Provision Of Non-audit Services Research Articles

Audit Quality Assessed through Independence Indicators

Audit quality is one of the most important concerns of audit firms, statutory audit regulators and academia. The purpose of this study is to analyze and evaluate the influence of auditor independence indicators on the quality of services provided. Based on the data available in the Audit Analytics database, a sample of 31 companies listed on the Bucharest Stock Exchange was selected, for which 124 observations were reported during four consecutive years. The results of the quantitative analysis performed demonstrated the existence of a significant and positive correlation between the variables that measure auditor independence, such as the provision of non-audit services, financial independence, Big 4 membership and turnover and the dependent variable - the quality of audit services.

Audit Staff Satisfaction and Audit Quality: Evidence from the Private Client Market Segment

This study investigates the relationship between audit staff satisfaction (measured by crowd-sourced employer reviews) and audit quality in the private client setting. In this setting, extrinsic incentives to provide high quality audits – such as regulatory enforcement, reputational pressure, and litigation costs – are less pronounced than for listed client audits. We find audit staff satisfaction, an important intrinsic motivational factor, is positively and significantly associated with audit quality in the private client setting. Consistent with prior research, we find no significant association between staff satisfaction and audit quality for listed clients. The significant association in the private client setting primarily applies to non-Big 4 firms, for which extrinsic factors play a less influential role than for Big 4 firms. Moreover, we show staff satisfaction moderates possible negative effects of conditions, such as the provision of non-audit services and longer audit tenure, which may pressure auditors to compromise audit quality. Overall, these findings provide new insights about the influence of audit input factors on audit quality.

Effect of Provision of Non-Audit Services on Internal Audit Effectiveness in Public Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Institutions in Western Region, Kenya

The effectiveness of internal auditing, particularly when it is tightly aligned with risk management frameworks, compliance standards, and strengthened internal controls, attracts substantial attention worldwide, particularly from governing authorities. This attention is directly derived from the distinct operational role that government sectors have in fostering economic activity. To achieve internal audit effectiveness, the provision of non-audit services must not be compromised. Consequently, the aim of this study is to establish the effect of the provision of non-audit on the internal audit effectiveness of Public Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions in the Western region of Kenya. A causal research design was used for the study, and it focused on an intended 116-member sample from public TVET institutions in western Kenya. This sample included senior management, internal auditors, and members of the audit committee. Stratified and simple random sampling approaches were utilized to select 89 individuals to partake in the study. Primary data gathering consisted of deploying structured questionnaires using a drop-and-collect approach. Statistical approaches, such as descriptive and inferential, were used. The findings indicated that the provision of non-audit services may render the function of internal audit ineffective. Regression analysis revealed that the provision of non-audit services had a positive and significant influence on internal audit effectiveness (t = 5.183, p<0.05). The study concluded that the provision of non-audit services significantly predicted internal audit effectiveness. The researcher therefore recommended that, in order to improve the effectiveness of their audits, internal auditors be prohibited from engaging in activities that are not directly related to their function. This could be done through the sensitization of internal auditors through seminars and workshops.

The Effect of Non Audit-Services on Auditor’s Professional Scepticism: Stakeholders Perceptive

This study investigates the effect of the provision of non-audit services on Auditor’s professional scepticism evidence from accounting practitioners in Abia State. The study used the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN) domiciled in Abia State. The data for the study were generated from primary source: questionnaires were the major instrument for data collection. The instrument was subject to both content and faces validity by experts. Three questions were structured in Likert scale form and the formulated hypotheses were tested with ordinary Logistic regression using SPSS package. The study found that non-audit services have no effect on auditor’s scepticism, the auditor’s objectivity during his course of audit procedure. The study therefore recommends that the audit committee should have full oversight of the auditor’s scepticism including the nature and extent of the work they do and their fees. The auditors been a professional should strive to maintain his integrity during the course of his duties bearing in mind that good name is better than riches. The audit committee should make his charter public and this should give investor information about how the audit committee chooses its auditors and how it decides the type of services they can provide.

