Independence Threats, Litigation Risk, and the Auditor's Decision Process
42 Pages Posted: 13 Aug 2005
Abstract
This study examines the effect of independence threats and litigation risk on auditors' evaluation of information and subsequent reporting choices. Using a Web-based experiment, I tracked auditors' information gathering and evaluation leading to a going-concern reporting decision. Specifically, forty-eight audit managers assessed client survival likelihood, gathered additional information, and suggested audit report choices. I found that auditors facing high independence threats (fear of losing the client) evaluated information as more indicative of a surviving client and were more likely to suggest an unmodified audit report, consistent with client preferences. In contrast, auditors facing high litigation risk evaluated information as more indicative of a failing client and were more likely to suggest a modified audit report. In addition, the association between risk and report choice was fully mediated by final information evaluation. This suggests that it is unlikely that different reporting choices resulted from a conscious choice bias but rather that motivated reasoning during evidence evaluation plays a key role in the effect of risk in auditor decision-making.
Keywords: Auditor Independence, Motivated Reasoning, Going Concern, Auditor Reporting, Decision Process
JEL Classification: D80, M49, C92
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation
Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?
Recommended Papers
-
The Relation between Auditors' Fees for Non-Audit Services and Earnings Management
By Richard M. Frankel, Marilyn F. Johnson, ...
-
Do Non-Audit Service Fees Impair Auditor Independence? Evidence from Going-Concern Audit Opinions
By Mark L. Defond, Kannan Raghunandan, ...
-
By Rick Antle, Paul A. Griffin, ...
-
Evidence on the Joint Determination of Audit and Non-Audit Services
-
The Joint Determination of Audit Fees, Non-Audit Fees, And Abnormal Accruals
By Rick Antle, Elizabeth A. Gordon, ...
-
The Jointness of Audit Fees and Demand for MAS: A Self-Selection Analysis
-
Engagement Planning, Bid Pricing, and Client Response in the Market for Initial Attest Engagements
By Karla M. Zehms and Jean C. Bedard
-
Disclosure of Fees Paid to Auditors and the Market Valuation of Earnings Surprises
By Jere R. Francis and Bin Ke
-
Non-Audit Services and Earnings Conservatism: Is Auditor Independence Impaired?
By Caitlin M. S. Ruddock, Sarah J. Taylor, ...