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The audit expectation gap: existence, causes, and the impact of changes

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  • Klaus Ruhnke
  • Martin Schmidt

Abstract

Recent regulatory initiatives targeting the statutory audit regime support the notion that the audit expectation gap is still a driver of change. This study seeks to analyse causes of the gap as well as the impact of proposed changes to the current statutory audit regime using an approach that differs from those used in prior literature. This approach allows us to attribute the audit expectation gap under the current regime to a failure of the public, the standard-setter, or the auditor. Based on a questionnaire survey conducted in 2011 in Germany, we find the public to have exaggerated expectations of auditors' responsibilities under current standards. Other causes of the gap relate to the public's difficulty in assessing the performance of auditors, but also to deficiencies in auditors' performance. In addition, we find that auditors are not fully aware of their responsibilities. Increasing the information content of the audit opinion is expected to narrow the gap. By contrast, recent proposed changes, such as mandatory rotation and a ban on non-audit services, may reduce the gap only to a lesser extent. Overall, it can be shown that the audit expectation gap is by its nature a persistent phenomenon comprising complex social aspects and interactions with changing accounting requirements, such as increased uncertainties in accounting estimates.

Suggested Citation

  • Klaus Ruhnke & Martin Schmidt, 2014. "The audit expectation gap: existence, causes, and the impact of changes," Accounting and Business Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 44(5), pages 572-601, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:acctbr:v:44:y:2014:i:5:p:572-601
    DOI: 10.1080/00014788.2014.929519
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Maria Antonia Garcia-Benau & Christopher Humphrey, 1992. "Beyond the audit expectations gap," European Accounting Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 1(2), pages 303-331.
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    Cited by:

    1. Taslima Akther & Xu Fengju & Md Ziaul Haque, 2019. "An Investigation ofAudit Expectation Gap in Bangladesh," Journal of Business, LAR Center Press, vol. 4(2), pages 1-11, February.
    2. Masoud, Najeb, 2017. "An empirical study of audit expectation-performance gap: The case of Libya," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 1-15.
    3. Prerana Agrawal & Jacqueline Birt & Lyndie Bayne & Nikki Schonfeldt, 2022. "The use of case studies in developing students’ understanding of the concept ‘material misstatement’," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 62(S1), pages 1307-1338, April.
    4. Taslima Akther & Fengju Xu, 2020. "Existence of the Audit Expectation Gap and Its Impact on Stakeholders’ Confidence: The Moderating Role of the Financial Reporting Council," IJFS, MDPI, vol. 8(1), pages 1-25, January.
    5. Estibaliz Goicoechea & Fernando Gómez-Bezares & José Vicente Ugarte, 2021. "Improving Audit Reports: A Consensus between Auditors and Users," IJFS, MDPI, vol. 9(2), pages 1-25, April.
    6. Prabhat Mittal & Amrita Kaur & Pankaj Kumar Gupta, 2021. "The Mediating Role of Big Data to Influence Practitioners to Use Forensic Accounting for Fraud Detection," European Journal of Business Science and Technology, Mendel University in Brno, Faculty of Business and Economics, vol. 7(1), pages 47-58.
    7. Osvaldo Massicame & Helena Coelho Inácio & Maria Anunciação Bastos, 2023. "Audit Expectation Gap in the External Audit of Banks in Mozambique," IJFS, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-22, November.
    8. Fengju Xu & Taslima Akther, 2019. "A Partial Least-Squares Structural Equation Modeling Approach to Investigate the Audit Expectation Gap and Its Impact on Investor Confidence: Perspectives from a Developing Country," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(20), pages 1-21, October.
    9. Maryamalsadat Mousavi Azghandi & Sahar Jabbari & Hossien Rezaei Ranjbar & Ahmed Al-janabi, 2023. "The Effect of Social Capital on Auditor’s Performance," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 16(2), pages 1-22, February.
    10. Ruhnke, Klaus, 2023. "Empirical research frameworks in a changing world: The case of audit data analytics," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 51(C).
    11. Paul Olojede & Olayinka Erin & Osariemen Asiriuwa & Momoh Usman, 2020. "Audit expectation gap: an empirical analysis," Future Business Journal, Springer, vol. 6(1), pages 1-12, December.
    12. Florio, Cristina, 2024. "A structured literature review of empirical research on mandatory auditor rotation," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 55(C).
    13. Chiara Demartini & Sara Trucco, 2016. "Does Intellectual Capital Disclosure Matter for Audit Risk? Evidence from the UK and Italy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(9), pages 1-19, August.
    14. George Silviu CORDOŞ & Melinda Timea FÜLÖP, 2020. "Debates In The Literature Regarding Audit Reporting," Annales Universitatis Apulensis Series Oeconomica, Faculty of Sciences, "1 Decembrie 1918" University, Alba Iulia, vol. 1(22), pages 1-4.
    15. Harber, Michael & Maroun, Warren & de Ricquebourg, Alan Duboisée, 2023. "Audit firm executives under pressure: A discursive analysis of legitimisation and resistance to reform," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).

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