Effect of Non–Audit Services on Auditor Independence of Deposit Money Banks in Nigeria

This research looked at how non-audit services affected the partnership between auditors and Nigerian deposit money institutions. Descriptive survey methodology was used for this investigation. The study was directed by two research aims. All 24 of Nigeria's deposit money banks make up the populace. The population was sampled using a systematic sampling method, and the sample size was 36 managers (three from each of 12 banks). The researcher used a questionnaire she designed to gather the data. “Pearson's product-moment correlation (PPMC) was used to verify or refute the hypotheses and investigate the study issues. The research showed that the auditor independence of listed deposit money banks in Nigeria is positively correlated with the provision of non-audit services” (indicated by taxation and management advice services). Non-audit services and auditor independence were also shown to have a substantial correlation with the aforementioned Nigerian deposit money institutions, the research found. Auditors at Nigerian deposit money institutions were urged, among other things, to reduce the number of non-audit services they provide to customers in order to focus more on auditing.

Local competition and auditors' provision of non-audit services

Non-audit services (NAS) provide auditors a platform to market their unique expertise and provide services surpassing the necessities of a financial statement audit. In this paper I study the effect of local competition on auditors' use of NAS within their product mix. My findings show that auditors respond to intensifying competition by increasing their selling of NAS. This response is especially strong in local markets where there are smaller differences in the average audit quality gap between the highest versus lowest quality auditors or when audit fees are depressed. The results suggest that NAS function as both a differentiation tool for higher quality auditors as well as a supplementary revenue stream when audit fees are reduced. I also find that the provision of NAS reduces audit quality in highly competitive environments, suggesting that the nature of NAS sold in competitive markets is more detrimental to audit quality than NAS sold elsewhere.

The moderating effect of political connection on the relationship between non-audit services and accounting quality: Evidence from an emerging market

This study investigates whether the provision of non-audit services (NAS) is associated with accounting quality and whether political connection moderates the relationship between the NAS and accounting quality. The sample includes 2,245 firm-year observations from Malaysia during the period 2013–2017. This study uses the absolute value of discretionary accruals to measure accounting quality. We find that provision of high NAS leads to low accounting quality, exhibited by high discretionary accruals. We also find that politically connected (PCON) firms show higher discretionary accruals than non-PCON firms. However, the PCON firms weaken the positive relationship between NAS on discretionary accruals suggesting a substitutive role of political connections in determining the effect of NAS on accounting quality. We further document a non-linear association between NAS and discretionary accruals, whereby the provision of NAS would lead to low discretionary accruals after an optimal point. Therefore, regulators need to weigh the costs and benefits of regulating NAS and consider the moderating effects of PCON firms and the non-linear effect of NAS. This study adds to the limited, albeit substantial, evidence on the joint effect of PCON firms and NAS on accounting quality.

The Influence of Auditor Independence on Audit Quality: A Qualitative Research

This qualitative research explores the influence of auditor independence on audit quality from diverse stakeholder perspectives within the auditing profession. The study aims to elucidate the perceptions, experiences, and challenges faced by auditors, corporate executives, and investors regarding auditor independence and its impact on audit quality. Semi-structured interviews and document analysis were employed to collect data, allowing for a comprehensive understanding of stakeholder perspectives. The findings reveal divergent viewpoints on the concept of auditor independence, with auditors emphasizing ethical principles and regulatory oversight, corporate executives highlighting the collaborative nature of the auditor-client relationship, and investors emphasizing the need for transparent financial reporting. Factors influencing auditor independence, such as auditor tenure, fee dependency, provision of non-audit services, and regulatory frameworks, were identified and discussed. Despite the complexities inherent in maintaining independence, stakeholders recognize the importance of regulatory interventions, ethical guidelines, and stakeholder engagement in safeguarding auditor independence and enhancing audit quality. Moving forward, efforts to enhance auditor independence and audit quality should prioritize regulatory reform, ethical leadership, and collaborative solutions within the auditing profession.

