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Fee pressure and audit quality

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  • Ettredge, Michael
  • Fuerherm, Elizabeth Emeigh
  • Li, Chan

Abstract

This study investigates the association of audit fee pressure with an inverse measure of audit quality, misstatements in audited data, during the recent recession. Fee pressure in a year is measured as the difference between benchmark “normal” audit fees and actual audit fees. We find fee pressure is positively and significantly associated with accounting misstatements in 2008, the center of the recession. Our results suggest that auditors made fee concessions to some clients in 2008, and that fee pressure was associated with reduced audit quality in that year.

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  • Ettredge, Michael & Fuerherm, Elizabeth Emeigh & Li, Chan, 2014. "Fee pressure and audit quality," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 39(4), pages 247-263.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:aosoci:v:39:y:2014:i:4:p:247-263
    DOI: 10.1016/j.aos.2014.04.002
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    Cited by:

    1. Chen, Tao, 2023. "Common auditors and internal control similarity: Evidence from China," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 55(2).
    2. Bagley, Penelope & Dorminey, Jack W. & McSwain, Dwayne & Reed, Tracy, 2016. "Managing risk in a poor economy: The association between economic activity and auditor response to risk," Advances in accounting, Elsevier, vol. 32(C), pages 1-9.
    3. Chen, Long & Krishnan, Gopal V. & Yu, Wei, 2018. "The relation between audit fee cuts during the global financial crisis and earnings quality and audit quality," Advances in accounting, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 14-31.
    4. Laudemann, & al.,, 2016. "Die zeitliche Entwicklung von Abschlussprüferhonoraren in Deutschland – Eine empirische Untersuchung der Jahre 2009 bis 2013," Die Unternehmung - Swiss Journal of Business Research and Practice, Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, vol. 70(2), pages 153-186.
    5. Hallman, Nicholas J. & Kartapanis, Antonis & Schmidt, Jaime J., 2022. "How do auditors respond to competition? Evidence from the bidding process," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 73(2).
    6. Persefoni Polychronidou & George Drogalas & Ioannis Tampakoudis, 2020. "Mandatory rotation of audit firms and auditors in Greece," International Journal of Disclosure and Governance, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 17(2), pages 141-154, September.
    7. Ole‐Kristian Hope & Pingui Rao & Yanping Xu & Heng Yue, 2023. "Information sharing between mutual funds and auditors," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 50(1-2), pages 152-197, January.
    8. Kim, Oksana, 2021. "The impact of economic sanctions on audit pricing," Journal of Contemporary Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 17(2).
    9. Gu, Junjian, 2021. "FDI characteristics, industry homogeneity, and audit fees in Japanese multinationals," Journal of Multinational Financial Management, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    10. Shahzad, Khurram & Pouw, Thierry & Rubbaniy, Ghulame & El-Temtamy, Osama, 2018. "Audit quality during the global financial crisis: The investors’ perspective," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 94-105.
    11. Muhammad Farhan Malik & Yuan George Shan & Jamie Yixing Tong, 2022. "Do auditors price litigious tone?," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 62(S1), pages 1715-1760, April.
    12. Johnson, Elizabeth & Reichelt, Kenneth J. & Soileau, Jared S., 2018. "No news is bad news: Do PCAOB part II reports have an effect on annually inspected firms’ audit fees and audit quality?," Journal of Accounting Literature, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 106-126.
    13. Patrick Velte, 2023. "The impact of external auditors on firms’ financial restatements: a review of archival studies and implications for future research," Management Review Quarterly, Springer, vol. 73(3), pages 959-985, September.
    14. Kam-Wah Lai & Ferdinand A. Gul, 2021. "Do failed auditors receive lower audit fees from continuing engagements?," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 56(3), pages 1159-1190, April.
    15. Catherine Heyjung Sonu & Hyejin Ahn & Ahrum Choi, 2017. "Audit fee pressure and audit risk: evidence from the financial crisis of 2008," Asia-Pacific Journal of Accounting & Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(1-2), pages 127-144, April.
    16. Sarowar Hossain & Jenny Jing Wang, 2023. "Abnormal audit fees and audit quality: Australian evidence," Australian Journal of Management, Australian School of Business, vol. 48(3), pages 596-624, August.
    17. Fakhroddin MohammadRezaei & Omid Faraji & Zabihollah Rezaee & Reza Gholami-Jamkarani & Mehdi Yari, 2024. "Substantive or symbolic compliance with regulation, audit fees and audit quality," International Journal of Disclosure and Governance, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 21(1), pages 32-51, March.
    18. Yanming Cao & Zhongwei Zhao & Ning Wang & Liming Zhao, 2022. "Sustainable Development of Audit Market: Benefits of Audit Price Deregulation in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-15, August.
    19. Esraa Esam Alharasis & Hossam Haddad & Maha Shehadeh & Ahmad Saleem Tarawneh, 2022. "Abnormal Monitoring Costs Charged for Auditing Fair Value Model: Evidence from Jordanian Finance Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-21, March.
    20. Philip Beaulieu & Louise Hayes & Lev M. Timoshenko, 2023. "Changes in accounting estimates: An update of priors or an earnings management strategy of “last resort”?," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 50(3-4), pages 622-659, March.
    21. Timothy B. Bell & David B. Bryan, 2021. "Effectiveness, efficiency, and fee premiums in audits led by industry specialist partners," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 61(3), pages 4513-4572, September.
    22. Aditya Aji Prabhawa & Iman Harymawan, 2022. "Readability of Financial Footnotes, Audit Fees, and Risk Management Committee," Risks, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-21, August.
    23. Baban Eulaiwi & Ahmed Al‐Hadi & Lien Duong & Keira Clark & Grantley Taylor & Brian Perrin, 2022. "Audit pricing and corporate whistleblower governance: evidence from Australian financial firms," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 62(2), pages 2339-2384, June.
    24. Sharad Asthana & Inder Khurana & K. K. Raman, 2019. "Fee competition among Big 4 auditors and audit quality," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 52(2), pages 403-438, February.

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