The ability to reduce the expectation gap between financial reporting users and auditors: an analytical study of audit offices in Iraq

Abstract

As a result of the exposure of the audit profession to many criticisms directed by the financial community and users of financial reports, by failing to provide the desired services, resulting in a gap of expectation between the financial community and users of financial reports and auditors, the profession had to take into account the requirements of the financial community and users of financial reports to reduce the expectation gap between the financial community and users of financial reports and auditors. From this point, the study is based on examining the gap between the financial community and users of financial reports and auditors, as well as on ways to reduce this gap by an analytical study of the opinions of both auditors working in audit offices operating in Iraq and a number of users of financial reports employed in joint stock companies. In order to achieve these objectives, a survey was conducted in 2020, under which 140 questionnaires were distributed. One of the most important findings of the research is that a major reason for the gap of expectations in the audit profession from the point of view of users of financial reports is the underperformance of the auditor’s responsibilities, and the lack of auditing standards is a major reason for the gap of expectations in the audit profession from the point of view of auditors.