The effect of non-audit services on audit quality

Audit quality (AQ) is value-relevant if the information is capable of making a difference in the decisions taken by various stakeholders. Therefore, the provision of non-audit services (NAS) to clients, and auditors can create economic bonding and self-review threats that compromise independence and AQ (Friedrich & Quick, 2023). The study investigates the effects of NAS on AQ in the Nigerian insurance industry. The ex-post facto research design was adopted and data were sourced from the annual reports of the 22 insurance companies listed on the Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX) between 2015 and 2020 and sampled through a filtering method. The study used descriptive statistics, correlation matrix, and binary regression techniques to test the formulated hypotheses. The study made use of a binary logistic econometric approach because the dependent variable is a dummy variable assuming the value of “1” and “0”. In agreement with the study of Pappert and Quick (2022), the regression results revealed that the provision of NAS, audit fees, and firm size significantly affect AQ in the Nigerian insurance industry, while auditor tenure had an insignificant effect on AQ. The study recommended that the provision of NAS should be strengthened and monitored to align with the list of services that auditors are not prohibited from rendering to the client.

The impact of auditor-provided non-audit services on audit quality: A review of the archival literature

The paper gives an overview of the results of a structured literature review. It covers archival studies on the relationship between non-audit services (NAS) fees and factual as well as perceived audit quality published in journals included in the accounting subject category of the SCImago Journal Ranking. It also includes a critical evaluation of the research methods applied in prior research and offers avenues for future research. The provision of NAS to audit clients creates threats to auditor independence. Consequently, regulators have focused on the simultaneous provision of audit and NAS for many years and restricted it over time. This paper aims to assess which regulatory actions are justified in light of related archival research findings. Overall, prior research does not clearly prove a negative impact of non-audit services on factual audit quality. However, it demonstrates a negative relationship between non-audit fees and audit quality perceptions. Moreover, it also reveals that tax consulting fees are less problematic

The audit market for listed Australian companies from 2012 to 2018: A state of play

Motivated by recent regulatory scrutiny of auditing in Australia, we provide an overview of the audit market for Australian listed companies from 2012 to 2018. Using descriptive analyses, we explore audit market competition, the provision of non-audit services (NAS), and audit firm tenure. We find that the Australian audit market is highly segmented. Big 4 firms increasingly dominate the larger client segment, while Non-Big 4 firms focus on medium and smaller clients. Auditor-provided NAS fees represent a relatively small fraction of audit fees for smaller clients, but a relatively high fraction for larger clients. We further observe that the share of total revenue from NAS of Big 4 firms increases over time. Finally, a relatively small percentage of clients has long audit firm tenure, and that long tenure is more common in the larger client segments. We discuss the implications of these findings and research opportunities that emerge. JEL Classification: D40, L11, M42, L84

Potential Threats to Audit Firm Independence: Evidence from Italy on Audit Quality

Purpose – This study aims to investigate the potential threats to the independence of an auditor who provides both auditing and non-audit services (NAS), in terms of credibility of and confidence in audit quality.
 
 Design/methodology/approach – In this study, we first replicate the results of Campa and Donnelly (2016) using hand-collected publicly available data for a sample of 91 Italian manufacturing public companies audited by a Big 4 and non-Big 4 audit firm over a longer time horizon (2015˗2019) using the panel data approach, based on three interconnected regression models.
 
 Findings – Previous studies in this area did not find a unique interpretation of the association between auditor independence and provision of NAS. Our findings reveal that auditor independence, as measured by the magnitude of discretionary accruals, is compromised by the provision of NAS, especially when unexpected audit fees are lower than expected. Enhanced credibility can lead to greater confidence in audit value. This study’s results should be of interest to European and U.S. legislators, to improve financial reporting quality.
 
 Originality/value – In the wake of the global financial crisis and loss of confidence in the role of auditors, this study investigates the supposed threats, to to aim to enhance the credibility of and confidence in audit quality, especially in settings outside the Anglosphere. This study would contribute to the literature to support the more binding approach for audit firms.

