This study examines whether audit firm office size affects auditors’ risk tolerance in making client acceptance decisions. Analyzing publicly traded client portfolios of the Big 4 audit firms from 2003 to 2012, we find that large Big 4 offices are less likely to accept clients with high audit risk. This is particularly true when auditors face temporary capacity constraints arising from the exogenous demand shock by SOX 404 during the post-SOX 404/pre-AS5 period (2003–2007). However, the negative association between office size and risk consideration in client acceptance decisions attenuates when AS5 coupled with the financial recession results in a temporary capacity surplus in the post-AS5/financial crisis period (2008–2012).

本研究考察审计事务所办公室规模是否影响审计师在做出客户接受决策时的风险承受能力。分析 4 大会计师事务所 2003 年至 2012 年的公开交易客户组合，我们发现四大事务所不太可能接受具有高审计风险的客户。在 SOX 404 之后/AS5 之前时期（2003-2007 年），当审计师面临 SOX 404 的外生需求冲击引起的临时容量限制时，尤其如此。然而，当 AS5 加上金融衰退导致 AS5 后/金融危机时期（2008-2012 年）临时产能过剩时，办公室规模与客户接受决策中的风险考虑之间的负相关会减弱。