Auditor choices and auditor reporting practices: evidence from Finnish small firms

This paper examines the links between the likelihood of a modified audit report and the professional qualifications of the auditor for a sample of small and medium-sized firms. Like Denmark, Germany and Sweden, Finland has a two-tier system for qualifications. The data show that modified audit reports are more common in unprofitable, leveraged and failing firms, but there are no significant differences in the propensity to modify the report between auditors with the higher and lower professional qualification. However, it is found that non-professional auditors, i.e. auditors assumed to meet only general eligibility criteria specified by law, are less likely to modify the report. Finnish auditing laws stipulate that all companies must be audited. However, the company must be audited by a professional auditor only if the business exceeds a certain size. Therefore the paper continues with a study of factors related to the decision to engage a professional auditor, although the law does not require firms to do so. Results show that failing firms are significantly less likely to be audited by professional auditors than non-failing firms.