The article investigates the managers of the audit firms upon the relationship between
the audit risk and audit fees through survey. Based on the historical and experimental
data and literatures, it is concluded a common point of view that there exists a positive
relationship between audit risk and audit fee. The aim of the article is to find the
possibility of other elements affect the relationship between audit fee and audit risk in
terms of the survey to the audit firms.
Table of content
Abstract ...........................................................................................................................1
1.0 Introduction ..............................................................................................................2
2.0 Literature review.......................................................................................................3
2.1 Audit pricing model and low-balling theory...........................................................3
2.2 Risk model review...................................................................................................6
2.3 Hypothesis review ..................................................................................................7
3.0 Methodology:.............................................................................................................9
3.1 The purpose of survey ............................................................................................9
3.2 Reasons for using a survey in this paper.................................................................9
3.3 Sampling strategies................................................................................................10
3.4 How to design our survey questions......................................................................10
3.5 Data issue...............................................................................................................11
4.0 Analysis.....................................................................................................................11
4.1 Competition among audit firms ............................................................................12
4.2 Low-balling provided by auditing firms................................................................13
4.3 Measurement to reduce the audit risk....................................................................13
5.0 Conclusion and Limitation.....................................................................................15
6.0 reference...................................................................................................................15
7.0 Appendix..................................................................................................................18
7.1 Appendix 1 (Survey questions).............................................................................18
7.1 Appendix 1 (Top 100 accounting firms in Australia)............................................18
1.0 Introduction
According to the previous studies it can be concluded that a well-acceptable theory is
there exists a positive relationship between the audit risk and audit fee. However, we
have doubted that whether the positive relationship might be affected by the auditor
rotation (“Australian Auditor Independence Requirements” issued in 2006). The key
statutory provision about auditor rotation, s.324DA of Corporations Acts raises a
limited term for eligibility to play a significant role in audit of listed companies is 5
consecutive years. This statutory law probably increase the competition in the audit
marketplace. Basis on this situation, we are interested in finding whether there is a
strong competitive pressure to audit firms to reduce audit fee to obtain new clients after
5-year-rotation regulations issued. However, this low-balling price strategy conflicts
with the sufficient quality control procedures and qualified auditor input which comply
with the assurance standards, guidelines.
The remainder of the paper is divided into four sections. The next section provides a
review of the prior research and identifies the hypotheses. This section is then followed
by a description of the research method and the analysis of the findings. The final
section is devoted to a summary and limitation of the paper.
The first stage is sending survey questions to managers of audit firms by email. The
second stage is the collection of their responses.
On one hand, collection surveys have the potential to provide an enormous amount of
information vital to planning the management of your collection. Due to all of our
survey questions are open-ended questions, there are different kinds of answers of the
survey questions. Which means the procedures of collect and analyse the responses is
difficult. In order to reduce the complex, we are going to create a database through
Microsoft Office Access for data analysis. Because the answers of the survey are sent
back by email, it is easy for us to copy audit firms’ answers to the Access database from
email box. And separate their answers into groups which have different points of view.
On the other hand, we have to consider there are a portion of audit firms will not reply
our survey questions. It is concern that the percentage of effective survey questionnaires
must stay at a high level. Otherwise, the survey is not precise as we expect.
4.0 Analysis
Our survey is based on the assumption that there is a positive nexus between audit risk
and audit fee. Our targeted respondents are the managers from top 100 audit firms in
Australia.
Generally the aim of the survey is to gather various opinions from managers of audit
firms upon low-balling strategy. There are 2 limbs decomposed: 1) gather the responses
to influence of low-balling in terms of risk assessment and pricing model 2) analyse the
factors that should considered in order to attain the new clients in terms of audit fees.
As can be concluded from the Arthur Andersen and Enron case, it is the long-term
relationship (approximately 10 years) between clients and auditors that leads to the
corruption. Therefore the Section 203 of the SOX prohibits a audit firm from providing
audit services to a company for certain continuing period.
In Australia it regulates that “the limited term for eligibility to play a significant role in
audit of listed companies is 5 consecutive years.”
Such mandatory auditor rotation will inevitably bring a series of revolution especially in
audit operation and it can be inferred that certain strategy will be rearranged or replaced.
