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Research Article

Partner Audit Hours and Partner-Level Key Audit Matter Similarity

Yoon, Yongseok1 · Kim, Hyeona2

1 Hannam University, 2 Korea University of Technology and Education

Published: January 2025 · Vol. 54, No. 3 · pp. 717-741

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17287/kmr.2025.54.3.717

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Abstract

This study investigates whether partner-level Key Audit Matter (KAM) similarity reflects the concept of partner style, as defined in prior research. Specifically, we examine the relationship between KAM similarity and the proportion of audit hours attributed to the engagement partner. We analyze 3,914 firm-year observations from 2020 to 2022, a period during which KAM disclosure became mandatory for all listed firms. The results show that a higher proportion of partner audit hours is positively associated with greater KAM similarity. In contrast, we find no significant association between KAM similarity and the audit hours of other team members, such as registered accountants, staff, or quality control reviewers. This supports the interpretation of KAM similarity as a valid proxy for the engagement partner’s actual audit involvement. Our findings remain robust after controlling for partner- and firm-level characteristics and applying firm fixed effects. This study contributes to the literature by validating KAM similarity as a novel partner-level variable. It also advances the understanding of partner fixed effects in audit research. Furthermore, we provide empirical evidence that engagement partners enhance audit report comparability by increasing KAM similarity, thereby helping to mitigate information asymmetry from a qualitative disclosure perspective.
Keywords: 감사파트너감사시간핵심감사사항유사도