The Value to Management of Using the Internal Audit Function as a Management Training Ground

2018 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 121-140 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph V. Carcello ◽  
Marc Eulerich ◽  
Adi Masli ◽  
David A. Wood
Keyword(s):  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Internal Audit ◽  
Management Training ◽  
Audit Fees ◽  
Senior Management ◽  
Data Availability ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Internal Auditors ◽  
Internal Audit Function ◽  
Survey Results

SYNOPSIS This study examines how using the internal audit function as a management training ground (MTG) impacts managers' reliance on internal auditor recommendations. While prior research suggests that using internal audits as a MTG can adversely affect financial reporting quality, external audit fees, and internal audit efficiency, many internal audit functions use this practice. We study how this practice influences another important stakeholder—senior management. Based on survey results of 355 chief audit executives (CAEs), we find that CAEs perceive senior management to be more likely to use recommendations from MTG internal auditors than non-MTG internal auditors. To bolster the validity of these findings and provide evidence as to why this is the case, we conduct two experiments with 147 executives (47 MTurk workers) with an average of about 25 (13) years of experience. The experimental results confirm the survey results. We also find that the key reason why managers rely more on MTG than non-MTG recommendations is that MTG internal auditors are perceived to have more natural ability, which is a key driver in managers' reliance decisions. Taken together, our research provides the first empirical evidence that there are positive consequences to using the internal audit function as a MTG in contrast to the negative consequences previously reported. Data Availability: Please contact the authors.

The Effect of Using the Internal Audit Function as a Management Training Ground on the External Auditor's Reliance Decision

2011 ◽  
Vol 86 (6) ◽  
pp. 2131-2154 ◽  
Author(s):  
William F. Messier ◽  
J. Kenneth Reynolds ◽  
Chad A. Simon ◽  
David A. Wood
Keyword(s):  
Internal Audit ◽  
Management Training ◽  
Audit Fees ◽  
Data Availability ◽  
External Audit ◽  
Internal Auditors ◽  
External Auditors ◽  
Internal Audit Function ◽  
Management Positions ◽  
The Many

ABSTRACT This study examines how using the internal audit function (IAF) as a management training ground (MTG) affects external audit fees and the external auditors' perceptions of the IAF. Over half of all companies that have an IAF specifically hire internal auditors with the purpose of rotating them into management positions (or cycle current employees into the IAF for a short stint before promoting them into management positions). Using archival data, we find that external auditors charge higher fees to companies that use the IAF as a MTG. Using an experiment, we provide evidence as to why fees are higher. Specifically, we find that external auditors perceive internal auditors employed in an IAF used as a MTG to be less objective but not less competent than internal auditors employed in an IAF not used as a MTG. These results have important implications for the many companies that use their IAF as a MTG. Data Availability: Contact the authors. Data provided by the Institute of Internal Auditors Research Foundation are subject to restrictions.

Does Incentive-Based Compensation for Chief Internal Auditors Impact Objectivity? An External Audit Risk Perspective

2016 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 21-43 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucy Huajing Chen ◽  
Hyeesoo H. (Sally) Chung ◽  
Gary F. Peters ◽  
Jinyoung P. (Jeannie) Wynn
Keyword(s):  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Internal Audit ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Audit Fees ◽  
Data Availability ◽  
Company Performance ◽  
Potential Threat ◽  
External Audit ◽  
Internal Auditors ◽  
Survey Responses

SUMMARY This paper considers the potential impact of internal audit incentive-based compensation (IBC) linked to company performance on the external auditor's assessment of internal audit objectivity. We posit that external auditors will view IBC as a potential threat to internal audit objectivity, thus reducing the extent of reliance on the work of internal auditors and increasing the assessment of control risk. The increase in risk and external auditor effort should result in higher audit fees. We hypothesize that the form of incentive-based compensation, namely stock-based versus cash bonuses, moderates the association between IBC and external audit fee. Finally, we consider whether underlying financial reporting risk mitigates the external auditor's potential sensitivity to IBC. We find a positive association between external audit fees and internal audit compensation based upon company performance. The association is acute to IBC paid in stock or stock options as opposed to cash bonuses. We also find evidence consistent with the IBC associations being mitigated by the company's financial reporting risks. Data Availability: Individual survey responses are confidential. All other data are derived from publicly available sources.

Factors that Influence the Internal Audit Function's Maturity

2020 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 57-74
Author(s):  
Giuseppe D'Onza ◽  
Gerrit Sarens ◽  
Steven DeSimone
Keyword(s):  
Internal Audit ◽  
Management Training ◽  
Data Availability ◽  
Internal Auditing ◽  
Internal Auditors ◽  
Body Of Knowledge ◽  
Internal Audit Function ◽  
The Common ◽  
Components Analysis ◽  
Future Practice

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.

