本研究旨在探討於2007年臺灣通過會計師法修正案後,產業專家會計師事務所對客戶篩選之變化,以及出具之審計意見適當性之探討;因會計師法在修訂後其條文規範、相關罰則的訂定標準將更加嚴苛,預期會計師將面臨的訴訟風險與法律責任相對會提高。實證結果發現,在會計師法修正案通過後,產業專家會計師事務所的受查公司之財務風險水準,低於修法前的受查公司之財務風險水準,顯示產業專家會計師事務所面臨法律責任加強時,愈會慎選其受查客戶;也發現在修正法案通過後,產業專家會計師事務所出具繼續經營疑慮審計意見之比例將會下降,其原因為已拒絕繼續承接高風險之客戶,故愈不會出具繼續經營疑慮審計意見,但對於規模愈大之受查公司,出具繼續經營疑慮審計意見之傾向則增加。再者,本文亦針對四大會計師事務所做額外測試,結果支持修法後四大會計師事務所愈會慎選客戶,其客戶的財務風險水準愈低,也愈不會出具繼續經營疑慮審計意見,但對於規模愈大之客戶,則愈會出具繼續經營疑慮之審計意見。
The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of regulatory amended of the Certified Public Accountant Act (CPA Act) on the decision of industry specialist auditor firms. The paper analyzes the relation among the change of litigation risk, the change of the industry specialist auditor firms in client selection decision and the change of audit opinion type for Taiwanese listed companies. This paper uses the CPA Act amended and promulgated in 2007 to separate the sample years into two period to measure the magnitude of litigation risk, with latter period being associated with higher litigation risk. The results show that after Certified Public Accountant Amendments Act period, the clients’ financial risk of the industry specialist auditor firms is lower, which implied when industry specialist auditor firms face the litigation risk increasing, they will be carefully selected their client. In the meanwhile, the industry specialist auditor firms issue the proportion of going-concern opinions decreasing. In addition, the industry specialist auditors firms are inclined to issue going-concern audit opinion with larger audit companies.