Impact Of Skills Of The External Auditor On Auditing Quality

Abstract

This research mainly focuses on studying the impact of the external auditor's skills on auditing quality. Also, it aims to identify the classification of the ten skills of the external auditor studied from the point of view of the auditors. The research sample consisted of (215) external auditors of two categories: the category of auditors of the Federal Board Of Supreme Audit and the category of Certified Public Accountants (CPA) and auditors working with them in audit offices licensed to practice the profession in (8) governorates representing the middle Euphrates region and the southern region of Iraq, which is (Al-Diwaniyah, Al-Muthanna, Najaf, Karbala, Babylon, Basrah, Thi-Qar, Maysan). The authors have used the controlled questionnaire tool to collect the data required for the research to analyze it using the statistical program SPSS (vr.24). One of the most important findings of the researchers is that the skills of the external auditor positively affect auditing quality with an impact amount of 0.71 and that the highest impact on auditing quality (the dependent variable) was for the skill of time management, and secondly comes the skill of better communication and social skills. Thirdly, risk assessment and fraud detection. Then, the fourth is critical thinking, the fifth is negotiation, the sixth is problem-solving, the seventh is training and continuous development, the eighth is professional judgment and professional suspicion, the ninth is familiarity with the audit process, and finally the leadership skill. The respondents also rated familiarity with the audit process as the most important skill of the external auditor, then came second in professional judgment and professional suspicion, thirdly, in leadership, fourth, problem solving, fifth, risk assessment, and fraud detection, sixth, negotiation skill, seventh, time management, eighth, critical thinking, and ninth, training and development skill continuous and finally better communication and social skills. Among the most important recommendations made by this research is that the parties concerned with the audit profession in Iraq should pay attention to the external auditor's development (time management skill), as it had the greatest impact among the ten skills studied in auditing quality and improving it. Furthermore, this research recommended the concerned authorities in the profession in Iraq take upon themselves the possibility of preparing a guide (in the form of a handbook) that includes all the skills required of the external auditor, as well as indicators of auditing quality, and that this guide be distributed to all external auditors in Iraq, and that it is also available to the public for perusal on him .