External Auditors' Involvement in the Internal Audit Function's Work Plan and Subsequent Reliance Before and After a Negative Audit Discovery

2016 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 159-173 ◽  
Author(s):  
Byron J. Pike ◽  
Lawrence Chui ◽  
Kasey A. Martin ◽  
Renee M. Olvera
Keyword(s):  
Internal Control ◽  
Internal Audit ◽  
Internal Controls ◽  
Professional Standards ◽  
Data Availability ◽  
Internal Auditors ◽  
External Auditors ◽  
Internal Audit Function ◽  
Anchoring Bias ◽  
Before And After

SUMMARY To reduce redundancies and increase efficiency in the evaluation of internal controls (PCAOB 2007, 402–403), professional standards encourage coordination between external auditors and their clients' internal audit function (IAF). Recent surveys of internal auditors find that a component of this coordination is external auditors' involvement in developing the IAF's audit plans. Nevertheless, it is not known how such involvement affects external auditors' reliance on the internal control test work of the IAF, either before or after a negative audit discovery. Based on an experiment with 107 experienced auditors, we find that external auditors involved in the development of the IAF's audit plan perceive the IAF as more objective and that both objectivity and involvement contribute to these auditors' placing more reliance on the IAF as compared to external auditors with no involvement. This initial reliance results in the involved auditors' proposing reductions to the audit budget and re-performing less of the IAF's work. Consistent with an anchoring bias, we find that involvement leads to external auditors' continuing to place greater reliance on the IAF's work, even after they become aware of a negative audit discovery that should not have occurred had the client's controls been effective. Data Availability: Data are available from the authors on request.

Fraud Reporting within an Organization and the Use of the Internal Audit Function as a Training Ground for Management

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alisa G. Brink ◽  
C. Kevin Eller ◽  
Karen Y. Green
Keyword(s):  
Internal Audit ◽  
Management Training ◽  
Third Party ◽  
Internal Auditors ◽  
Internal Audit Function ◽  
Management Accountants ◽  
Reporting Behaviors ◽  
Reporting Decisions ◽  
Willingness To Report ◽  
Sense Of Urgency

This study examines the effects of using the internal audit function as a management training ground (MTG) and fraud magnitude on internal fraud reporting decisions. Two experiments examine (1) internal auditors’ reporting behaviors, and (2) other employees’ willingness to report directly to internal audit. In the first experiment, experienced internal auditors indicate that the use of internal audit as a MTG may negatively impact fraud reporting likelihood by internal auditors to the Chief Audit Executive (CAE). Further, using the internal audit function as a MTG inhibits the sense of urgency internal auditors feel to report large fraudulent acts. The second experiment compares management accountants’ preferences for reporting to an anonymous third-party hotline versus reporting directly to internal audit. The results indicate a preference for the hotline that increases with a MTG. This preference is fully mediated by the perceived trustworthiness of internal audit, which is negatively impacted by a MTG.

scholarly journals A versenyképesség és a társaságok belső ellenőrzése (Competitiveness and corporate internal audit)

2012 ◽  
pp. 19-33
Author(s):  
Mária Bordáné Rabóczki
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Governance ◽  
Audit Committee ◽  
Supervisory Board ◽  
Internal Audit ◽  
Senior Management ◽  
Internal Auditors ◽  
Mutual Dependency ◽  
Internal Audit Function ◽  
External Auditor ◽  
The Impact

A cikk a belső ellenőrzésnek a hatékony társaságirányításhoz való hozzájárulását és ennek a versenyképességre gyakorolt hatását vizsgálja. A belső ellenőrzés és a társaságirányítás kölcsönös összefüggésben áll egymással. Nemcsak a belső ellenőrzés hat a társaságirányításra, hanem a releváns társaságirányítási struktúrák, emberi kapcsolatok és magatartásformák jelentős hatást gyakorolnak a belső ellenőrzés színvonalára és hatékonyságára. A cikk ezért különös figyelmet szentel a belső ellenőröknek az igazgatósággal, az auditbizottsággal/felügyelőbizottsággal, a menedzsmenttel és a könyvvizsgálóval való kapcsolatainak vizsgálatára. Rávilágít a belső ellenőrzés legfőbb funkciójára, amely objektív bizonyosságot nyújt az igazgatóság és a felső vezetők számára a kockázatok azonosítására, kezelésére és elfogadható szintre történő csökkentésére szolgáló kontrollfolyamatok megfelelőségéről és hatékonyságáról. A bemutatott belső ellenőrzési modell azt a szemléletet közvetíti, hogy a belső ellenőrzés által nyújtott objektív bizonyosság megszerzése nemcsak a jogszabályoknak vagy az ajánlásoknak való megfelelés, hanem a társaságok versenyképessége szempontjából is kiemelkedő jelentőségű. _________ The purpose of this paper is to consider the contribution of internal audit to the sound corporate governance and the impact of that on the competitiveness of the companies. There is a mutual dependency between internal audit and corporate governance. Not only the internal audit has impact on the corporate governance but the relevant governance structures, relationships and behaviour influence the level and effectiveness of the internal audit. Therefore the present paper is highly concerned with the internal auditors` relationships with the board, audit committee/supervisory board, senior management and the external auditor. It highlights the internal audit function, that provides objective assurance to the board and senior management about the adequacy and effectiveness of the processes by which risks are identified, managed, controlled and mitigated to acceptable levels. The internal audit model demonstrated represents an approach, according to that getting objective assurance provided by internal audit is important not only to be in line with laws and recommendations but to facilitate the corporate competitiveness.

