本土事务所转制对审计质量有影响吗?——基于双重差分模型的分析

Does Switching Organizational Structure of Domestic Audit Firms Affect Audit Quality?——An Analysis Based on the Difference-in-Differences Model

我国政府相关部门近年来积极推进大中型会计师事务所从有限责任制转变为特殊普通合伙制。本文以2008-2013年A股上市公司为样本数据,采用双重差分模型从可操控应计额和审计意见两方面分析事务所转制是否促进审计质量的提高。研究表明,尽管完成转制事务所的客户可操控应计额得到下降,但是与事务所转制政策并没有直接关系。采用审计意见替代衡量审计质量,结论依旧保持不变。这说明在当前政府强制推动事务所转制的背景下,事务所组织形式的变化未能显著提高审计质量,这可能与当前审计市场和法律环境不完备有关。

In recent years, Chinese authoritative bodies have been active in stimulating large accounting firms to transform organizational structure from limited liability to limited liability partnership. Applying the difference-in-differences model and measuring audit quality by discretionary accruals, the current study takes data of the A-share listed companies from 2008 to 2013, and tests the effects of switching organizational structures on audit quality. The findings show that there is no direct relation between the drop of discretionary accruals and switching organizational structures. The conclusion is just as same even measuring audit quality with audit opinion. The implication is that given the current transformation enforced by the government, the change of organizational structure of audit firms has not significantly improved audit quality. We assume that such consequence may be linked to the imperfect audit market condition and the inadequate legal system.