Global Journal of Management and Business Research, D: Accounting and Auditing, Volume 22 Issue 2

statements, without providing additional information to these documents. In this sense, [34] specify that the communication model adopted in the audit report is triangular since it is the result of the interaction of the relationships between the person who produces the description (auditor), the message, or the text (the auditor's account). audit) and the referent (financial statements). In the first study on the audit report, [21] analyses the information content and the communicative function of this document based on Shannon's 7 b) Insufficient informational value of the audit report communication model. The author studies the audit report forms used by professionals such as financial analysts. The main results of this research show that the French professionals interviewed do not use this report in their decision-making processes since it does not allow the audit opinion expressed by the auditor to be transmitted effectively. The reliability and completeness of the financial information provided by companies are among the main criteria observed by users. They pay particular attention to the quality of the information disclosed and its informational potential. However, since this document is included in the annual report, it does not arouse the users interestin a significant way, and, it often goes unnoticed in the mass of information communicated. Thus, the audit report is often described as a "standard" report (Mock et al. 2013) with low communicative value [11; 12] with no accurate informational content [33]. The research conducted by [11; 12; 34] in different contexts leads to the same conclusions on several points. The audit report, although it is read by several users, is still considered a binary "pass/fail report," which does not provide additional information. The extent of the criticism leveled at this document, and its common use have prompted some legislators to rethink the form and content of this report so it can better meet the expectations of its readers. Therefore, [33] recommend adding additional information to the audit reporting process to strengthen communication around the work done by the auditor. Other authors [41] justify the low use of the audit report by the nature of the information it contains. The authors point out that the current form of this report lacks transparency since it does not provide information on the anomalies not corrected by the management of the company as well as the cases of disagreement with the management (in addition to those which are considered to be insignificant by the listener). 7 The communication model of Shannon and Weaver (1948) or the general system of communication. IV. D ata and M ethodologies The study covers the period 2010-2020; it concerns 4,402 annual reports of 691 listed companies, according to the distribution indicated in table 1. The total number of consolidated statements is 2,04 9 8 8 Certain reports concerning the period 2005-2009 were also examined. But due to their small number (34 in total), these reports are excluded from the study. . Informational Performance of Audit Reports Content: Case of French Companies Listed on the Stock Exchange during the Decade 2010-2020 4 Global Journal of Management and Business Research Volume XXII Issue II Version I Year 2022 ( )D © 2022 Global Journals