New perspective on the black box of internal auditing and organisational change

2016 ◽  
Vol 31 (8/9) ◽  
pp. 804-820 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aviv Kidron ◽  
Yuval Ofek ◽  
Herztel Cohen
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
Quantitative Methods ◽  
Internal Audit ◽  
Organisational Change ◽  
Internal Auditing ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Internal Auditors ◽  
The Public ◽  
Innovative Model ◽  
Audit Information

Purpose The shift from the traditional audit towards performance audit implies that internal auditors in the public sector function as change agents who underpin the fundamental change process. This paper aims to propose a model that identifies the determinants of organisational change in the public sector that result from internal auditing and the way internal auditors facilitate it. Design/methodology/approach The conceptual discussion of this paper is based on a review of relevant literature, both practical and academic. Findings This paper develops an innovative model that describes the factors leading to auditees’ change readiness after undergoing internal audit processes. The independent variable is audit information quality and the dependent variable, organisational change. Auditees’ perceptions is the mediator variable, and accessibility to audit information is the moderator variable. Practical implications The proposed model suggests the advantages that can be gained by audit-related services, which in turn will add value to the organisation. The relationships between the variables inform practitioners on how to support effective audits as a means of increasing performance and influencing organisational change. Originality/value As the paper offers an innovative model, it may open up new research areas in internal auditing that can be studied by using both qualitative and quantitative methods.

A new vision for internal audit

2015 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 34-55 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew D. Chambers ◽  
Marjan Odar
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Governance ◽  
Financial Crisis ◽  
Public Interest ◽  
Global Financial Crisis ◽  
Internal Audit ◽  
Internal Auditing ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Internal Auditors ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Global Financial Crisis

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore how internal auditing may recover from being one of the corporate governance gatekeepers that failed to prevent the global financial crisis. Design/methodology/approach – This paper draws on the theory of professions and provides a brief analysis of internal auditing history, ending with an appraisal of contemporary status. Findings – Internal auditing has not been “fit for purpose” and can be enhanced. Low expectations of internal audit are currently addressed by enhanced guidelines from a number of parties. Internal audit needs to move firmly into the corporate governance space – to audit corporate governance more effectively and to provide more dependable assurance to boards. Practical implications – The global Institute of Internal Auditors can use recent enhanced internal auditing guidelines as a springboard to regain their lead. Internal audit needs to cut the umbilical cord that ties it to management. The accepted “dual reporting” of internal audit is flawed. Social implications – Society cedes professional status to an occupational group when it is in society’s best interests to do so. An attribute of a profession is its accent on serving the public interest. It is unsatisfactory that, five years after the global financial crisis broke, the international Standards for internal auditing still do not articulate the correct professional conduct on making external disclosures in the public interest when internal auditors are aware of serious wrongdoing not satisfactorily addressed internally. Originality/value – This paper comprises a conceptual analysis to challenge the internal audit profession.

Factors affecting the internal auditors’ effectiveness in the Jordanian public sector

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 251-273 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hamza Mohammad Alqudah ◽  
Noor Afza Amran ◽  
Haslinda Hassan
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Task Complexity ◽  
Internal Audit ◽  
Top Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Internal Auditors ◽  
External Auditors ◽  
The Public

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the moderating effect of task complexity on external auditors’ cooperation (EAC), top management empowerment and internal auditors’ independence, which affect internal auditors’ effectiveness in the Jordanian public sector. Design/methodology/approach This paper utilised 117 usable questionnaires from financial managers and internal audit (IA) managers of the Jordanian public sector institutions. The collected data were analysed using partial least squares-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). Findings The results reveal that EAC, top management empowerment, and internal auditors’ independence are the factors which positively and significantly affect the internal auditors’ effectiveness, as supported by the resource-based theory, with incomplete support for the task complexity’s role as a moderator. Practical implications The findings are important for the decision-makers and regulators in introducing new legislation and regulation for the IA profession in the Jordanian public sector. Social implications It is shown that the factors affecting the internal auditors’ effectiveness can definitely enhance their ability to achieve the role of IA in protecting public funds and limiting financial and administrative corrupt practices, particularly in the public sector. Originality/value To the best knowledge of the authors, this study is one of the first studies that addresses task complexity as an interaction effect on the factors affecting internal auditors’ effectiveness in the public sector.

