2.3 Audit Firm Size
A number of studies in audit quality and auditor reputation (proxied by auditor size or
auditor brand name) show that brand name auditors tend to have higher monitoring strength
that enables them to produce higher information quality and credibility (Davidson and Neu,
1993; DeAngelo, 1981; Dopuch and Simunic, 1982; Titman and Trueman, 1986; and Beatty,
1986). However, Chang, Cheng, and Reichelt (2010) found that investors positively respond
company’s decision to change its auditor from big to small audit firm.
Khurana and Raman (2004) argue that ability to detect material misstatements in
financial reports is the function of auditor competence while the tendency to disclose material
misstatements is the function of auditor independence. Competency level of auditors tends to
vary for every audit firm. Several audit firms spend more money and time for training and
formal education for their auditors hence its auditors have greater capacity and capability.
Meanwhile, independency level also varies across audit firms. DeAngelo (1981) supports this
view and argues that nonbig audit firms have greater incentives not to disclose material
misstatements in order to retain clients and maintain good relationship to them. Big audit
firms have less incentive because reputation is too expensive to be sacrificed. Big audit firms
tend not to really depend on specific client.
Becker et al. (1998) tested hypothesis about big audit firm reputation. They tested
whether or not ex-clients of big audit firms involved in less earnings management practices.
Earnings management is measured by cross-sectional Jones model (1991). Using 10,379
samples of ex-client of big audit firms and 2,179 samples of ex-client of nonbig audit firms in
the Unites States, they found that the average of discretionary accruals is 1.5 to 2.1 per cent
lower for ex-client of big audit firms. The finding indicates that big audit firms are more
conservative. Francis and Krishnan (1999) support Becker et al. (1998) that an increase in
accrual revenue tend to lead to legal problems so that big audit firms tend to choose clients
with lower accrual revenue to avoid legal problems and bad reputation.