Our research objective is to identify the production characteristics of audit engagements
that may explain the differences in expected audit quality between Big 5
and non-Big 5 firms. In this archival study, we examine the total audit effort and the
allocation of effort to four audit phases—planning, (control) risk assessment, substantive
testing, and completion—for a cross-section sample of 113 audits of Dutch companies
in 1998/99 by 14 public accounting firms. We find that, after controlling for
client characteristics: (1) both types of auditors exert about the same amount of total
audit effort; (2) Big 5 auditors allocate relatively more effort to planning and (control)
risk assessment, and relatively less to substantive testing and completion; and (3) client
size, use of the business-risk-based audit approach, and reliance on client internal
controls affect audit hours differently for the two auditor types. We conclude that the
Big 5 firms actually produce a higher audit quality level, and that this quality difference
Our research objective is to identify the production characteristics of audit engagements
that may explain the differences in expected audit quality between Big 5
and non-Big 5 firms. In this archival study, we examine the total audit effort and the
allocation of effort to four audit phases—planning, (control) risk assessment, substantive
testing, and completion—for a cross-section sample of 113 audits of Dutch companies
in 1998/99 by 14 public accounting firms. We find that, after controlling for
client characteristics: (1) both types of auditors exert about the same amount of total
audit effort; (2) Big 5 auditors allocate relatively more effort to planning and (control)
risk assessment, and relatively less to substantive testing and completion; and (3) client
size, use of the business-risk-based audit approach, and reliance on client internal
controls affect audit hours differently for the two auditor types. We conclude that the
Big 5 firms actually produce a higher audit quality level, and that this quality difference
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