Attracting Applicants for In-House and Outsourced Internal Audit Positions: Views from External Auditors

2015 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 143-156 ◽  
Author(s):  
Geoffrey D. Bartlett ◽  
Joleen Kremin ◽  
K. Kelli Saunders ◽  
David A. Wood
Keyword(s):  
Critical Role ◽  
Internal Audit ◽  
Job Applicants ◽  
Internal Auditing ◽  
Internal Auditors ◽  
External Auditors ◽  
Internal Audit Function ◽  
Career Option ◽  
Negative Perceptions ◽  
Survey Results

SYNOPSIS While the internal audit function (IAF) plays a critical role in organizations, it faces challenges in finding sufficient numbers of high-quality job applicants to fill its ranks. The results of two experiments suggest that practicing external auditors are twice as likely to apply for positions that are labeled as accounting positions rather than either in-house or outsourced internal audit positions. The results also suggest that external auditors have negative perceptions of the profession and work environment of internal auditors—especially in-house internal auditors relative to outsourced internal auditors—and are more likely to recommend that mediocre rather than top students apply to work in internal auditing. We also provide survey results from experienced external auditors about aspects of internal auditing that may be improved to make it a more attractive career option. Taken together, the results suggest internal auditing faces significant hiring challenges, but also offer ways to mitigate these challenges.

The Effects of Using the Internal Audit Function as a Management Training Ground or as a Consulting Services Provider in Enhancing the Recruitment of Internal Auditors

2014 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 115-140 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Greg Burton ◽  
Matthew W. Starliper ◽  
Scott L. Summers ◽  
David A. Wood
Keyword(s):  
Internal Audit ◽  
Management Training ◽  
Job Applicants ◽  
Data Availability ◽  
Professional Organizations ◽  
Internal Auditing ◽  
Business Professionals ◽  
Negative Stereotypes ◽  
Internal Auditors ◽  
Consulting Services

SYNOPSIS This paper examines factors that influence job applicants' willingness to apply for positions in internal auditing. We predict and find evidence that job applicants are dissuaded from applying for internal audit positions. In two separate experiments involving participants at seven universities, we discover that this phenomenon is most prevalent for applicants with business experience. Experienced applicants are 20 and 33 percent less willing to apply for a position if it is labeled as “internal audit” versus “accounting” in the two experiments, respectively. In addition, we find that the only experimental condition that increases interest in applying for an internal audit position for experienced applicants occurs when the position advertises the combination of (1) a short stint in internal auditing and then a move from internal audit into a management position, and (2) work primarily related to consulting services rather than assurance services. As a potential explanation for these findings, we find evidence that participants believe other business professionals have negative stereotypes of internal auditing—which likely dissuade potential job applicants from applying to work in internal audit. The results should prove informative to practitioners, internal audit professional organizations, and business professionals concerned with high-quality corporate governance. Data Availability: Contact the authors.

Reconciling Archival and Experimental Research: Does Internal Audit Contribution Affect the External Audit Fee?

2011 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 187-206 ◽  
Author(s):  
Douglas F. Prawitt ◽  
Nathan Y. Sharp ◽  
David A. Wood
Keyword(s):  
Internal Audit ◽  
Audit Fees ◽  
Data Availability ◽  
Potential Contribution ◽  
Archival Studies ◽  
External Audit ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Internal Auditor ◽  
Internal Auditors ◽  
Auditing Standards

ABSTRACT Consistent with guidelines from external auditing standards, experimental and survey research suggests that an internal audit function (IAF) can contribute in ways that lead to decreased external audit fees; however, research using archival methodologies generally finds either no relation or a positive relation between proxies for IAF contribution and external audit fees. In this paper, we provide new evidence using a unique and previously unavailable data set to develop archival proxies of internal audit contribution. We find that archival proxies for the contribution of internal audit based on Statement of Audited Standards (SAS) No. 65 are associated with lower unexpected external audit fees. We show that proxies used in prior archival studies are limited in their ability to capture the IAF's potential contribution to external auditing, and suggest that the lack of high-quality proxies could help explain the divergent findings of experimental and survey-based studies in relation to archival studies in this area. In addition, our results suggest that fee reductions are associated with the direct assistance of, but not with reliance on, work previously performed by the internal auditor. Overall, our results provide evidence consistent with external auditing standards and with results from prior experimental and survey studies suggesting that IAFs can indeed contribute in ways that lead to lower external audit fees. Data Availability: Contact the authors. Data provided by the Institute of Internal Auditors are subject to restrictions.

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