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The purpose of this paper is to discuss the causes that justify the application of presumptions in corporate income taxation. The authors focus on motives showing a connection to errors or fraud in the recognition of operations by the financial accounting system. The research question can be framed as follows: How to define the frontier between reliable accounting records and unreliable information, the latter rendering presumptions as an admissible way of taxing income?

The research design of this paper rests on two analytical steps based on the legal research method. The first step enquires, at the accounting level, how to define and quantify errors that render accounting statements inappropriate to assess firms’ performance and compute taxable income. The second step explores the practical application of presumptive tax concepts by Portuguese courts, to offer some criteria that can function as guidelines to firms and tax auditors.

The judgment about the boundaries of accounting errors that allow the use of presumption-based taxation is often decided by litigation. Portuguese jurisprudence provides strong evidence that presumptions should only be applied if, even by correcting of errors and inaccuracies, corporate real income cannot be obtained. The level of contamination must be obvious, and tax audits must present a strong and documented claim that presumptions are a last-resort mechanism to compute an appropriate tax base. The Supreme Tax Court has been applying a consistent approach characterized by: presumptive taxation is a last-resort mechanism; tax audits must prove that a generalized contamination of accounting data is observed; it is not possible to correct accounting errors, given their extension and depth, and the taxpayer did not submit contradictory solid evidence.

Applying, in practice, legal criteria to decide that accounting manipulation is so extensive that taxation must be based on presumptions is fraught with subjectivism. However, we offer an analysis where some guidelines to this complex issue are presented in a logical way. Principles-based taxation can, nonetheless, be applied with a significant degree of fairness and consistency.

The paper contributes to the literature by offering an analysis of the criteria used by Portuguese tax courts when deciding that accounting data can be disregarded and presumptions used as a tax computation tool. Given that the rule, in many countries, is to base taxable income on accounting records (albeit with adjustments established in Corporate Income Tax Codes), presumptions are a notable exception to this well-established rule. As such, taxpayers have a significant interest in knowing how courts rule on tax authorities’ use of presumptions. In this light, the paper has also potential value to professionals in the accounting and tax fields. They are often confronted with tax audits that apply presumptions. Therefore, knowing jurisprudential trends in the judgment of such, usually complex, cases is an important issue.

The purpose of this paper is to examine information technology (IT) control deficiencies and their affect on financial reporting.

This study examines 278 companies reporting IT control deficiencies in the first three years of the SOX 404 requirements (2004‐2006). Using quantitative analysis, the study evaluates the impact of IT deficiencies on financial reporting and determines significant differences between companies that report IT deficiencies and companies that do not report IT deficiencies.

Four accounting errors: revenue recognition issues; receivables, investments and cash issues; inventory, vendor and cost of sales issues; and financial statement, footnote, US GAAP, and segment disclosures issues stand out as common financial reporting problems in companies reporting weak IT controls. This study also suggests that companies with IT control deficiencies report more internal control (IC) deficiencies, are smaller, pay higher audit fees, and are typically audited by smaller accounting firms.

This research is limited in scope since only SOX accelerated filers are included in the analysis. As of this study, smaller, non‐accelerated filers are not required to report IC control weaknesses under SOX.

As of this research, no analysis exists to support or refute the relationship of IT controls and accounting errors. This study re‐affirms the widespread impact that deficient IT controls can have on the overall IC structure of the business. Our study reveals some of the important issues associated with IT in the financial reporting process. The role of IT in financial reporting systems is destined to escalate. Studies, like ours, can help managers and auditors identify IT problems that affect financial reporting and take remedial steps to correct these weaknesses.

