An examination of internal auditor turnover intentions

2017 ◽  
Vol 32 (9) ◽  
pp. 830-853 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grace Mubako ◽  
Tatiana Mazza

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the factors that are associated with internal auditors’ professional turnover intentions. Design/methodology/approach The study analyzes data from responses to the Institute of Internal Auditors’ (IIA) (2015) Common Body of Knowledge global survey and uses a multivariate approach to identify factors that influence internal auditor turnover intentions. Findings Results show that internal auditor turnover intentions are negatively associated with an academic background in accounting, possessing internal audit professional certification, and having access to more training opportunities. Turnover intentions are positively associated with organizational-professional conflict, restricted access to documents and personnel, and the existence of a program of using the internal audit function as management training ground. Differences by IIA global region highlight the diversity in the turnover challenges that face the professional globally. Originality/value Results from this study are important because they bring attention to issues that potentially lead to internal auditors leaving the profession. This can help the profession and organizations take measures to motivate internal auditors to remain in the profession and alleviate the current staffing challenges faced by the profession.

2009 ◽  
Vol 24 (9) ◽  
pp. 813-834 ◽  
Author(s):  
Priscilla Burnaby ◽  
Susan Hass

PurposeThe 2006 global Common Body of Knowledge (CBOK) study is part of an ongoing research program designed to document how internal auditing is practiced. The purpose of this paper is to summarize responses to three global surveys of internal auditors.Design/methodology/approachBased on literature reviews and a pre‐scope questionnaire, the researchers develop three questionnaires that are answered by internal auditors world wide. Topics in the questionnaires, which are translated from English into 16 languages, include the attributes of an effective internal audit activity (IAA); compliance with The Institute of Internal Auditor (IIA) Standards; internal auditor skills, competencies, and knowledge; internal audit tools and techniques; and emerging roles of the IAA.FindingsThe profession of internal auditing is a rich resource for organizations as the IAA monitors the adequacy and effectiveness of management's internal control framework and contributes to the integrity of corporate governance; risk assessment; and financial, operating, and IT systems.Practical implicationsThe participation of IIA members from 91 countries and 9,366 usable responses provides information about the evolving role of internal auditing as a value‐added activity that helps an organization manage its risks and take advantage of opportunities. The CBOK 2006 database can be used to improve the understanding of the current state of internal auditing practices; anticipate the use of new skills, tools, and technologies; and promote the enhancement of standardization and performance of internal auditing world wide.Originality/valueThis paper summarizes information in the most comprehensive database ever to capture a current view of the global state of the internal audit profession.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Aida Krichene ◽  
Emna Baklouti

Purpose The purpose of this study is to understand how internal auditors perceive the internal audit quality and to highlight the different profiles of internal auditors based on their perception of internal audit quality determinants. Design/methodology/approach The authors’ methodological approach is based on the submission of a self-administered questionnaire. The final sample consists of 104 internal auditors. The first stage of the study is in the lead of a certified public accountants (CPA), which highlights seven factors of the internal audit quality. The second step is a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) that allowed the authors to validate the model proposed by the CPA. Finally, the authors carry out a typological analysis of the auditors according to their way of perceiving the factors extracted by the CPA. Findings The authors’ model, validated by the CFA, shows that the knowledge of the internal auditor, the independence of reporting, compliance with professional standards of internal audit, the relationship with the external auditor, the personal relationship of the internal auditor, the access to information and the field of intervention of the internal auditor have a positive association with the internal audit quality but with a different degree of significance. For example, the field of intervention of the internal auditor and the access to information explain better the internal audit quality. However, the knowledge of the internal auditor and the relationship with the external auditor are not significant to explain the internal audit quality. From the hierarchical cluster analysis, four groups of internal auditors emerged: the autonomous, the perfectionists, the rigorous ones and the objectives. Originality/value In offering these findings, the paper contributes to the existing internal audit literature by introducing evidence from an emerging country, namely, Tunisia, of the internal audit quality model. In addition, the authors proposed a new measure to the internal audit quality model which is the use of the work of the internal auditor by the external auditor. This study is also interesting to managers and professional internal audit organizations in recognizing the characteristics of the quality of the internal audit and advance reflections on the effectiveness of internal audit practices. The authors’ study proposes a typology of certified internal auditors through their perceptions of the quality of the internal audit while taking into account the specificities of the Tunisian audit market. This provides insights to managers and audit committees on the measures necessary to ensure the relevance of the internal audit work within their companies.


