Corporate Governance Factors and Auditor Going Concern Assessments

2005 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 5-29 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan Parker ◽  
Gary F. Peters ◽  
Howard F. Turetsky

When making going concern assessments, Statement on Auditing Standards No. 59 (Auditing Standards Board 1988) directs auditors to consider the nature of management's plans and ability to mitigate periods of financial distress successfully. Corporate governance factors reflect attributes of control, oversight, and/or support of management's plans and actions intended to overcome financial distress. Correspondingly, this study investigates the impact of certain corporate governance factors on the likelihood of a going concern modification. Using survival analysis techniques, we examine a sample of 161 financially distressed firms for the time period 1988–1996. We find that auditors are twice as likely to issue a going concern modification when the CEO is replaced. We also find that going concern modifications are inversely associated with blockholder ownership. We also confirm Carcello and Neal's (2000) findings with respect to the association between an independent audit committee and an increased likelihood of modification. In a repeated events setting, we find that insider ownership and board independence are inversely associated with repeated going concern modifications. Our study concludes by proposing implications for the current financial reporting environment (including the Sarbanes‐Oxley Act of 2002) and future research avenues.

2000 ◽  
Vol 75 (4) ◽  
pp. 453-467 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph V. Carcello ◽  
Terry L. Neal

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 committee, the lower the probability the auditor will issue a going-concern report. These results support regulators' concern about financial-reporting quality and the recent calls for more independent audit committees.


2011 ◽  
Vol 27 (6) ◽  
pp. 135
Author(s):  
Paul Wertheim ◽  
Michael Robinson

A Type II audit error is defined as the failure of an auditor to issue a going concern audit opinion for a client that subsequently declares bankruptcy. Prior research studies have examined audit effectiveness (as measured by Type II audit errors) following the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, and have generally found an increase in the auditors likelihood of issuing going-concern audit opinions. This increase in the auditors likelihood of issuing a going concern opinion post-Sarbanes-Oxley has been interpreted as an increase in the level of auditor conservatism. [For example, see Geiger et al. (2005) and Fargher and Jiang (2008)]. However, prior studies have often limited their analysis of going-concern audit effectiveness to firms that were already in financial distress, and have also failed to specifically address the extent to which varying levels of financial distress affects the auditors propensity to issue a going-concern opinion. This raises the main research questions addressed in this study: Does the relationship between financial distress and the probability of receiving a going-concern differ for distressed versus non-distressed firms, and more importantly, to what extent do varying levels of financial distress affect this relationship? We find that the relationship between financial distress and the probability of receiving a going-concern opinion is not linear, as is assumed in prior studies. Rather, we find that the positive relationship between financial distress and going-concern opinions applies only for certain levels of financial distress. These results have implications both in the interpretation of previous auditing research that has incorporated variables for financial distress, as well as implications for the design and interpretation of future research.


2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 108-117
Author(s):  
Sylvi Angelia ◽  
Rizal Mawardi

Objective – The purpose of this study is to examine the effect between financial distress, corporate governance, auditor switching and audit delay. This research sample using data on a manufacturing company on the Indonesia Stock Exchange. Methodology – The analysis technique used is multiple linear regression analysis technique. Findings– The research finding show that financial distress and the size of the audit committee have a significant effect on audit delay, while the concentration of ownership, managerial ownership, change of directors, and auditor switching has no significant effect on audit delay. Second finding explain that consideration for companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange to pay attention to the timeliness of submitting financial reports and independent auditor reports so as not to get sanctions from the Financial Services Authority. Novelty – Our novelty research using the relationship of Financial Distress, Corporate Governance and Auditor Switching on new research model to Audit Delay. Type of Paper: Empirical JEL Classification: M41, M42 Keywords: Financial Distress, Corporate Governance, Auditor Switching, Audit Delay


2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michella Maria Virgine Prayogo ◽  
Yie Ke Feliana ◽  
Aurelia Carina Christanti Sutanto

