“It Doesn’t Make Sense”: Professional Skepticism As Sensemaking

Abstract

Professional skepticism is a fundamental yet complex aspect of auditing. To understand how auditors exercise skepticism in practice, Xu, Yang, and Fukofuka (2023) conducted qualitative research based on stories provided by auditors. The study identified that professional skepticism is like a sensemaking process. It is triggered and unfolded through auditors’ actions and interactions with their audit teams and clients. These findings highlight the importance of understanding how auditors act, converse, and interact with clients to effectively exercise professional skepticism, which has important implications for auditing firms and practitioners.