Title

Non-Big 4 Local Market Leadership and its Effect on Competition

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

5-2016

Publication Source

The Accounting Review

Abstract

This study examines local characteristics associated with non-Big 4 local market leadership and the impact of non-Big 4 local market leadership on competition. We identify non-Big 4 local market leaders by collecting accounting firm rankings from business publications for 46 of the largest metropolitan statistical areas from 2005–2010. These rankings are based on the number of local office employees and provide a more holistic measure of office size than measures based on public company audit fees. We find local supply and demand factors are significantly associated with non-Big 4 local market leadership and that non-Big 4 leadership is associated with lower overall audit fees in the local market. We also find that non-Big 4 leaders earn a fee premium over other non-Big 4 auditors. Our results imply that non-Big 4 leaders increase local market competition.

Inclusive pages

907-931

ISBN/ISSN

0001-4826

Comments

Permission documentation on file.

Publisher

American Accounting Association

Volume

91

Issue

3

Peer Reviewed

yes

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