Some cases of financial fraud invite inquiries about the effectiveness of corporategovernance mechanism in financial distress companies. This study empiricallyexamines whether the financial distress moderate the impact of corporate governancemechanism to earnings management. The sample of this study is manufacturingcompanies listed at Indonesia Stock Exchange for period 2010 -2012. Discretionaryaccruals are used as a proxy for earnings management, while financially distressed andnon-distressed firms are identified based on Altman Z-score test. Corporate governancemechanism is measured by four characteristics of the audit committee, i.e. size (totalnumber of audit committee members), independence (audit committee composition),activity(frequency of audit committee meeting), and expertise (the number of auditcommittee have finance or accounting background).This study finds that (1) financialdistress does not moderate the impact of total members of audit committee to earningsmanagement; (2) financial distress does not moderate the impact of frequency of auditcommittee meeting to earnings management; (3) financial distress does not moderatethe impact of audit committee composition to earnings management; (4)financialdistress moderates the impact of audit committee finance/accounting knowledge toearnings management. These results suggestthat the effectiveness corporate governanceis low, and finance/accounting literacy of audit committee should be alert.Beberapa kasus manipulasi keuangan pada perusahaan yang mengalami kesulitankeuangan mengundang pertanyaan terkait efektifitas mekanisme tata kelola perusahaan.Penelitian ini secara empiris menguji apakah kondisi kesulitan keuangan dapatmemoderasi pengaruh mekanisme tata kelola perusahaan terhadap manajemen laba.Sampel dari penelitian ini adalah perusahaan sektor manufaktur yang terdaftar di BursaEfek Indonesia periode 2010-2012.Discretionary accruals digunakan sebagai proksiuntuk manajemen laba, sedangkan kondisi kesulitan keuangan diidentifikasimenggunakan uji Altman Z-score. Mekanisme tata kelola perusahaan diukur dengan 4karakteristik komite audit, yaitu ukuran (jumlah anggota komite audit), independensi(komposisi komite audit), aktivitas (frekuensi pertemuan komite audit), dan keahlian(jumlah anggota komite audit yang memiliki latar belakang keuangan atau akuntansi).Penelitian ini menemukan bahwa (1) kondisi kesulitan keuangan tidak memoderasipengaruh jumlah anggota komite audit terhadap manajemen laba; (2) kondisi kesulitankeuangan tidak memoderasi pengaruh frekuensi pertemuan komite audit terhadapmanajemen laba; (3) kondisi kesulitan keuangan tidak memoderasi pengaruh komposisikomite audit terhadap manajemen laba; (4) kondisi kesulitan keuangan memoderasi pengaruh jumlah anggota komite audit yang memiliki latar belakang keuangan atauakuntansi terhadap manajemen laba. Hasil ini menunjukkan bahwa efektifitas tatakelola perusahaan masih rendah dan anggota komite audit yang memiliki latar belakangkeuangan atau akuntansi harus mewaspadainya.


2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 34-55 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmed Atef Oussii ◽  
Neila Boulila Taktak

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether there is any relationship between the effectiveness of an audit committee and the financial reporting timeliness of Tunisian listed companies as proxied by external audit delay (AD). Analysis focuses on five audit committee characteristics: authority, financial expertise, independence, size and diligence. Design/methodology/approach Empirical tests address 162 firm-year observations drawn from Tunisian listed companies during 2011-2013. Findings Multivariate analyses indicate that audit committees with members who have financial expertise are significantly associated with shorter AD. Thus, the results suggest that audit committee financial expertise contributes to the improvement of financial statements’ timeliness. Research limitations/implications The audit committee attributes examined in this study were based on DeZoort et al. (2002) framework. There could be other aspects of audit committee effectiveness such as audit committee tenure and audit committee chair characteristics, which were not addressed in the present study. Thus, future research may consider and examine these other components of audit committee effectiveness. Practical implications Findings have managerial implications. Companies can re-look into how to further improve audit committee composition in order to enhance the timeliness of financial reporting. The issues of audit committee effectiveness and timely reporting also affect regulators and policy makers since they need to play a role in the establishment of effective audit committees and the improvement of financial reporting timeliness. Originality/value This study is one of few that have examined the impact of audit committee effectiveness on ADs in an emerging market country. Findings lend credence to the belief that audit committee members’ financial expertise enhances the quality of financial reporting by firms in a North African market criticized for the lack of maturity of its corporate governance system (Klibi, 2015; Fitch Ratings, 2009).


Author(s):  
Ebraheem Saleem Salem Alzoubi ◽  
Mohamad Hisyam Selamat

This research study seeks to come up with a conceptual framework that investigates the different mechanisms of corporate governance and its effects on earning management (EM). This is to help build a conceptual framework of governance practices and its mechanisms, which mainly consists of board of directors and audit committee. To build the conceptual framework, the background of governance practices and EM theory served as a good starting point. The current research study is based on the complete assessment of present literatures, the two mechanisms of governance practices and EM. This paper serves as a guide to senior management, who seeks to improve their company’s financial reporting quality (FRQ) through the execution of governance practices, in which the governance practices support their company’s FRQ efforts. Furthermore, the conceptual framework serves as a benchmark for practitioners to execute their governance practices more effectively and efficiently in their own respective firms. This paper seeks to close the gap on the existing literature, by giving guidance to the senior management of governance practices companies that aspires to discover the competency of EM. By developing a deeper understanding of the relationship between corporate governance practices and EM, senior management can thus focus their efforts on the practices that ensure the firms’ ability to establish a competitive FRQ.