To provide further evidence on the effectiveness of analytical procedures (APs) used in auditing. Computer simulation experiments are used to examine the error detection ability of a set of APs. Two different types of errors are examined and compared on the basis of the Type I and Type II errors they produce. The results of the experiments support earlier performance assessments of APs based upon simulated data. Higher noise levels reduce performance but a more detailed modeling of the process generating the data appears to produce a compensatory increase in performance. Contrary to earlier findings, some annual APs performed better than their related monthly counterparts. Case study and experimental results are better reconciled than in previous studies. The findings are based upon simulated data and deal with two types of error only. The experiments model the data generating process underlying accounting numbers but are simplifications of the real situation. Future research based upon the same approach but using more sophisticated experimental models and dealing with a wider class of errors would be useful. The findings echo earlier recommendations that APs should not be relied upon as lone, substantive testing devices for error and fraud. The simulation experiments use Statistical Activity Cost Theory to generate accounting numbers from specified, underlying stochastic processes. This allows errors to be related to transactions, i.e. the level at which they typically occur, whereas in prior experimental work errors have only been related to accounts.

Recent public policy initiatives seek greater transparency in financial reporting through an honest, balanced and thorough management discussion of company performance in the annual report. Management’s discussion invariably includes key performance indicators, such as financial ratios, relevant to external stakeholders. We model the impact of accounting estimates, assumptions, choices and errors on the risk of misleading financial ratios. This framework is illustrated through good and bad examples of financial reporting practices and by simulation of financial data of public companies. We provide a structured approach to inform policymakers, auditors and other stakeholders of the incremental financial reporting risk that accompanies current regulatory efforts.

Auditors are required to perform analytical procedures during the planning and concluding phases of the audit. Such procedures typically use data aggregated at a high level. The authors investigate whether artificial neural networks, a more sophisticated technique for analytical review than typically used by auditors, may be effective when using high level data.

Data from companies operating in the dairy industry were used to train an artificial neural network. Data with and without material seeded errors were used to test alternative techniques.

Results suggest that the artificial neural network approach was not significantly more effective (taking into account both Type I and II errors) than traditional ratio and regression analysis, and none of the three approaches provided more overall effectiveness than a purely random procedure. However, the artificial neural network approach did yield considerably fewer Type II errors than the other methods, which suggests artificial neural networks could be a candidate to improve the performance of analytical procedures in circumstances where Type II error rates are the primary concern of the auditor.

The authors extend the work of Coakley and Brown (1983) by investigating the application of artificial neural networks as an analytical procedure using aggregated data. Furthermore, the authors examine multiple companies from one industry and supplement financial information with both exogenous industry and macro-economic data.

The internal auditor estimates the amount of error in routine accounting records by sampling and other procedures. These investigations cost money, and there is a risk that his conclusions may be wrong. This article shows how Bayesian theory can be used in planning and controlling the routine audit, and in interpreting audit findings. It suggests rules for choosing economic sample sizes in discovery sampling, and deciding whether to submit an unfavourable report on an accounting system when unexpected errors are found. It also discusses the use which the practitioner should make of any prior knowledge of a system which he may possess, and the impact of such knowledge on the frequency of audits. This study is seen as part of the current search for a general theory of audit decision making, and suggestions are made for further empirical and theoretical work in that field.

This paper aims to examine the effect of audit quality of consolidated financial statements on the accuracy of analysts’ earnings forecasts from the viewpoint of users of financial statements.

This paper investigates the effect of dependence on the work of other auditors on error in analysts’ earnings forecasts based on samples from 2011 to 2012 (the period since implementation of the International Financial Reporting Standards in Korea). In addition, this paper examines the effects of use of Big 4 auditors, use of auditors with industry expertise and the proportion of overseas subsidiaries in relation to all subsidiaries on the association between dependence on the work of other auditors and error in analysts’ earnings forecasts.

This paper finds a positive relation between dependence on the work of other auditors and error in analysts’ earnings forecasts, suggesting that more dependence on the work of other auditors decreases the quality of the audit of consolidated financial statements; thus, to the extent that low-quality audits decrease reporting reliability, analysts’ forecasts are less likely to be accurate. This paper also finds that the positive relationship between dependence on the work of other auditors and error in analysts’ earnings forecasts is weakened when the principal auditor is a Big 4 auditor or one with industry expertise, because such auditors provide higher-quality audit services. However, the positive relationship between dependence on the work of other auditors and error in analysts’ earnings forecasts is further strengthened in cases where the proportion of overseas subsidiaries to all subsidiaries is higher. These results suggest that the complexity of the consolidation process increases as the proportion of overseas subsidiaries increases.