In the survey % of the audit firms confirm that they do offer discount fees to new clients
last year. It is the evidence to the statement that auditors are more willing to provide low
price to the first-year clients rather than those with continuing engagements.
According to the survey results, about % of firms accept that the audit risk has been
increased by the application of low-balling price. Therefore it is crucial to examine the
reasons.
Normally the nature of the client should be considered as a priority. The complexity of
client’s risk should also be considered.
However by the application of the lower audit fees, certain negative effects come up
with the phenomenon that the financial reporting risk increases with the deterioration of
quality for audit services.
In the article we support one of the causes is the insufficient resource allocated to low
charged clients that lead to the poor performance of the audit service. Additionally, the
inferior understanding of audit procedures, lack of knowledge and experience dealing
with clients also contribute to the increase of audit risk. In the scenario created to
respondents in survey it is likely that auditors may carry out irregular practices in order
to attain the client, for instance the timing and extent of audit procedures are lessened,
such behaviour will increase the risk of audit failure.
The opinion then has been supported by the survey results that % of the auditors believe
that the application of low audit fees has exerted negative effect upon audit process and
main reason for unqualified audit is the low price.
Most auditors accept the opinion that the audit risk (detection risk) increases by offering
a discount fee to new clients. The next step is to figure out the alternatives to eliminate
or reduce the audit risk.
Recommendations are as follows:
According to the results it is suggested that audit fees for initially-engaged clients is
approximate % less than those for continuing services.
It is a significant alteration in audit. As payment to auditors decrease, it will inevitably
affect the motivation of managers in the firm. The auditors’ attitude to clients may be
altered from positive to negative. With less charge on clients, managers are more likely
to nominate insufficient auditors responsible for the audit tasks.
Although the payment to employees is saved, the audit risk conversely is raised.
According to the mathematical formula below:
DR = AR / (IR x CR).
When inherent and control risks increase, the detection risk need go down. Therefore
audit procedures will be adjusted by auditors. Normally more procedures are required in
various scenarios, timing, nature and extent.
As a consequence the goal is to limit the risk to the acceptable low level and see an
appropriate balance between the costs of an audit opinion and costs of performing the
additional audit procedures to reduce audit risk.
Another finding from the survey is that reporting problems frequently happen during the
first-year clients.
By enquiring measures that auditors take to limit the potentially increasing risk, we bear
in mind the common practice adopted by most audit firms as well as practices tackling
clients with different size and industry.
For instance the procedures taken to gas, oil exploration industry will be different with
manufacturing industry.
Facing the influence exerted by adoption of low-balling audit firms should judge the
level of risk and work on designing the procedures.
Obtaining an understanding by reviewing the clients’ previous experience, enquiring of
appropriate staff personnel, inspecting relevant documents and records and observing
the financial decisions and operations assist auditors to figure out the risk level and thus
to create relevant assessing procedures.
By analysing the responses from audit firms upon question (!!!!!), we find all firms are
assessing the potentially increased risk and trying to produce an acceptable level of
detection risk by performing substantive procedures.
(Again it can be explained by formula above: inherent and control risk can’t be
controlled by audit firms, detection risk is the only one item can be controlled)
Almost all research studies have limitations and a finite scope. It is the same to this
paper. Firstly, due to all of our survey questionnaires are open-ended questions, it will
take much more time for respondents to answer than close-ended questions. It is
possible that the manager of an audit firm do not even want to waste their precious time
on answering these complex questions. It will make the effective survey questionnaires
not enough for analysis. However, as we discussed above, there are thousands of audit
firms located in different areas. It is impossible for us to interview even small part of
them. Secondly, there is some of the survey questions refer to secrets of corporate
governance. It might be that some managers of audit firms are either reluctant to answer
that or answer it without facility.
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7.0 Appendix
7.1 Appendix 1 (Survey questions)
Survey questions:
1) Do you have any new clients last year? How many new clients
entered the contract with you for audit service last year? What is the
percentage of the new clients among all clients?
2) Do you think the “low-balling price policy” can attain the new
clients? Specify your reasons below
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
_________________________________
3) Do you think the small audit firms can benefit from the low-balling
price strategy as well as the large audit firms?
8) What other beneficial policy will you take to attain the initially-
engaged clients besides “low-balling strategy”?