Leadership of change in South Africa public sector turnarounds

2018 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mampe Kumalo ◽  
Caren Brenda Scheepers
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Public Sector ◽  
Current Literature ◽  
Organisational Change ◽  
Director General ◽  
Change Processes ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Financial Consequences

PurposeOrganisational decline has far-reaching, negative emotional and financial consequences for staff and customers, generating academic and practitioner interest in turnaround change processes. Despite numerous studies to identify the stages during turnarounds, the findings have been inconclusive. The purpose of this paper is to address the gap by defining these stages, or episodes. The characteristics of leaders affect the outcome of organisational change towards turnarounds. This paper focusses, therefore, on the leadership requirements during specific episodes, from the initial crisis to the full recovery phases.Design/methodology/approachA total of 11 semi-structured interviews were conducted with executives from the public sector in South Africa who went through or were going through turnaround change processes and 3 with experts consulting to these organisations.FindingsContrary to current literature in organisational change, this study found that, in these turnaround situations, leadership in the form of either an individual CEO or director general was preferable to shared leadership or leadership distributed throughout the organisation. This study found four critical episodes that occurred during all the public service turnarounds explored, and established that key leadership requirements differ across these episodes. The study shows how these requirements relate to the current literature on transactional, transformational and authentic leadership.Practical implicationsThe findings on the leadership requirements ultimately inform the selection and development of leaders tasked with high-risk turnaround change processes.Originality/valueFour episodes with corresponding leadership requirements were established in the particular context of public sector turnaround change processes.

The impact of management control systems on organisational change and performance in the public sector

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 473-495
Author(s):  
Nuraddeen Abubakar Nuhu ◽  
Kevin Baird ◽  
Ranjith Appuhami
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
Dynamic Capabilities ◽  
Organisational Change ◽  
Management Control ◽  
Employee Empowerment ◽  
Strategic Flexibility ◽  
Interactive Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
And Performance

Purpose This study aims to examine the role of organisational dynamic capabilities (strategic flexibility and employee empowerment) in mediating the relationship between management control systems (MCSs), in particular the interactive and diagnostic approaches to using controls, with organisational change and performance. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected based on a mail survey of public sector organisations in Australia and analysed using structural equation modelling (SEM). Findings The findings indicate that strategic flexibility and employee empowerment mediate the association between the interactive approach to MCSs with organisational performance, and strategic flexibility mediates the relationship between the interactive approach to MCSs with organisational change. Practical implications The study’s findings inform public sector practitioners as to how to enact change within and enhance the performance of public sector organisations. Specifically, managers are advised to focus on the use of interactive controls and the development of two dynamic organisational capabilities, strategic flexibility and employee empowerment. Originality/value The study provides an initial empirical insight into the relation between controls and dynamic capabilities and their role in enacting change and performance within the public sector. The findings suggest that the achievement of new public management ideals is reliant upon the organisational environment, with change and performance facilitated by the interactive use of controls and strategic flexibility and employee empowerment.

Does the chief audit executive gender matter to internal audit effectiveness? Evidence from Tunisia

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 424-439
Author(s):  
Ahmed Atef Oussii ◽  
Mohamed Faker Klibi
Keyword(s):  
Quality Assurance ◽  
Internal Audit ◽  
Internal Auditing ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Internal Auditors ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Internal Audit Function ◽  
Management Positions ◽  
African Perspective ◽  
Executive Gender

