The fourth factor, number of locations, is a measure to capture an organization's
vulnerability to loss of control. Abdel-khalik (1993) used size {number of employees) to proxy vulnerability to a loss of control inherent in hierarchical firms. The logic in the present study is that the greater the number of locations the greater the risk of loss of organizational control and the higher the rate at which losses accrue in the absence of an audit.
The remaining three factors, {v), (vi), and (vii), measure other sources of clientspecific
risk of losses in the absence of an audit. These factors were found by Simunic (1980) to be significantly correlated with tbe audit fee. In this study, we argue that these risk factors contribute to the risk of loss in the absence of auditing.