Moldova, we can see that micro and small enterprises can be classified as less complex enterprises. This article analyses the market of audit services and the development trends of micro and small enterprises in Moldova. The author analyses the provisions of the ISA project (Information Sharing Agreements) for the audit of the financial statements of less complex entities in the projection to the realities of the Republic of Moldova. Analysing the regulatory and legislative framework of the Republic of Moldova regarding the audit, the author proposes a series of changes that would lead to its improvement.

AN ANALYSIS OF THE BORSA ISTANBUL MANUFACTURING COMPANIES ON THE KEY AUDIT MATTERS

The key audit matters (KAM) have been included in the independent audit process recently and are recognized as an application to make the independent audit process more effective. Above all, the global financial crises experienced, and the complex nature of the financial transactions have revealed new quests in the audit process. In this context, the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB) published the "Communicating Key Audit Matters in the Independent Auditor's Report" (ISA 701) standard to make the independent audit process more efficient and meet the expectations of the stakeholders. By this article, the Public Oversight, Accounting and Auditing Standards Authority has published the independent audit standard 701, which includes the communicating of key audit matters in the independent auditor's statement. With the publication of the standart, identifying key audit matters in the audit process and specifying them in statements has also started. In this study, the audit reports (key audit matters) prepared by independent audit firms since 2017 when the mentioned standard came into force were analyzed within a three-year process, unlike previous academic studies in the BIST Manufacturing sector. In this respect, the study has addressed the development of key audit matters over three years and comparatively analyzed the change/transformation of key audit subjects in independent audit statements over the years on a company basis.

Tacit knowledge sharing in small audit firms and audit quality inputs: the antecedent effect of auditors’ social capital

PurposeDrawing on the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB) audit quality framework and related knowledge management literature, this study aims to examine the influence of tacit knowledge sharing on audit quality inputs within small audit firms’ realm. It also investigated auditors’ social capital antecedent effect via tacit knowledge sharing on audit quality inputs.Design/methodology/approachAn integrated model was developed to depict the study constructs’ relationships. The model was then tested using the partial least squares structural equation modelling based on data collected from auditors belonging to small audit firms in Jordan.FindingsThe results indicate that tacit knowledge sharing influences positively the auditors’ values, ethics, attitudes, experiences, skills and knowledge (i.e. audit quality inputs). This finding implies that active tacit knowledge sharing within a small audit firm is a strong driver for audit quality through improving its inputs. The results also demonstrate that structural, relational and cognitive social capital indirectly affect audit quality inputs through tacit knowledge sharing. Accordingly, social capital can be viewed as an audit firm resource that can smooth auditors’ tacit knowledge-sharing progress.Originality/valueThe IAASB encourages audit firms to explore ways to boost audit quality. This study offers empirical evidence on the influence of tacit knowledge sharing on audit quality inputs as a way to boost audit quality. It also offers insights into the value of social capital dimensions and indicates the driving forces to make auditors willing to engage in tacit knowledge sharing and, as a result, improve audit quality inputs.

Does Industry Specialist Auditor Provide More Insights in Their audit report? An Empirical Study of Key Audit Matters Section

Abstract In 2015, International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB) released new International Standards on Auditing 701 and required auditors to disclose key audit matters (KAM) in the audit report. Similar standards were also released in the United States in 2017 and the United Kingdom and Ireland Financial Reporting Council (FRC) in 2014. As KAM are expected to inform on matters of the greatest significance during an audit, before exploring the question regarding whether investors will obtain useful information from additional matter disclosures, the anterior consideration may be in regard to how audit quality affects the disclosure quality of KAM. This study use hand-collected data of the KAM disclosed in the audit reports of Taiwanese listed companies in 2016 to explore the association between auditor industry specialization and audit quality by the disclosure of KAM in new audit reports. The empirical results show that the association between the industrial specialist audit partner and the measurement of KAM quality is significantly positively related. The findings support our hypothesis that specialist auditors’ KAM are more informative than those issued by non-specialist auditors, and provide new evidence supporting prior studies about the superior auditing ability and disclosure quality of auditor industry specialist. Keywords: Key Audit Matters, KAM, International Standards on Auditing 701, International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board.

Portuguese for Audit and Accounting: Variability in the Monomial Structure

. The paper considers Portuguese for Audit and Accounting as a specific domain of knowledge and studies the terminological expressions, or terminological collocations, subject to Chernovaty’s classification of terms, or according to Chaika (2019, 2020), linguistic monomials as set term clusters in relevant terminologies, or languages for specific purposes (LSP). In order to demonstrate the application of methodology, this time it is Portuguese for Audit and Accounting, which serves to meet the objectives of the current study. The paper aims to reveal certain approaches to analyse the structure of the monomial in linguistics. Such approaches vary from the structural analysis of the set term cluster (monomial) by the number of components / elements in the structure, morphological class of the head term in the monomial structure, to their role in a sentence under a professional setting, as well as syntactic patterns as basic units of syntax, which are logically, grammatically, and semantically arranged. The result is unique inseparable conceptual (semantic) value of such monomials in Portuguese for Audit and Accounting. The list of approaches to study and analysis of the designated field and the respective material is not exhaustive. The examples of monomials in Portuguese for Audit and Accounting are selected from the Glossary of Terms, the Handbook of International Quality Control, Auditing, Review, Other Assurance, and Related Services Pronouncements validated by the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB). It is revealed that distinct similarities identified in the course of work with Portuguese for Audit and Accounting may take to relevant classifications attributable with the same set of criteria for the Ukrainian, English, German, Spanish languages as representatives of the Slavic, Germanic, and Romance families. The further prospect lies in performing comparative and contrastive analyses of the mentioned language material in respective LSP corpora.

Comments of the AFAANZ Auditing and Assurance Standards Committee on Proposed International Standard on Auditing 600 (ED 600)

AbstractThe International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB) issued for public comment Proposed International Standard on Auditing 600 (Revised) ‘Special Considerations – Audits of Group Financial Statements (Including the Work of Component Auditors) (ED 600). The Australian Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (AUASB) and New Zealand Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (NZAuASB) also called for comments. The Auditing and Assurance Standards Committee of AFAANZ prepared a submission, based on the findings reported in extant research, responding to a number of the questions asked by the IAASB (and AUASB/NZAuASB). This commentary presents the formal submission made to the IAASB (and AUASB/NZAuASB).