An Analysis of the Expectations Gap:Can it be eliminated?

Overseas Engish海外英詩(shī)2011年1月An Analysis of the Expectations Gap: Can it be eliminated?曠群(上海大學(xué)悉尼T.商學(xué)院.上海201800)Abstract: The "expectaions gap" signifies the diferences between what the public expects from an audit andprefers the audit objectives to be. Although the gap exists, it seems that the profesions trust that it could be eliminated. In this paper, fur-ther evidence was provided to deny the above point by exploring the inevitaility nature and the structure of the audit expectaion gap. Inaddition, the author concludes that expectations gap cannot be eliminated; instead, the only thing can be done is to narrow down the gapKey words: expectation gap; eliminate; narrow down中圖分類(lèi)號:F239文獻標識碼:A文章編號:1009- -5039(2011)01- -0286 -031 Introductionment, auditors may make some misstatement about financial state-ment or ignore some fraud unconsciously. Therefore, audits cannotExpectations gap has existed for at least three derades.fully guarantee all fraud will be detected and prevented, ThroughNowadays, as crticism and litigation which auditors face increas-this analysis, we may discover that the existence of the gap is ob-ing. the "expectations gap" becomes more and more attractive. Thejective and inextirpable."expectations gap", signifying the differences between what thepublic expects from an audit and what the auditing profession3 The structure of the expectations gapprefers the audit objectivess to be, has been a recuring issue in theAfter analyzing the nature of the expectations gap, we shouldauditing literature (chandler & Edwards, 1996). Public still regardpay more altention to the structure of the expectations gap. Parsingfraud detection as the primary task of auditors, while the auditingcomponents will be useful to prove the impossibility of eliminatingprofession argues that the most important audit objective is note expectations gap. In 1993, academics decomposed the auditfraud detection or fraud reporting The common view in the pro-expectation gap into three main components. First, deficient per-fession is that the public misunderstands the role of the auditor.formnance of independent auditor, caused by fail to hew to promul-Hence, the divergence of the two standpoints results in forming thegated standards. Second, deficient standards that fail to meet theexpectations gap. Although the gap exists, the profession seems toexpectations of the public. The third part is unreasonable expecta-rust that this gap can be eliminated. Is it possible to eliminate thetions of the public (Thomas et al, 2004). We will briefly analyse"expetations gap"? Or the gap only can be narrowed? So we willthese threeethree aspeetsin the fllowing context.eritically discuss the profession s point of view in this article.Deficient performance due to the gap between auditors'2 The nature of the audit expectations gapperceived performance and the auditors ' existing duties, here theduties are defined by the law and professional promulgations.To understand the audit expectations gap, we should compre-Auditors ' capabilities of auditing is relative limited. If an auditorhend the definition of the expectations gap. There are many defi-lack "due professional care", for example, misjudgments, ignoringnitions about "audit expectations gap"origins of auditing canbe traced hack tn (reeck, Egypian and earlier civilizations (Coop-ne important audit procedure or adopt unbfiting technology, heer, 1886; Worthington, 1895; Brown, 1905; Woolf, 1912). In 1974,or she will afect the quality of auditing. Some textbooks point outthat this gap can be narowed by closer monitoring of auditors'Liggio defined the "expectations gap" as the differences betweenperformance and by improving the professionaleducation ofthe expected performance "as envisioned by the independent aC-countant and by the user of financial statements”(Liggio, 1974).practitioners. Improved or more extensive disciplinary proceduresmay be helpful for promoting compliance with statutory and pro-Thereafter, his definition was developed via the Cohen Commis-fessional requirements. However, in the auditing field, till now nosion (CAR, 1978). Till now the more appropriately accepted one isscholar asserts there is a way to eliminate this gap. In practice,that the differences between what the public expects from an auditalthough few civil cases about financial scandals emerged fromand what the auditing profession prefers the audit objectives to behe late 1990s to 2000s, early evidence implies a lack of due(chandler & Edwards, 1996). We also note the meaning of the ex-professional care and independence on the part of many Big Fourpectations gap maintains change as the transformation of society.auditing firms (Thomas et al., 2004).Hence, we can say sociality is one of the characters of the expec-Deficient standards represent the gap between the auditors'tations gap. Further to dig the nature of the gap, on the part ofexisting duties and the duties which may reasonably be expectedpublic, auditors are expected to accept prime responsibility for fi-of auditors. The existing_ duties are the expectation of currentnancial statements, and they should check all of the business, giveprofessional standards and statutes. Meanwhile, the ltter duties,warming to public, in particeular, they have responsibility of