事务所合并对审计质量影响——基于中国第三次事务所合并浪潮的实证研究

Influence of Merger of the Audit Firms on Audit Quality——Evidence from the China's Third Wave of Audit Firms Merger

中国第三次事务所合并的浪潮仍然继续,事务所合并是否影响其审计质量值得关注。文章采用2005—2008年合并事务所的样本,考察了合并事务所合并前后的审计质量差异,发现事务所合并影响合并事务所的审计质量,总体的研究结果表明事务所合并后审计质量没有提高。分组检验发现:规模小、以新设合并方式合并以及审计的上市公司盈余管理为正的合并事务所,合并后较合并前审计质量变低;规模大、以吸收合并方式合并以及审计的上市公司盈余管理为负的合并事务所,合并前后审计质量没有显著差异。

China＇s third wave of audit firms merger continues,and whether the merger of the audit firms affect its quality is worth to concern.This paper uses the merged firms from 2005 to 2008,investigates the differences of audit quality of combined firm after the merger,the results show that the combined firm＇s audit quality is not higher.Then,after group test,the paper finds that the merger of small firms,way of merger to build a new audit firm,positive earnings management audited by consolidated firm,the combined audit quality lower than before the merger.Large-scale merger firm,absorbing other firm through merger,negative earnings management audited by merged firm,there was no significant difference in audit quality after the merger.