2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 462-485 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maia Farkas ◽  
Rina Hirsch ◽  
Julia Kokina

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine potential determinants of management’s agreement with internal auditor recommendations of an interim assurance engagement. Design/methodology/approach The experiment involved a 2 × 2 × 2 design with internal auditor gender, mode of communication and root cause variables randomly assigned to 228 experienced managers. Findings When the internal auditor includes a root cause for an identified deficiency in an internal audit report, management perceptions of the quality of that report improve. The gender of the internal auditor who communicates the audit finding with management does not significantly impact management’s perceptions. Additionally, communicating the internal audit report via e-mail instead of videoconference results in improved managerial perceptions of the quality of the internal auditor. While improvements in perceptions of internal auditor quality lead to greater agreement with internal auditor recommendations, improvements in perceptions of report quality lead to greater implementation of internal-auditor-recommended remediation strategies. Research limitations/implications The operationalization of the manipulated variables of interest (communication mode, gender and root cause) may limit the generalizability of the study’s results. Practical implications The paper includes managerial implications for internal auditors’ choice of communication mode and inclusion of a root cause in interim internal audit reports. Originality/value This study provides evidence on the factors that could improve management’s perceptions of internal auditors’ work. The findings can help organizations, such as the Institute of Internal Auditors, to better understand how to address the needs of those who communicate with internal auditors.


2015 ◽  
Vol 30 (6/7) ◽  
pp. 514-538 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philna Coetzee ◽  
Houdini Fourie ◽  
Pricilla A Burnaby

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether the internal audit quality was maintained in relation to the rapid growth in Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) membership in South Africa. As The IIA in South Africa (SA) has seen more than double the membership growth (59 per cent) than the IIA (25 per cent) over the period 2006 to 2010, the change in internal audit quality indicators for these two are compared. Design/methodology/approach – The responses from SA respondents and all “Other” respondents are analysed from the 2006 and 2010 Common Body of Knowledge studies on specific questions addressing internal audit quality, to determine whether there is a growth in quality-related indicators and whether the growth is in relation to the membership growth. The chi-square test is used to look for change in response frequencies. Findings – The paper finds that the SA respondents have a greater increase of internal audit quality indicators than “Other” respondents, suggesting that the increase in membership could also result in improved internal audit quality. Originality/value – This study links the increase in membership with improved internal audit quality. This could assist the IIA in determining the feasibility of developing key indicators of internal audit quality. The IIA-SA will obtain an understanding whether the exceptional growth in membership is in line with the internal audit excellence as prescribed by SA guidance and legislation. Last, individual internal audit activities could benchmark their growth statistics against the SA and “Other” respondents’ growth pattern – both in numbers and quality indicators.


2019 ◽  
Vol 19 ◽  
pp. 1-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
P Coetzee ◽  
L J Erusmus ◽  
K Plant

The Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) programme is the formal globally recognised test of competence for internal auditors. However, the question is raised whether this assessment of competence has kept up with the changing demands of modern internal auditing, taking into account the fact that demands may differ from one country or region to the next. The fact that Australia, the UK & Ireland and South Africa require qualifications in addition to those of the CIA programme may be attributed to a need for a different level of competence in comparison with the Rest of the World. The objective of the study was to determine whether differences exist between the respective competency level needs for internal auditors from South Africa, the UK and Ireland, Australia and the Rest of the World. Data from the Institute of Internal Auditors’ (IIA’s) latest global Common Body of Knowledge (CBOK) study was used to determine and statistically analyse the perceived levels of importance of general competencies, technical skills and behavioural skills needed by internal auditors. The results indicated that globally internal auditors have similar perceptions of what competencies are most important for internal auditors, but the levels of importance differ among the regions. South Africa demanded a higher level of competence and aligned closely with the UK and Ireland, which could explain why South Africa now needs a customised competency assessment. Australia consistently indicated different perceptions of the levels of importance of competencies, which could explain Australia’s need for a country-specific internal audit competency assessment. Hence one size may not fit all.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Petros Lois ◽  
George Drogalas ◽  
Michail Nerantzidis ◽  
Ifigenia Georgiou ◽  
Eleni Gkampeta

