JOURNAL OF HIGHER EDUCATION THEORY AND PRACTICE

Graduate Education and the Audit Expectations Gap in the Post-Sox Era

Author(s): Darryl L. Brown, Keith T. Jones

Citation: Darryl L. Brown, Keith T. Jones, (2011) "Graduate Education and the Audit Expectations Gap in the Post-Sox Era," Journal of Higher Education Theory and Practice, Vol.11, Iss. 3, pp. 67 - 82

Article Type: Research paper

Publisher: North American Business Press

Abstract:

Many attempts have been made to address the audit expectations gap, ranging from educating investors
to creating tougher auditing standards; however, the most appropriate formula continues to be open to
debate. Prior studies have primarily focused on the effect of formal audit education; the current study
examines whether differential levels of education (MBA vs. undergraduate), whether accounting or
otherwise, are associated with differential levels of an expectations gap. The results suggest that
education level may moderate the gap, and that well-placed interventions at the MBA level would
potentially be effective in educating a large group of investors.