BACKGROUND: The article focuses on inconsistencies in audit approaches when auditors place reliance on the work performed by others. It examines differences in the approach followed by auditors when relying on the work of a predecessor versus the work of an auditor's expert. SETTING: The study contributes to the limited body of auditing research focusing on the technical application of International Auditing Standards and the functioning of actual audit practice in a South African context. It outlines how auditors apply their professional judgement when using technical auditing standards when comparing the work of a similarly trained expert in the field of accounting and auditing (per ISA510) versus the work of an expert in a field other than accounting and auditing (per ISA620). AIM: The purpose of this article is to examine and identify inconsistencies in the interpretation and application of ISA510 and ISA620 by a purposefully selected number of registered auditors in South Africa. It considers how inconsistencies in the approach followed when an auditor places reliance on the work of another auditor or an auditor's expert points to underlying efforts to seek legitimacy and manage legal liability. METHOD: Detailed interviews are used to explore auditors' experiences and challenges with the application of these two ISAs. RESULTS: Audit quality is not necessarily a function of compliance with professional standards. While ISA510 and ISA620 deal with a situation where an auditor places reliance on the work of a third party, they are interpreted and applied very differently. CONCLUSION: The application of ISA510 is part of a rules-based approach to auditing aimed at reducing an auditor's legal liability rather than enhancing audit quality. The same logic applies to ISA620 except that auditors perceive that their risk exposure is lower because the standard is limited to a single transaction or balance rather than to the entire audit engagement. The application of ISA620 is also useful for convincing internal reviewers, external regulators or audit committees that sufficient appropriate evidence for a complex line item has been obtained. The need to ensure a more robust process for testing complex balances and transactions is not, however, the primary consideration. Regulators and standard setters should not assume that compliance with auditing standards results in better quality audits. At the operational level, the need to manage legal liability and to signal the credibility of test procedures may be more relevant for the execution of audits than ensuring that audit opinions are supported by sufficient appropriate audit evidence. As only two standards, applied in a single jurisdiction, are used to illustrate this point, additional research will be required to determine the extent of inconsistency in the application of auditing standards and how this can result in lower levels of audit quality.

Resumo Esta pesquisa examina a relação entre a adoção do padrão contábil internacional pelas pequenas e médias empresas no Brasil e o custo de crédito concedido pelas instituições financeiras. A literatura a respeito desse assunto discute a regulação contábil como resposta à existência de ambientes com assimetria informacional e a Teoria da Divulgação estuda o fenômeno da evidenciação contábil, sob o ponto de vista de suas causas e efeitos. O International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) sugere que um padrão contábil com maior qualidade de informações tende a reduzir o custo de captação de empresas de menor porte e, dessa forma, este trabalho tem como objetivo principal investigar se a adoção do padrão contábil internacional tem provocado algum efeito no custo de crédito bancário. A investigação foi conduzida por uma abordagem teórico-empírica, em que as análises estatísticas envolveram uma amostra de 179 empresas sujeitas ao Pronunciamento Técnico - Contabilidade para Pequenas e Médias Empresas (CPC-PME), das quais foram realizadas análises descritivas, testes de médias amostrais, análise de dados em painel e regressões quantílicas, com dados de demonstrações contábeis referentes a três anos (2009 a 2011). As evidências apontaram fraca associação entre as medidas de qualidade da informação contábil (disclosure e evidenciação da adoção do padrão contábil baseado no CPC) e o custo de crédito bancário dessas empresas. Entretanto, essas evidências não se demonstraram consistentes no tempo e, além disso, pela análise das regressões, não houve significância das variáveis. Desse modo, é possível observar apenas uma pequena influência das informações contábeis no segmento em questão, pelo menos nesse primeiro momento de mudanças nos padrões contábeis, no custo de crédito bancário. Dessa maneira, este estudo contribui para o exame da relação entre a qualidade das informações contábeis e o custo do crédito bancário no âmbito das empresas de porte reduzido.

Abstract This research examines the relationship between the adoption of the international accounting standard by small and medium-sized entities in Brazil and the cost of credit granted by financial institutions. The literature about this subject discusses accounting regulation as a response to the existence of environments having information asymmetry and the Disclosure Theory studies the phenomenon of accounting disclosure, from the viewpoint of its causes and effects. The International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) suggests that an accounting standard with higher information quality tends to reduce the funding cost for small enterprises and, thus, this paper has as its main aim investigating whether the adoption of the international accounting standard has caused some effect on the cost of banking credit. The investigation was conducted through a theoretical and empirical approach, where the statistical analyses involved a sample of 179 enterprises subject to the Brazilian Technical Pronouncement - Accounting for Small and Medium-Sized Entities (CPC-SMEs), which underwent descriptive analysis, sample means testing, panel data analysis, and quantile regressions, with data from financial statements for three years (2009 to 2011). Evidence suggests a weak association between measures of the accounting information quality (disclosure and exposure of the adoption of the accounting standard based on the CPC) and the cost of banking credit for these enterprises. However, such evidence did not prove to be consistent over time and, furthermore, through regression analysis, the variables were not significant. So, it is possible to observe only a slight influence of accounting information in the sector under analysis, at least at this very first moment of changes in the accounting standards, on the cost of banking credit. Thus, this study contributes to examine the relationship between accounting information quality and the cost of banking credit among small and medium-sized entities.