Auditors' Incentives and Audit Quality: Non-Audit Services versus Contingent Audit Fees

I develop a model that provides new insights into the consequences of the provision of non-audit services (NAS) by audit firms to audit clients. I also investigate the joint implications of NAS and contingent audit fees (CAF) for audit quality. In the model, litigation and reputation costs do not provide sufficient incentives to auditors to exert audit effort. Investors of client firms may therefore let auditors provide NAS because of an incentive effect. Indeed, the possibility of providing NAS contingent on detecting financial misstatements increases auditors' incentives to exert audit effort. However, the provision of NAS also reduces auditor independence, which may decrease audit quality and in turn render the provision of NAS by auditors undesirable. Thus my analysis uncovers an interesting tradeoff for regulators between the positive incentive effect and the decrease in auditor independence. Removing the current restrictions on CAF may offset the ex post decrease in audit quality while preserving the ex ante incentives. My analysis also generates a number of testable empirical predictions.

Joint Provision of Non-audit Services to Audit Clients: Empirical Evidences from India

Executive Summary The provision of non-audit services (NAS) by an incumbent auditor has remained a highly contentious issue. One school argues that the joint provision does not impair an auditor’s independence. Instead, it reduces total costs, enhances the ability to detect material misstatements, increases technical competence due to knowledge spillovers and leads to intense competition. However, a substantial tranche of an audit firms’ income is derived from NAS, and the joint provision increases economic ties with the client. Therefore, another school of thought perceives that the joint provision impairs auditor independence. It is also alleged that auditors expect non-audit work after finishing the auditing job. Their independence is also affected by the risks of self-review. Extant literature reveals that the majority of the studies on the issue are archival and experimental. The studies are concentrated in the US, UK, Australia, Malaysia, Nigeria, South Africa, China, and some of the European Union Nations. The article examines the perspective of chartered accountants (CAs) on the joint provision of NAS in India. The study samples 119 CAs. The reliability of the survey result was measured using Cronbach’s α, and a score of 0.77 indicated acceptable internal consistency reliability. The data were analysed using Wilcoxon signed-rank test and the Mann Whitney U test statistic. The summary of their suggestions for ensuring auditor independence is presented separately. The findings reflect that existing prohibitions imposed by the Companies Act, 2013, are not enough to ensure auditor independence, and the Management Services u/s 144 of the Act needs to be clearly defined. Practitioners do not support the proposition that joint provision should end and a separate category of professionals be mandated to render NAS. However, the recommendations include strengthening provisions to reduce the conflict of interest.

Tax Non-Audit Services and Client Income Tax Estimation Error

SUMMARYThe provision of non-audit services (NAS) to audit clients can generate knowledge spillovers that enhance auditors' judgments or self-review and self-interest threats that impair auditors' independence. Prior research finds mixed evidence of a relation between tax NAS and clients' (actual and potential) material GAAP violations in accounting for income taxes. As auditors are likely to avoid material GAAP violations, we re-examine this issue using a measure that reflects immaterial or within-GAAP estimation error in clients' income tax expense. We find that greater amounts of tax NAS are associated with greater income tax estimation error, consistent with tax NAS threating auditors' independence. The association is partially offset by auditor expertise and concentrated in engagements where auditors face both self-review and self-interest threats. Our findings inform the ongoing policy debate regarding whether accounting firms should provide tax NAS to their audit clients.Data Availability: Data are publicly available from the sources indicated in the text.JEL Classifications: M41; M44; M49.

Dilema Auditor: Faktor Internal dan Eksternal Independensi

The need for financial information is an important component of economic development. The auditor is the party that guarantees that the financial statements are maintained credibility. However, many cases show the misuse of financial statements. This study aims to determine the effect of internal and external factors on auditor independence. This study used a Purposive Sampling as the sampling method, which is by taking a sample from the population-based on certain criteria (Sugiyono, 2013). This study used a sample of the auditor who has experience working in the KAP for at least 1 year. The type of data used is primary data in the form of a questionnaire. This study proves that the length of the auditor's relationship influences auditor independence. While this study does not prove that the provision of non-audit services, Competition among KAP, Large size of KAP, Audit period, and Relativism influence the independence of auditors.

