Biggs et al. (1993)found that for a going-concern task, client-based knowledge was critical.
Client-based knowledge is gained via experience working on a client, researching the client, the
industry it operates in, and how economic events impact that client. When making a going-concern
judgment, an auditor must gain a detailed understanding of that client and the industry in which it
operates. Details of a client’s financial difficulties and any mitigating factors are then placed within
the context of that knowledge to allow an informed going-concern judgment to be made. While it is
possible to perform relatively well on an unfamiliar task, such as a going-concern task, with
knowledge of a client and the industry in which it operates, it is more difficult to perform well on a
familiar task in an unfamiliar industry