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The Market for Liars: Reputation and Auditor Honesty

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  • Andrew McLennan
  • In-Uck Park

Abstract

In the model there are two types of financial auditors with identical technology, one of which is endowed with a prior reputation for honesty. We characterize conditions under which there exists a "two-tier equilibrium" in which "reputable" auditors refuse bribes offered by clients for fear of losing reputation, while "disreputable" auditors accept bribes because even persistent refusal does not create a good reputation. The main findings are: (a) honest auditors charge higher fees, and have economic profits accruing to reputation; (b) as the fraction of auditors who are honest increases, the premium charged by reputable auditors eventually decreases, which diminishes the incentive to refuse bribes; (c) if the fraction of honest auditors exceeds an upper bound, there does not exist a two-tier equilibrium; (d) thus the reputation mechanism may be undermined by entry into the honest segment of the industry, if it is possible; (e) increasing auditor independence increases the upper bound.

Suggested Citation

  • Andrew McLennan & In-Uck Park, 2003. "The Market for Liars: Reputation and Auditor Honesty," ISER Discussion Paper 0587, Institute of Social and Economic Research, Osaka University.
    • Handle: RePEc:dpr:wpaper:0587
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    1. Farooq Omar & Derrabi Mohamed & Naciri Monir, 2013. "Corporate Governance and Liquidity: Pre- and Post-Crisis Analysis from the MENA Region," Review of Middle East Economics and Finance, De Gruyter, vol. 8(3), pages 1-19, January.
    2. Somdutta Basu & Suraj Shekhar, 2021. "What's In A Name? Reputation and Monitoring in the Audit Market," Working Papers 60, Ashoka University, Department of Economics.
    3. Bruno Jullien & In-Uck Park, 2009. "Seller Reputation and Trust in Pre-Trade Communication," Levine's Working Paper Archive 814577000000000330, David K. Levine.
    4. Mahdi Salehi & Ali Mansoury, 2009. "Firm Size, Audit Regulation and Fraud Detection: Empirical Evidence from Iran," Management, University of Primorska, Faculty of Management Koper, vol. 4(1), pages 5-19.
    5. Farooq Omar & El Kacemi Youssef, 2011. "Ownership Concentration, Choice of Auditors, and Firm Performance: Evidence from the MENA Region," Review of Middle East Economics and Finance, De Gruyter, vol. 7(2), pages 1-17, September.

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