The concentration of large accountancy firms in the Maltese PLC external audit market : an assessment

Abstract

The main theme of this dissertation is the assessment of the issue of concentration in the Maltese audit market. The purpose is to consider the extent of concentration within the Maltese PLC External Audit Market and to identify the impact of such concentration on public limited companies with respect to, inter alia, auditor choice, and auditor independence and confidentiality and whether it is possible to mitigate such an impact (if any). To achieve these objectives, the main research tool used was the questionnaire and it was sent out to two groups of respondents, namely; the public limited companies and the audit firms. The research has shown that the Maltese audit market is characterised by a high level of concentration. Yet, one should not be particularly concerned with this, since the repercussions of concentration are minimal. Indeed, it was held that the major consequence of concentration is that it results in public limited companies appointing the same auditors year after year. In addition, it was deduced that it would be impossible to mitigate the issue of concentration on a local level, especially since the concentration of the Big Four firms is a global issue. The value of this dissertation is that it enables the audit firms and their clients to acquire further knowledge on the structure of the Maltese audit market and its potential implications.