En la actualidad, en el campo de la profesión contable, es muy común referirse al tema de las Normas Internacionales de Contabilidad, que según el plan de direccionamiento estratégico del Consejo Técnico de la Contaduría serán convergidas muy pronto en Colombia. Por esto, la finalidad del presente informe es analizar los diferentes activos intangibles que puede poseer una empresa y, a su vez, contrastar por qué muchos de estos recursos no clasifican como intangibles para la norma internacional, a pesar de su generación de valor en una organización y, además, proporcionar el procedimiento contable en la medición inicial y posterior que la norma internacional (International Accounting Standards Board, IASB, Junta de Normas Internacionales de Contabilidad) tiene sobre estos recursos.

Today, many people in the world of accounting refer to the International Accounting Standards, which, according to the strategic direction plan of the Government Accounting Office's Technical Council, will soon come into practice in Colombia. Therefore, this paper aims to analyse the different forms of intangible assets a company could own and, in so doing, to examine the reasons why many of these resources would not be classified as intangible under international standards, despite the fact that they not only generate value in an organisation but also provide the accounting procedure for the initial and final measurements used by international standards (International Accounting Standards Board - IASB).

Anualmente, no campo da profissão contábil, é muito comum se referir à questão das Normas Internacionais da Contabilidade, que segundo o plano de direcionamento estratégico do Conselho Técnico da Contabilidade serão convergidas em breve na Colômbia. Portanto, a finalidade deste relatório é analisar os diferentes ativos intangíveis que uma empresa pode possuir e, mesmo, contrastar por que é que muitos destes recursos não classificam como intangíveis segundo o padrão internacional, a pesar da sua geração de valor em uma organização e, além de fornecer o procedimento contábil na aferição inicial e posterior que o padrão internacional (International Accounting Standards Board, IASB, Junta de Normas Internacionais de Contabilidade) tem sobre esses recursos.

El presente artículo se desarrolla en un momento coyuntural de la profesión contable a nivel mundial, debido a que las Normas Internacionales de Información Financiera (NIIF) han cobrado gran importancia desde su creación, "como normatividad contable universal reconocida por las empresas, que permite cada vez más comparar la información financiera entre entidades de un mismo sector, aunque la base de sus negocios se encuentre en diferentes países, "destaca Alberto del Castillo Socio de Auditoria de la firma Price Wáter House Coopers". El resultado de la aplicación de estas normas permitirá que las decisiones de inversión se agilicen y los mercados actúen con rapidez, permitiendo un mayor volumen de operaciones. (Pérez, 2009). De cara a esta realidad, Colombia a través de la Ley 1314 de 2009, a partir del 1 de enero del año 2010, inicia el proceso de convergencia hacia las NIIF delegando al Consejo Técnico de la Contaduría Pública (CTCP) como ente normalizador. De esta manera, para la profesión contable colombiana resulta conveniente dar una mirada a países que han desarrollado procesos similares, como lo es, el caso mexicano. Dado que México inició este proceso desde el año 2002 construyendo su cuerpo normativo contable denominado NIF (Normas de Información Financiera de México) sin perder de vista las NIIF (Normas Internacionales de Información Financiera) emitidas por la IASB (Junta de Normas Internacionales de Contabilidad).

This article develops a conjunctural moment of the accounting profession worldwide, due to International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) have become very important since its creation, "as universally recognized accounting standards by companies, allowing each again compare the financial information between entities in the same sector, although the basis of their business is in different countries", "stands Alberto del Castillo audit partner of PricewaterhouseCoopers." The result of the application of these standards will allow the investment decisions are expedited and the markets move quickly, allowing a greater volume of transactions. (Pérez, 2009). Facing this reality, Colombia through Law 1314 of 2009, from 1 January 2010, begins the process of convergence to IFRS by delegating to the Technical Board of Public Accountancy (CTCP) and entity normalizer. Thus, for the accounting profession in Colombia is convenient to take a look at countries that have developed similar processes, such as the Mexican case. Since Mexico began this process since 2002 building its accounting regulatory body called FRS (Financial Reporting Standards in Mexico) without losing sight of the IFRS (International Financial Reporting Standards) issued by the IASB (International Accounting Standards Board of Accounting).

