Auditors' View on the Necessity and Status of Using Expert Services in Auditing

The complicated and evolving features of the business environment, the extensive use of information technology, the continuous change of laws and regulations, and the use of fair values and assets' revaluation in the capital accumulation necessitate the use of expert auditing services. Also, the strong emphasis on the quality of auditing by the professionals and legislators shows that the current audit environment faces many challenges and auditors' response to them is to increase the participation of experts in auditing activities. Considering the adoption of international accounting standards in Iran and the emphasis of these standards on fair value, expert services, and revision of auditing standard 620 (using the services of auditors), this study aims to explore auditors’ attitude about the necessity of using expert services in auditing and examine the current status of the auditing profession using expert services.  

Data collection method was survey method, and nonparametric statistical tests of Wilcoxon, Chi-squared, and Friedman were used to analyze the data.  

According to the survey results, auditors emphasize the need to use specialized services in the current situation, but most auditing firms do not have any guidelines or instructions for specialized services in auditing other than auditing standards. Also, the valuation experts are the most widely used experts in auditing. Additionally, legal and tax experts are other important specialties that could be used after valuation. Among the eleven groups of experts in authorized legal expertise, the real estate appraisal group has the highest priority, followed by the finance, road, construction, and surveying groups. In the current situation, auditors are more likely to hire professionals who are paid by the client. But these auditors themselves do not play a decisive role in selecting experts. Also, from the auditors' point of view, the cost is one of the main factors influencing the absorption of specialized personnel. Also, the results showed that auditors mostly use experts who are outside the audit team and hired by the management. However, auditors' attitudes toward tax and IT experts are more convinced than those of other groups of experts.  

At present, valuation experts are most widely required in auditing than other specialties. Also, costs play the principal role in using specialized services in auditing. Accordingly, the auditors' team tends to employ specialists whose fees are paid by the management. But, the auditors' team is not significantly involved in designating management specialists. Therefore, the Association of Certified Public Accountants is advised to consider the cost of using expert services separately in the regulations for determining the fee of auditing services and to include the cost of expertise in calculating the fee for auditing services.