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether chief audit executive (CAE) gender has a significant impact on the internal audit function (IAF) effectiveness as proxied by the extent to which the internal audit function uses quality assurance techniques. Design/methodology/approach This study uses a multivariate regression model to analyze the association between CAE gender and the use of quality assurance techniques in fieldwork as a proxy for IAF effectiveness. Data were collected using a survey of 74 internal auditors from Tunisian listed companies. Findings The results indicate that IAFs run by a female CAE are more likely to incorporate quality assurance techniques into fieldwork than IAFs run by male CAEs. Therefore, internal audit departments managed by women tend to be more effective. Practical implications Findings highlight to regulators and reform advocates the importance of having women on the CAE position will improve internal audit practices’ quality. Thus, the gender difference in internal auditing should be more strongly emphasized in different cultural and economic contexts. Originality/value This study provides new insights which add to the existing gender literature by introducing a North African perspective and simultaneously providing new insights that highlight the importance of having women on top management positions in internal auditing and the positive effects which come with it.

Financial Misappropriation in the Nigerian Public Sector: A Determination of the Role of the Internal Auditor

2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 7-17
Author(s):  
J. K. Oyadonghan ◽  
S. Ogoun
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
Research Effort ◽  
Internal Audit ◽  
The State ◽  
Least Square ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Economic Management ◽  
Internal Auditor ◽  
Internal Auditors ◽  
The Public

The continued search for a solution to the problem of poor economic management due to financial misappropriation in the public sector, and the public’s outcry against internal auditors because of their perceived connivance necessitated the current study. Furthermore, the position canvassed by internal auditors with respect to their scope of responsibility further justified the need for this research effort. Accordingly, this study was undertaken to determine, whether or not, the internal auditor has a role to play in ensuring the proper utilization of the nation’s economic resources, bearing in mind the rules specifying the scope of the internal audit function in the public sector. Drawing from the research model of survey design, both a structured questionnaire and oral interview data collection platforms were deployed to collect primary data from audit, and another staff of selected ministries in the State and the least-square regression analysis was adopted in testing the hypotheses. From the analysis, and from personal interview, the researchers were able to find out that internal audit has a responsibility to detect and prevent financial misappropriation in the public sector. It was also found out that the internal auditors in the State Civil Service are not independent, which affects their freedom to report such acts of financial misappropriation to the legislative arm for proper action. Therefore, it is recommended that The State legislative arm should ensure that the independence of the internal auditor is guaranteed by a statute.

scholarly journals Internal audit in the public sector – comparative study between the Nordic countries: The development of internal auditing within the public sector in the Nordic countries

2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 19-44
Author(s):  
Anna Margrét Jóhannesdóttir ◽  
Stina Nielsson Kristiansson ◽  
Niina Sipiläinen ◽  
Riikka Koivunen
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
Comparative Study ◽  
Internal Audit ◽  
Nordic Countries ◽  
International Standards ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Internal Auditing ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Status ◽  
Further Development

The subject of this paper is a comparative study about the current status of internal audit within the public sector in the Nordic countries. The aim is to understand the basis and recognize trends in the development of internal audit in the public sector in these countries. The status of internal audit within each country, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, is presented and also the regulatory basis, laws and regulations, for internal audit and the main challenges that internal auditing faces. Finally, the opportunities for further development of internal audit in the public sector are addressed. The International Standards for Internal Auditing are well recognized and in use in all the countries. There are differences between these countries in their approach of the regulatory framework for internal audit and the arrangement of the operation of internal audit units. Therefore, further development of internal auditing should be pursued in cooperation and to harmonize the regulatory bases in these countries and to learn from each other when implementing internal audit in the public sector.

scholarly journals Examining CAATTs Implementation by Internal Auditors in the Public Sector

2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 50-56
Author(s):  
Aidi Ahmi ◽  
Siti Zabedah Saidin ◽  
Akilah Abdullah
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
Internal Audit ◽  
State Level ◽  
Maintenance Cost ◽  
Computer Assisted ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Internal Auditors ◽  
The Public ◽  
Efficiency And Effectiveness ◽  
The Government