Purpose This study aims to investigate the factors associated with the implementation of risk-based internal audit (RBIA). Design/methodology/approach As a first step, a literature review of the relevant literature is performed and five potential factors related to the implementation of RBIA are identified. Based on that, this paper constructs a questionnaire survey sent out to 185 internal auditors, executives and accountants in Greece to receive 90 responses during the period of November 2019–January 2020. Multiple regression analysis is conducted to identify the factors related to the implementation of RBIA. Findings This paper shows that there is a statistically significant positive relationship between the implementation of RBIA and: the provision of risk management training, an active audit committee role and the establishment of a formalized risk management system. Practical implications The results have important implications for internal auditors, chief executive officers and accountants who wish to enhance internal audit effectiveness and the accuracy and quality of financial information. Originality/value Empirical studies on the factors related to the implementation of RBIA are rare. This is the first study to create empirical variables based on a thorough review of the relevant literature to empirically investigate the factors that are related to the implementation of RBIA in an emerging economy. By focusing on the Greek context, this study also sheds light to other countries with similar corporate governance systems, thus providing insights to settings where the Type II agency problem exists (La Porta et al., 1999).


2017 ◽  
Vol 32 (9) ◽  
pp. 854-878 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marc Eulerich ◽  
Jörg Henseler ◽  
Annette G. Köhler

Purpose The purpose of this study is to analyze how internal audit function (IAF) activities differ, depending on the impact of executive boards (EBs) and audit committees (ACs). Design/methodology/approach This study is based on data collected from the Common Body of Knowledge (CBOK) study conducted by the Institute of Internal Auditors Research Foundation in 2010. Using 524 responses from US Chief audit executives the authors examine the direct and interaction effects of ACs and EBs on the probability to perform specific activities with a logistic regression model. Findings This manuscript shows that ACs and EBs have different direct and interaction effects on the portfolio of activities performed by the IAF. Furthermore, a varying prevalence among activities was identified, which pinpoints to the maturity of IAFs. All findings contribute to the prior and recent discussion about the position of IAFs between the stakeholders’ AC and EB. Research limitations/implications When the CBOK study was designed by the Institute of Internal Auditors, the investigators did not have the research questions in mind. The authors are therefore limited to those variables that have been collected as part of a larger questionnaire. Nevertheless, the new approach tries to open a new research direction, analyzing different activities performed by IAFs. Practical implications The identified portfolio of IAF activities can help practitioners to double-check their own work and to evaluate the impact of the EB and the AC on their activities. Originality/value This study provides the first empirical evidence of the influence of ACs and EBs on IAF activities.


2020 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 57-74
Author(s):  
Giuseppe D'Onza ◽  
Gerrit Sarens ◽  
Steven DeSimone

SYNOPSIS We identify several dimensions of the internal audit function (IAF) as a composite measure of IAF maturity by using a Principal Components Analysis (PCA). Our data are from the Common Body of Knowledge in Internal Auditing (CBOK) 2015 dataset. We find confirmation for our four hypotheses, where the support the IAF receives from the board, diversified training programs, the use of the IAF as a management training ground (MTG), and the maturity of the risk management (RM) system are significantly related to IAF maturity. Our hypotheses are verified both at a global and a regional level. Regarding control variables, IAF age, chief audit executive (CAE) tenure, CAE certifications, and unlisted companies are also significant at a global level. We discuss implications of these findings for future practice and research. Data Availability: Please contact the Institute of Internal Auditors Research Foundation.


2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 55
Author(s):  
Irfan Zamzam ◽  
Suriana AR Mahdi

This study examines the determinants of the effectiveness of internal auditors at the Office of the Inspectorate of North Maluku. Specifically, this study tests; influence of professional expertise, quality of work, independence, perceived career path and top management influence of internal auditor on the effectiveness of internal audit. Analysis was conducted by using multiple regression analysis from 43 respondents. The results showed that; Professional expertise, quality of work, independence and career path affect the effectiveness of internal audit while top management support does not influence the effectiveness of internal audit.


2016 ◽  
Vol 31 (8/9) ◽  
pp. 804-820 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aviv Kidron ◽  
Yuval Ofek ◽  
Herztel Cohen

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.


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