In supplemental tests, we find that auditors blame management less for IT than for manual control deviations. Consistent with theory, we find evidence that lower management blame results in lower assessed significance of deficiency for concession, but not for denial. Finally, we find evidence that explanation adequacy is negatively related to the assessed significance of deficiency for both IT and manual control deviations. Further, explanation adequacy fully mediates the effects of persuasion tactics on the assessed significance of deficiency.