Computer Assisted Audit Tools and Techniques (CAATTs) are not new for auditors, and it needs to be adopted to gain the audit efficiency and effectiveness especially in a current era of technology. This paper examined the implementation of CAATTs by internal auditors in the public sector. Accordingly, this research reports the results from 12 interviews made with internal audit departments in public sector in both federal and state level in Malaysia. This research found that the implementation of CAATTs by internal auditors in public sector is still low due to lack of expertise, high implementation and maintenance cost, limited access of auditee’s data, and most of them prefer to conduct the audit manually. Furthermore, it is not mandatory for them to use CAATTs. The evidence is a contrast with the encouragement made by the government to improve the IT usage in public sector. The results implied that training for future auditors in CAATTs to ensure the successful implementation is crucial. For CAATTs to be a success, the head of internal audit also must have the awareness about the importance of CAATTs as well as enforcement of its implementation.

scholarly journals Correlational Study: Internal Auditing and Management Control Environment Innovation within Public Sector in the United States

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 5-15
Author(s):  
Karina Kasztelnik ◽  
Victor W Gaines
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Public Sector ◽  
Internal Control ◽  
Environmental Control ◽  
Internal Audit ◽  
The United States ◽  
Control Environment ◽  
Internal Auditing ◽  
The Public ◽  
Nonparametric Correlation

This article is about exploring the relationship between internal human resources auditing and environmental control in the US public sector. The main purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which the determinants of internal audit staff have the potential to influence the predictive value of the public sector control environment. The tools of the work are presented by a quantitative correlation analysis to determine the interdependence of variables (aspects of recruitment, accountability) and resultant indicator (public sector environment). By systematizing literary sources and approaches to solving the problem, as well as using the COSO 2013 Internal Control Framework as a theoretical framework, the authors focus on the question of how much internal audit recruitment, and accountability experience can influence in the foreseeable future and each of the two major COSO components. The empirical analysis was presented in the research, which made it possible to substantiate the following conclusions: the results of two multiple linear regression models did not show statistically significant except for recruitment, nonparametric correlation of Kendall’s Tau-b correlation is allowed to identify significant interrelationships development. The findings of the study may be useful for implementing further transformational changes in the functioning of the global economy in the context of the growing role and importance of international audit and its positive impact on the public sector in the United States. Keywords: Internal Auditing, Personnel Factors, Control Environment, Management, Innovation.

Contribution of internal auditing to risk management

2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 348-364 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philna Coetzee
Keyword(s):  
Risk Management ◽  
Public Sector ◽  
South African ◽  
Audit Committee ◽  
Internal Audit ◽  
Senior Management ◽  
Minor Effect ◽  
Internal Auditing ◽  
The South ◽  
Content Type

Purpose – There is a widening gap between the expectations of internal audit stakeholders and the value the function brings to the table, for example, in the management of the risks threatening an organisation. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the views of chief audit executives (CAEs), the chairs of audit committees and senior management on the contribution of the internal audit functions to risk management in the South African public sector. This contribution is considered in the context of existing risk management structures and the level of coordination between these structures and internal auditing. Design/methodology/approach – The views of heads of internal auditing, chairpersons of the audit committee and the Accounting Officer (similar to the CEO of private sector organisations) of national, provincial and local government organisations were obtained and statistically analysed. Findings – The results indicate that the CAEs have noticeably different views from the other two parties, and that the existence of risk management structures has a minor effect on how the contribution of internal auditing to risk management is perceived. Research limitations/implications – It was decided to not include the views of heads of risk management functions owing to the immaturity of risk management in this sector with in the South African public sector. Practical implications – The results of the study provide internal auditing with information on narrowing the possible gap between the perceptions of senior management and their own perceptions. Senior management could streamline the efforts of these two parties in mitigating the key risk of the organisation. The audit committee, as the independent overseer of internal auditing, will obtain information on whether internal auditing contributes to risk management, and if not, how to address these issues, taking into account the existence (or a lack thereof) of risk management structures. The legislator and regulator of public sector could be influenced to provide clearer guidance or rules in this regard in order to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of risk management policies and practices. Originality/value – Limited studies have been conducted regarding the coordination of internal auditing and risk management in mitigating the key risks; especially within the public sector domain whether the existence of risk management structures would affect this coordination. Also the views of senior management, as the key stakeholder of internal auditing, on this matter have not yet been solicited.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document