Research Services - Innovation and Competition in the Audit Market

Tender description

***THIS IS A CONTRACT AWARD NOTICE*** ABOUT THE FRC The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) regulates auditors, accountants, and actuaries; and sets the UK's Corporate Governance and Stewardship Codes. We seek to promote transparency and integrity in business; our work is aimed at investors and others who rely on company accounts, audit, and high-quality risk management. As the Competent Authority for audit in the UK, the FRC sets auditing and ethical standards, and monitors and enforces audit quality. The FRC will be transformed into a new regulator: the Audit, Reporting and Governance Authority (ARGA) in the future, following three independent reviews and recommendations, and the Government's 2021 consultation "Restoring trust in audit and corporate governance" and the Government's response to that consultation. ABOUT THE RESEARCH PROJECT The aim of this research project is to further our understanding of how innovation and competition interact in the market for audit services. The FRC's strategic objectives for 2022-25 include promoting improvements and innovation in the areas for which we are responsible and creating a more resilient audit market through greater competition and choice. The outputs of this research project will inform the FRC's work to drive up audit quality and improve the functioning of the audit market. The outputs that will be delivered by this research project (included but not limited to): - A short literature and (secondary) evidence review. This should include: • a summary of any research on the links between innovation and competition in the audit market. For this research project we are concerned predominantly with the audit market for FTSE 350 companies but would also be interested in innovation-competition dynamics in any other parts of the audit market for UK Public Interest Entities (PIEs) or in audit markets elsewhere in the world. • a summary of the latest research, both empirical and theoretical, on the interaction between innovation and competition at a more general level. This does not necessarily need to be audit specific providing findings could be of relevance to the audit market. • a summary of the available (secondary) evidence on innovations in audit since the previous work by the Competition Commission referenced above. - Informed by the literature review and the evidence identified above, a short discussion paper with questions for discussion at the workshop (see below) with relevant innovation and competition experts. - A small-scale structured (online) workshop with relevant innovation and competition experts from academia and other institutions such as think tanks and regulators (including the FRC). - A short, written report. ***AWARD NOTICE***