This study draws attention to the potentially large issues involved with inconsistencies in the measurement of auditor industry specialization with a focus on audit fees and audit quality. The findings of this study suggest that audit fee-based measures should probably be prioritized by researchers and that previous empirical findings based on other measurement variables need to be re-examined. Results also show that choosing a market share approach or a portfolio approach has very significant consequences, so the decision should not be made absent-mindedly. Furthermore, the choice of absolute versus relative measures of ISP if not neutral, either, and the sensitivity tests indicated that ISP calculations are very sensitive to the industry classification used.

 Audousset-Coulier, S., A. Jeny, and L. Jiang. 2016. The Validity of Auditor Industry Specialization Measures. Auditing: A Journal of Practice and Theory 35 (1): 139-161.

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Although the results in this study are only collected from a single group, audit partners, it provides valuable insights for both audit firms and their employees in respect to the development of technical knowledge in auditing. The results heighten the awareness that professional learning is a complex web of different factors. Audit firms might reconsider the fundamental model of learning in today´s professional environment.

Westermann, K. D., J. C. Bedard, and C. E. Earley, 2015. Learning the ‘Craft’ of auditing: a dynamic view of auditor’s on-the-job learning. Contemporary Accounting Research 32 (3): 864-896.

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The results of this study are important for firms to consider in hiring and training practices as the evidence supports increased perspective taking improves auditor performance and ultimately audit quality. Audit firms may benefit from hiring auditors with prior experience in the corporate world and involvement in financial-reporting, and should continue efforts to hire more “boomerangs.” Audit firms can measure dispositional (i.e., trait) perspective taking among current employees and use this measure in determining staffing assignments. In terms of training design, audit firms can consider implementing training targeted toward role-taking. Finally, audit firms can also encourage perspective taking in other ways, for example, by including perspective taking prompts in audit programs.

Church, B. K., M. Peytcheva, W. Yu, and O. Singtokul. 2015. Perspective taking in auditor-manager interactions: An experimental investigation of auditor behavior. Accounting, Organizations and Society 45: 40-51.

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By exploring the O*NET database, the authors discover its potential professional accounting applications. Because of its extensive listing of required occupational skills and knowledge, the O*NET provides a useful starting point for writing accounting job descriptions. The O*NET’s focus on entry-level positions makes it an important resource for recruiting accounting professionals. Its data can help structure and clarify the recruiting process by helping to build descriptions of required knowledge, ability and skills and required competencies. Data can also contribute to designing compensation and performance evaluation systems by defining the required knowledge, skill and abilities required for accounting positions, and, in determining appropriate compensation. Existing or proposed accounting positions can be assessed, i.e., benchmarked, against the standardized O*NET occupational categories of accounting work, as a means of determining their minimal requirements, organizational rank, or compensation.

For more information on this study, please contact Dan N. Stone.

Scarlata, A. N., D. N. Stone, K. T. Jones, and C. C. Chen. 2011. The O*NET: A Challenging, Useful Resource for Investigating Auditing and Accounting Work. Accounting Horizons. 25 (4): 781-809

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In this study, we show that both subordinates and superiors are overconfident in predicting other auditor’ knowledge and that this overconfidence effect interacts with task difficulty. Inaccuracy in assessing the technical knowledge of other specific auditors has the potential to degrade audit quality. Likewise, incorrect assessments of the technical knowledge of groups of auditors may distort the audit firms understanding of training needs of auditors. More accurate and objective assessments of interpersonal knowledge of other auditors are needed to enhance audit quality.

For more information on this study, please contact Hun-Tong Tan.

Han, J., K. Jamal, and H-T. Tan. 2011. Auditors’ overconfidence in predicting the technical knowledge of superiors and subordinates. Auditing: A Journal of Practice & Theory 30(1): 101-119.

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