独立董事海外背景与国际四大审计师聘请——基于认知观的视角

Overseas Independent Directors and the Choice of International Big Four Auditors

本文分析了董事的海外背景对中国上市公司审计师选择的影响。研究发现,当公司的独立董事具有海外背景时,公司更可能聘请国际四大进行审计。进一步分析表明,董事曾处国家的四大市场份额越高,则公司聘请国际四大的可能性越大。此外,董事海外工作和留学经历的影响要强于董事海外访问经历。最后,若公司所在省份有四大分所,则董事海外背景对国际四大聘请的影响减弱。本文从认知观角度对上述现象提出了一个解释。

This study examines the impact of foreign directors on the choice of auditors in Chinese listed companies.We find that a company with foreign independent directors is more likely to hire an international Big four auditor.Further analyses reveal that the likelihood of hiring an international Big four auditor is positively associated with the market share of international Big four auditors in the host country where the independent director has once studied or worked.In addition,the overseas working and study experiences have a stronger impact on auditor choice than the overseas visiting experience.Lastly,the documented effect is weaker if there are international Big four offices in the area where the firm locates.We explain this phenomenon from the cognitive view.