Auditor Switches in the Pre- and Post-Enron Eras: Risk or Realignment?
2009; American Accounting Association; Volume: 84; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês
10.2308/accr.2009.84.2.531
ISSN1558-7967
AutoresWayne R. Landsman, Karen K. Nelson, Brian Rountree,
Tópico(s)Corporate Finance and Governance
ResumoABSTRACT: Using a comprehensive sample of switches to and from the largest auditors (i.e., the Big N), we examine empirically whether the sensitivity of Big N auditor switches to client risk and misalignment changed between the pre- and post-Enron periods. Although we find an increase in the sensitivity to client misalignment, the sensitivity to client risk generally decreases. The results are consistent with Big N auditors rebalancing their audit client portfolios in response to post-Enron capacity constraints arising from the supply of former Arthur Andersen clients and the audit demands imposed by Sarbanes-Oxley rather than increasing their sensitivity to client risk. Additional evidence indicates that the Sarbanes-Oxley demand shock did not affect Big N auditor switching behavior incremental to the initial Andersen supply shock.
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