The Accounting Review Vol. 56 No. 1 1981
Wirtschaftsprüfer Perception of Auditor Independence.
Abstract
Auditors of U.S. multinational companies with subsidiaries in the Federal Republic of Germany frequently must rely on the audit work performed by German auditors (Wirtschaftsprufer). If German financial statements are to be included in the consolidated financial statements of a U.S. parent company, the foreign auditors must comply with the SEC requirement that auditors be independent. This paper discusses the results of a survey conducted to ascertain the perceptions of Wirtschaftsprufer concerning auditors' independence. A questionnaire which listed a number of auditor-client relationships for which the SEC position was known was mailed to a random sample of Wirtschaftsprufer. The sample subjects were asked to indicate for each situation whether they considered the auditors involved to be independent or not independent. The responses received were compared with the SEC positions. The results of the survey show that, on the whole, most German auditors take a less strict view of auditors' independence than does the SEC. Since the SEC rules on independence are, with minor exceptions, applicable to all auditors of SEC registrants, it seems that it is important that foreign auditors be made aware of the specific SEC rulings.
- DOI
- 10.2308/tar-4481097
- Volume
- 56
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 97-107
- Language
- en
- Sources
- crossref openalex