會計師任期與審計品質認知－－股市投資人的觀點

Audit Partner Tenure and Perceived Audit Quality-Perception from Stock Market Investors

本研究旨在從股市投資人的角度，探討會計師任期（audit partner tenure）與盈餘反應係數（earnings response coefficients）之間的關聯性，藉此檢視會計師任期對審計品質影響，並評估國內審計準則公報第四十六號建議會計師任期超過7年應進行會計師輪調之政策效益。實證結果顯示，整體而言，投資人認為會計師任期愈長，審計品質愈佳。且不論會計師的任期是否超過7年，投資人皆認為任期愈長，審計品質愈佳；但當會計師任期超過7年以上時，相較於任期前7年，會計師任期對審計品質的提升幅度則有遞減的趨勢。從股市投資人觀點，本研究實證結果並不支持國內審計準則公報第四十六號建議，會計師事務所及證券主管於進行會計師事務所品質控管時，應慎考慮會計師所內輪調是否有其必要性。

Using earnings response coefficients as a proxy for investor perceptions of audit quality(perceived audit quality), we examine the association between audit partner tenure and perceived audit quality and evaluate whether seven-year audit partner rotation requirement specified in the Auditing Standard Bulletin No. 46 is needed. Our empirical evidence reveals that there is a positive relationship between audit partner tenure and perceived audit quality, suggesting that the longer the audit partner tenure the better perceived auditor quality. However, we also find that the positive relationship between audit partner tenure and perceived audit quality became weaker after audit partner tenure exceeds 7 years. Our findings lend support to the notion that long audit partner tenure has no detrimental effect on investor perception of audit quality. This allows policymakers to consider the necessity of mandatory audit partner rotation from the investor perspective.