EFFECTS OF AUDIT AND NON-AUDIT SERVICES FEES ON CORPORATE PERFORMANCE OF FIRMS LISTED IN PAKISTAN

Purpose of the Study: The main purpose of this study is to examine the effects of the provision of audit and non-audit services jointly by the same audit firm on the corporate performance of firms in the capital market of Pakistan.
 Methodology: This study uses hand-collected secondary data taken from firms' financial statements, the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX), the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) for 2012-2016. Panel data analysis techniques are employed using E-views statistical software.
 Main Findings: we find a negative relation between audit and non-audit services fees with the firm performance. It is also documented that the appropriate amount of the NAS fee exceeds the amount of the audit fee received by the same auditor in the same assignment.
 Application of the Study: This study has vital implications from both theoretical as well as practical perspectives. It adds a significant aspect of audit and non-audit services provided in the context of Pakistan to the existing body of knowledge/literature. This study also implies the bifurcation of audit services provision and its serious implications on the corporate sector of Pakistan. These results thus, signify its implications for regulators as well as standard setters in Pakistan.
 Novelty/Originality of this Study: Various studies covering the audit aspect have been conducted in Pakistan. However, this is a unique study covering the multi-facet dimensions of audit, i.e., audit and non-audit services provision by the same audit firm and its effects/implications on corporate performance in Pakistan.

The Relationship between Non-audit Services and Auditor Independence: Evidence from Chinese Listed Companies

The rapid development of non-audit services (NAS) has jeopardized the independence of auditors, which has led many Western countries to enact regulations that restrict the provision of NAS. While in China, NAS have just emerged, and its development in China is far less mature than in Western countries. The purpose of this paper is to explore whether NAS in China have damaged auditor independence and whether Chinese regulators need to emulate Western countries and strongly limit the provision of NAS. In order to achieve this objective, 213 Chinese listed companies are selected in this study. The audit opinions issued by the auditors are used as substitute variables for auditor independence (dependent variables), and the ratio of non-audit service fees to the total of audit service fees and non-audit service fees as a substitute variable for the provision of NAS (independent variable), and meanwhile some suitable control variables are also selected. Analyse these data by building a binary logistic regression model. The results show that there is no evidence in China that NAS can undermine auditor independence and there is no need for China to enact regulations to prohibit the provision of NAS.

How Is the Audit Market Affected by Characteristics of the Nonaudit Services Market?

ABSTRACTHow can features of the markets for audit and nonaudit services (NAS) affect an audit firm's incentives to invest in audit quality, average audit quality, and social welfare? We address these questions in a model focusing on competition in both audit and NAS markets. We show that, when audit and NAS demand are positively correlated, prohibiting auditors from providing NAS to audit clients leads to higher investments in audit quality, but can decrease average audit quality if marginal clients switch to lower quality auditors. The effect on social welfare can be positive or negative, depending on the distribution of clients' service demands. General bans on auditor provision of NAS can, via similar channels, increase or decrease audit quality and social welfare. Overall, our findings suggest a more nuanced view of how regulating an auditor's provision of NAS might affect audit quality and social welfare, and are driven by the effects of multimarket competition on the auditor's incentives to invest in audit quality, rather than previously identified auditor independence or knowledge spillover channels.

The Role of the External Auditor in Managing Environmental, Social, and Governance Reputation Risk

Companies are under increasing pressure to manage their reputation on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues. Auditors are a potential source of ESG risk management expertise and assurance due to a deep understanding of their client’s ESG-related reputation risk (“ESG risk”) and their assurance reporting expertise. However, provision of nonaudit services (NAS) by the external auditor is controversial and public accountants are still defining their role in ESG risk control and reporting. We explore whether auditors effectively help companies manage heightened ESG risk in times of reputation crisis, using abnormal negative ESG-related media coverage as a measure of “tainted reputation”. Findings show a positive association between tainted reputation and NAS, and a positive association between the interaction of tainted reputation and NAS with future firm value. The positive interaction persists when we consider a proxy for other ESG risk management activities in our analyses, and for other measures of ESG risk management effectiveness (future stock returns and future tainted reputation). Subsample analyses indicate results are driven by companies audited by ESG industry specialist auditors, and that the association between NAS and tainted reputation is driven by companies owned by institutional shareholders. Using restatements as a proxy, we find no evidence to suggest that the interaction of NAS and tainted reputation is associated with impaired audit quality. Findings demonstrate an empirical linkage between tainted reputation and NAS, support the importance of managing ESG risk, and suggest auditors effectively help their clients respond to heightened ESG risk.