detect-which are cost-beneficial for auditors to perform, are the expecta-ing fraud. SSuch expeclations go beyond visibly the actual perfor-tion that can be achieved by auditors in perfect condition. Themance and standard 'of auditors. In practice, auditors' perfor-difference between the two "duties" is caused by the diverse pro-mances always are afected by the pressure of clients. In relationducing conditions which include auditing circumstance, the levelto this point, Humphrey has described that, "Greater professionalI the anticipation of auditing risk. Since the costpriority would appear to have been placed on the need to maintainot technology,is take into account, as well as the condition of two duties is dif-the auditors' relationship with management than on satisfying thedemands of the public" (Humphrey, Turley & Moizer, 1993b). It is- xistence of the expecta-also difficult to perform a 100% check for auditors in a limitedtion中國煤化工We also find that experiod. Moreover, when facing the deliberate colluder of manage-istingYHCNMHG: public or regulators as收稿日期:2010-10-09修回 日期:2010-10-27作者簡(jiǎn)介:曠群(1974-),女,湖南漣源人,講師,碩士,主要研究方向為英語(yǔ)教學(xué)法,澳大利亞研究。本欄目責任編輯:代影Overseas English 海外美語(yǔ)2011年1月clients for six months.lation, we can find these steps aimed to appease the eriticism ofIn 2001, the bankrupt of US energy giant Enron is a greatauditors. Such approaches are useless to eliminate the: expecta-shock for all over the world, not just in the auditing world. Thistions gap as what the auditing profession expects to. Hence,scandal may become the biggest ever corporate failure in the US.through analyzing the nature and the slructure of the gap, we mayWhen the energy giant collapsed, many serious financial prob-get a conclusion that it is unadvisable to regard the expectationslems were emerged before the publie. Arthur Andersen, the ac-gap can be eliminated. Such neglect of the existence of the: gapcountancy fim employed to audit Enron, played an importantcould lead to enlarge its size in curtain degree.role in this scandal. Andersen was convicted of obstruction ofReferences:justice for covering the real financial trouble of Enron and de-[1] Brown R.A History of Accounting and Accountant[M].Edin-stroying Enron documents.For the auditing deficienciese, the publication of Accountaneyburgh: T.C. & EC. Jack,1905.had a following descripion about the different perceptions be-[2] Cooper E.Chartered Accountants as Auditors of Companies[]tween the public and the profession. "whenever there is a suddenThe Acnoanan88131;4-649[3] Cousins J,Mitchell A,Sikka P.Race to the Bottom: The Case ofcollapse, people tend to assume that auditors negligently failed tospot that somehing was wrong or worse, knew all about it but keptthe Accountancy Fims[M].AABA,2004.their mouths shu.. 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Au-proposal for Reform of Audit and Accountancy [M]London:ditors per se believe that they develop their work under the stan-Fabian Society,1991.dards of independence and objectvity, so they. should gain the[11] Porter B.An Empirical Sudy of the Audit Expectation-Persociety's confidence on the one hand; the public 's expectationformnance Gap [J].Accouning and Business Research,1993,24beyond auditors' perceived performance on the other hand. As a(93):49- -68.series of collapse of companies occurring, auditors ’capabilities[12] Sikka P,Puxty A.Willontt H,et al.The Impossibility of Elimi-and responsibilities were oppugned by the public. Should detect-nating the Expectations Gap: Some Theory and Evidence [J]Jing fraud be primary or second duty of auditor? Such disputeCritinticalPerspectives onountg1998,9.99 -30.widens further the expectations gap. Although a lot of efective[13] Thomas C WJR J A,Pitman, M.K.The Audit Expeclationstrategies have been adopted to narrow the gap, for example,Cap of the 21st Centuy[J].Today's CPA,2004(7- 8):32- -35.govemment's legislation and the auditing profession ' s self-regu-[14] Winters S.Today's CPA Column[Z].2003(5- 6):5.(上接第285頁(yè))聯(lián)想測試是- -種方便、操作性較強的測試工具,通過(guò)它可水平,前四個(gè)層次是關(guān)于學(xué)習者對測試詞具體意義的認知,第.以準確地分析了解受試者的詞匯深度知識水平，發(fā)現詞匯習五個(gè)層次需要學(xué)習者掌握該詞的語(yǔ)法和搭配等用法，用該詞得中存在的問(wèn)題。但該測試方法還存在一定的局限性。40個(gè)測進(jìn)行造句。由此叮見(jiàn)，該能表試圖掌握詞匯習得的循序漸進(jìn)的試詞全部是形容詞，涉及的詞性非常單一。而且,該測試對測過(guò)程,即不是一-次性習得一個(gè)單詞的全部?jì)热?而是逐步增加.試單義詞比較有效,而對包含多種意義,以及具有多重詞性的的,漸進(jìn)的過(guò)程。詞則無(wú)效。相對于這些局限, Wesche& Paribakht(1996)的詞匯3結束語(yǔ)知識5級量表在這方面則有了大大的改進(jìn)。通過(guò)以上回顧,我們可以看出.對于詞匯測試工具的研究2.2詞匯知識量表已經(jīng)取得了一定的成效，詞匯的廣度和深度測試都有比較可Nation(1990)提 出掌握一個(gè)單詞須包含八個(gè)方面:讀音、拼靠的工具,但還需進(jìn)一步完善。而詞匯的提取速度方面現今仍寫(xiě).語(yǔ)法表現、搭配、頻率、語(yǔ)域、涵義和聯(lián)想。Wesche and基本處于空白,還有待探索。Paribakht(1993)也提出，詞匯學(xué)習是一個(gè)逐步發(fā)展的過(guò)程,詞匯參考文獻:知識的學(xué)習有5個(gè)階段:[1] Wesche M,Paribakht T S. Assesing Second Language1)我不記得見(jiàn)過(guò)該詞匯Vocabulary Knowledge:Depth Versus Breadth [J].The Canadian2)我見(jiàn)過(guò)該詞,但不知道它的意義Modern Language Review.1996(53):191-218.3)我見(jiàn)過(guò)該詞,我想它的意義應該.....[2] Read J.The Development ofa New Measure of L2 Vo-cabul-93)03)335 -371.5)我知道如何在句子中運用該詞中國煤化工ing Vocabulary[M].NewParibakht and Wesche設計的詞匯知識量表VocabularyYork:lCNMH GKnowledge Scale(VKS)首次面世是在1993年,受到普遍認可并Vocabulary through a得到廣泛使用。1996年，兩人又再次證明了此測試在詞匯附帶Word Knowledge Framework [J].Studies in Second Language Ac-習得中的信度和效度。quisition,1997(19):17-36.在這個(gè)量表中，受試者自覺(jué)匯報他們對某個(gè)單詞的認知88 紅術(shù)思海欄目賚任鳊輯:代影萬(wàn)萬(wàn)數據