The findings are useful in analyzing the effects of adoption of the New ISA, implemented in 2014, which does not allow the division of audit responsibilities between principal auditors and other auditors. This paper also provides insights for regulators and practitioners to improve the auditor appointment system in the future.

The purpose of this paper is to study whether diverting auditors to erroneous accounts leads to higher effectiveness and detection of errors. Also, this paper investigates the effect of the need for cognitive closure of auditors on audit effectiveness and detection of errors in the presence of audit management.

The authors used a financial statement containing a diverting statement and several errors for measuring audit management and used a survey to measure auditors’ need for closure. Research sample consisted of 79 independent auditors having above three years of audit experience. The set of financial statement and questionnaire (measuring the need for closure of auditors) was given to auditors and they had enough time to fill them.

Results show that diverting auditors to accounts containing error does not lead to higher effectiveness and detection of errors. Also, auditors need for closure character does not affect their effectiveness and detection of errors in the financial statements.

Diverting auditors to erroneous accounts leads to higher detection of earning management. With this regard, the results increase the awareness of auditors that diverting auditors away from important errors to easy-to-detect erroneous accounts leads to their belief of achieving the audit objectives by detecting phony errors and misstatements. In other words, the results alert auditors of managers’ techniques of audit management.

This study contributes to the literature on audit management and need for cognitive closure of auditors in Iran’s audit environment and introduces these concepts to this environment. The paper will be of value to Association of Iranian Certified Public accountants to include stricter measure in appraisal of audit firms’ quality and educate its participants about audit management and mediating effect of the need for closure of auditors on the detection of errors and misstatements in financial statements.

The accounting literature has traditionally focused on firm-level studies to examine the capital market implications of earnings and other accounting variables. We first develop the arguments for studying capital market implications at the aggregate level as well. A central issue is that diversification makes equity investors at least partially and potentially almost completely immune to several firm-level properties of earnings by holding diversified portfolios. Diversification is particularly important when assessing the welfare consequences of random errors in accounting measurement (imperfect accruals) and, to the extent it is independent across firms, of deliberate manipulation (earnings management). Consequently, some firm-level metrics of association, timeliness, value relevance, conservatism and other earnings properties do not map easily into investor welfare. Similarly, earnings-related risk manifests itself to equity investors largely through systematic earnings risk (covariation with aggregate earnings and/or other macroeconomic indicators). We conclude that the design and evaluation of financial reporting must adopt at least in part an aggregate perspective. We then summarize the literature in accounting, economics and finance on aggregate earnings and stock prices. Our review highlights the importance of studying earnings at the aggregate level.

Current systems of regulation in Japan require that listed firms disclose earnings forecasts for the coming fiscal year. The Japanese Business Federation is contesting this requirement, requesting that mandatory forecast disclosures be abolished. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationships between accruals and initial management earnings forecast errors (MFERR), and between accruals and forecast revisions. Further, the study offers a preliminary discussion of the economic costs of mandatory earnings forecasting, with a specific focus on firms operating under conditions of uncertainty or facing difficulty in analyzing economic information.

To investigate the relationship between accruals and management forecast errors (revisions), multiple regression models were designed using data covering the period between 2003 and 2013, pertaining to listed Japanese firms. A model developed by Dechow and Dichev (2002) was applied to estimate normal and abnormal accruals.

The author found a positive relationship between accruals and initial MFERR, and a negative relationship between accruals and forecast revisions. Further, the relationship between accruals and management forecast errors (revisions) is more pronounced among firms operating in uncertain business environments or facing difficulty in analyzing economic information.

The study provides an important analysis of abnormal working capital accruals in relation to both initial MFERR and forecast revisions. While total accruals or working capital accruals have been documented in prior studies in this regard, abnormal accruals have not. Furthermore, this study offers a preliminary discussion of the economic costs associated with earnings forecasting under conditions of mandatory disclosure. The economic impact of forecasting has not previously been addressed under either mandatory or voluntary conditions.