2017 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 87-115 ◽  
Author(s):  
Azhar Abdul Rahman ◽  
Mohd Diah Hamdan

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate Malaysian companies’ compliance with mandatory accounting standards. Specifically, this study examines the efficacy of agency-related mechanisms on the degree of compliance with Financial Reporting Standards (FRS) 101, Presentation of Financial Statements. It so proceeds by focussing on corporate governance parameters (board characteristics and ownership structure) and other firm characteristics. Design/methodology/approach Using data drawn from a sample of 105 Malaysian companies listed on the ACE market in 2009, the authors employ multiple regression analysis models to establish whether selected corporate governance and company-specific characteristics (proxying for agency-related mechanisms) are related to the degree of disclosure compliance. Findings The results indicate that the overall disclosure compliance is high (92.5 per cent). Furthermore, only firm size is positively associated with the degree of compliance. The other variables, those consisting of board independence, audit committee independence, CEO duality, the extent of outside blockholders’ ownership and leverage, do not show any significant relationship with the degree of compliance. Research limitations/implications This study focusses on only one accounting standard (FRS 101) that is mandatory in Malaysia. FRS 101 is both structured and rigid, leaving no room for companies to conceal any particular information. The sample of Malaysian companies selected is restricted to those listed only on the ACE market. As such, the results cannot be generalised to every company in Malaysia. Practical implications These results have important implications for policy makers because they suggest that whilst agency-related mechanisms may motivate compliance with mandatory standards, full compliance may be unattainable without regulations. Originality/value This is the only study in Malaysia to investigate the impact of regulatory requirements on corporate compliance level by companies listed on the new ACE market, which was introduced by the Bursa Malaysia in August 2009. This study contributes to the literature by examining the effects of both company-specific characteristics (such as company size, company age, liquidity, etc.) and corporate governance parameters on the degree of corporate compliance with mandatory disclosure, simultaneously, in contrast with prior studies which have examined them in isolation.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 55
Author(s):  
Qasim Ahmad Alawaqleh ◽  
Nashat Almasri

The corporate governance literature indicates efforts to investigate the role of the audit committee (AC) in improving the financial reporting quality (FRQ) after the emergence of financial scandals in many countries in the world, inclusive Jordan. To date, empirical findings are inconclusive enough to address all audit committee characteristics regarding its competency and responsibilities by employing a questionnaire to collect data about this relationship. Thus, this study measures the correlation between AC (performance and composition) and FRQ of manufacturing corporations registered on the Amman Stock Exchange (ASE). To test this impact empirically, the target population was financial managers, audit committee members, and internal audit managers who are working in manufacturing corporations listed on the (ASE). According to the coefficient (β), the independent variables (Audit Committee Performance and Audit Committee Composition influence the dependent variable FRQ. This research recommends that firms enhance the audit committee work performance and composition to ensure audit committee members effectively enhance the FRQ audit committee is a vital mechanism of the firm's corporate governance system.


2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 448-474 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yosra Mnif ◽  
Oumaima Znazen

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the impact of the characteristics of two corporate governance mechanisms, namely, board of directors and audit committee (hereafter AC), on the level of compliance with International Financial Reporting Standard [hereafter International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS)] 7 “Financial instruments: Disclosures” (hereafter FID). Design/methodology/approach Using a self-constructed checklist of 128 items, this research measures the compliance with IFRS 7 of 63 Canadian financial institutions listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange during a period of three years (2014-2016). Fixed effect panel regressions have been used to capture the individual effect present in authors’ data. Findings Empirical results show that the mean compliance level with IFRS 7 requirements is about 77 per cent and identify various areas of non-compliance. This level of compliance has a positive linkage with the board size and independence. Similarly, the AC independence and financial accounting expertise are shown to positively affect authors’ dependent variable. Nevertheless, CEO/chairman duality, AC size and meeting frequency are not significantly correlated with the level of compliance with IFRS 7. Originality/value This study expands prior compliance literature in the Canadian setting by examining the determinants of compliance with IFRS mandatory disclosures. Also, and to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is among the first studies that have investigated the effect of corporate governance characteristics (hereafter CGC) on compliance with all IFRS 7 requirements in general.


2006 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 159-164
Author(s):  
Marc Massoud ◽  
Eunsup Daniel Shim

The purpose of this paper is to review US corporate governance systems and to highlight the mandated roles of audit committee and external auditor within the SOX Act. In addition, it discusses requirements and implications of the SOX Act for the foreign accounting firms and multinational corporations. Finally this paper provides a perspective on improvement of corporate governance and financial integrity. In order to regain trust from the financial market, the SOX Act mandates (1) to improve auditor’s independence by reducing conflicts of interest; (2) to increase corporate financial reporting responsibility by requiring a CEO or a CFO certify accuracy of annual report; and (3) to enhance financial disclosures. It also significantly increase criminal penalty for non-compliance. The authors believe that the combination of strengthening auditor’s independence, increased corporate responsibility and severe penalty and restored corporate governance would create an environment that is intended by the SOX Act. Volker and Levitt (2004) put it very forceful way: “While there are direct money costs involved in good corporate governance, we believe that an investment in good corporate governance, professional integrity and transparency will pay dividends in the form of investor confidence, more efficient markets and more market participation for years to come.” We concur with them and believe that the SOX Act will help in restoring trust in corporate governance and improve financial integrity and quality of financial information. We also agree that the benefits of the SOX Act will outweigh the costs of compliance in the long-run.


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