Cet article se développe lors d'un moment conjoncturel de la profession comptable dans le monde, vu que les Normes Internationales d'InformationFinancière(NIIF) ontacquisune grande importance à partir de leur création, "comme normativité comptable universelle reconnue par les entreprises, qui permet de comparer de plus en plus l'information financière entre des entités d'un même secteur, si bien que la base de leur business se trouve en différents pays", "souligne Alberto del Castillo, associé de Price water house Coopers". Le résultat de l'application de ces normes va permettre plus d'agilité sur les décisions d'investissement, et une plus grande vitesse d'action des marchés, ce qui apportera une croissance du volume des opérations. (Pérez, 2009). Face à cette réalité, la Colombie a commencé, le 1er janvier 2010, avec la Loi 1314 de 2009, le processus de convergence vers les NIIF en délégant au Conseil Technique de la Comptabilité Publique (CTCP) le rôle de normalisateur. On a résolu que pour la profession comptable colombienne en résulte convenable de donner un regard sur les pays qui ont déjà développé des processus similaires, comme le cas mexicain. Le Mexique a commencé ce processus à partir de l'année 2002 au moment de la construction de son corps normatif comptable dénommé NIF (Normes d'Information Financière du Mexique) sans perdre de vue les NIIF (Normes Internationales de Formation Financière) émises par la IASB (International Accounting Standards Board).

El presente trabajo se ocupa de aquellas funciones que constituyeron los objetivos centrales de la administración que se encargó de la construcción y explotación de los puertos y, de forma expresa, de la normativa que reguló las tareas de organización y administración a través de la creación de las juntas de obras, y los reglamentos que se emitieron para su funcionamiento. Del análisis de los reglamentos se evidencian dos ámbitos en la organización de la junta de obras, el ámbito económico, contable y financiero, y por otro lado, el ámbito técnico. En nuestro trabajo se desarrolló el primero de los ámbitos señalados, con el fin de plasmar la organización administrativa y destacar las particularidades contables y financieras de las juntas de puertos. Finalmente, este estudio podría dar lugar a posteriores investigaciones como serían, entre otras, verificar la efectiva aplicación de la normativa por parte de una determinada junta de obras del puerto y realizar un análisis empírico con los datos facilitados por la documentación contable que genera la aplicación de los reglamentos.

O presente trabalho ocupa-se daquelas funções que constituíram os objetivos centrais da administração que se encarregou da construção e exploração dos portos e, de forma expressa, da normatividade que regulamentou as tarefas de organização e administração através da criação das Juntas de obras, e os regulamentos que se emitiram para seu funcionamento. Da análise dos regulamentos evidenciam-se dos âmbitos na organização da Junta de obras, o âmbito econômico, contábil e financeiro, e por outro lado, o âmbito técnico. Em nosso trabalho desenvolveu-se o primeiro dos âmbitos indicados, com o fim de caracterizar a organização administrativa e destacar as particularidades contábeis e financeiras das Juntas dos Portos. Finalmente, este estudo poderia dar lugar a posteriores pesquisas como seriam, entre outras, verificar a efetiva aplicação da normatividade por parte de uma determinada Junta de obras do porto e realizar uma análise empírica com os dados fornecidos pela documentação contábil gerada pela aplicação dos regulamentos.

The present work deals with some functions which constituted the central objectives of the administration responsible for constructing and exploiting Spanish ports; it expressly deals with regulations concerning organisational and administrative tasks and the creating of the port authority (works) board of directors and the regulations issued for their functioning. Analysing the regulations revealed two areas of responsibility in how the port authority board of directors were organised: the economic, accountancy and financial area and the technical area. This work concentrates on the first of the aforementioned areas, reflecting the administrative organisation and highlighting the port authority board of directors' accountancy and financial characteristics. This study could lead to further investigation such as verifying the effective application of regulations by a particular port authority (works) board of directors and making an empirical analysis of the data provided by the accountancy documentation which led to applying the regulations.

Ce travail analyse les fonctions qui ont constitué les objectifs centraux de l'administration chargée de la construction et de l'exploitation des ports et plus particulièrement de la norme qui a réglementé les tâches d'organisation et administration par la création des "Juntas de obras", et les règlements établis pour son fonctionnement. L'analyse des règlements met en évidence deux domaines dans l'organisation des 'Juntas de obras', le domaine économique, comptable et financier, et d'autre part le domaine technique. Dans ce travail le premier domaine signalé a été développé, afin de déterminer l'organisation administrative et de mettre en valeur les particularités comptables et financières des "Juntas de obras". Finalement, cette étude pourrait donner lieu à des investigations futures, comme notamment la vérification de l'application effective de la norme par une "Junta de obras" du port déterminée et la réalisation d'une analyse empirique des données apportées par la documentation comptable engendrée par l'application de ces règlements.