Research on auditors´ gender and audit fees

Sociology, psychology and management have a full understanding of gender behavioral differences. However, few scholars are concerned about the role and development of women in the auditing profession. In this paper, we use the listed companies in Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchange from 2007 to 2010 as our sample, investigate the impact of auditors´ gender on audit behavioral decisions making based on audit fees. The study finds that female-group auditors´ audit fees are significantly higher than those of the nonfemale-group auditors´, which may be due to female auditors´ preference to take more audit procedures and use more personnel to reduce the audit risk. This conclusion has important implications on the practice of the Ministry of Finance, China Association of Certified Public Accountants, accounting firms and other institutions.