University of Minnesota Crookston Associate Professor Ali Saeedi, Ph.D., presented two research papers at the August 2024 American Accounting Association (AAA) Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., highlighting critical issues in audit practices and fraud risk assessment.
The first paper, titled “Risk Assessment Errors: The Effect of Auditors’ Psychological Capital”, examined the critical role that psychological factors such as hope, self-efficacy, resilience, and optimism play in shaping their ability to accurately assess risks of fraud. Saeedi collaborated with Ruhollah Amareh, Hossein Fakhari, and Saeid Homayoun. This study, which focused on the impact of COVID-19 on auditing processes during the pandemic, suggested that, while hope and resilience improve audit accuracy, excessive optimism and overconfidence can lead to increased errors. The findings underscore the important role that balanced psychological capital plays in audit performance.
Saeedi, in collaboration with Mandana Taheri, also presented the paper, “Examining Audit Pricing Determinants in an Emerging Market: Regulations vs. Market Factors.” This research investigates the relationship between audit efforts, market competition, client bargaining power, and audit fees to highlight how the audit market functions in emerging economies.
Saeedi teaches courses in accounting and finance at U of M Crookston.
