Adherence to the Internal Audit Core Principles and Threats to Internal Audit Function Effectiveness

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher G Calvin
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Governance ◽  
Future Development ◽  
Internal Audit ◽  
Internal Auditors ◽  
The Core ◽  
Body Of Knowledge ◽  
Internal Audit Function ◽  
Lower Likelihood ◽  
Practitioner Survey ◽  
The Impact

I investigate the impact that adherence to the Institute of Internal Auditors' Core Principles has on the likelihood that an internal auditor's effectiveness is threatened through pressure to modify valid audit findings. I use responses from the Institute of Internal Auditors' 2015 Common Body of Knowledge Practitioner Survey to show that higher adherence to the Core Principles by both internal audit staff and CAEs is associated with a lower likelihood of being pressured to modify audit findings. I also explore which of the ten Core Principles are dominant in explaining these associations to inform the future development of the internal audit profession. Finally, I investigate the sources of pressure to modify audit findings and explore the effect the Core Principles have in mitigating pressure from each source. My findings are relevant to the Institute of Internal Auditors, internal audit practitioners, and academics interested in internal audit or corporate governance.

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.

Understanding the internal audit function in a digitalised business environment

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathanaël Betti ◽  
Gerrit Sarens
Keyword(s):  
Data Analytics ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Internal Audit ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Future Research ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Internal Auditors ◽  
Internal Audit Function ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This paper aims to gain an in-depth understanding of how the internal audit function evolves in an increasingly digitalised business environment. Design/methodology/approach This paper is based on 29 semi-structured interviews with members of management committees and internal auditors based in Belgium. Findings The analysis reveals that a digitalised business environment affects the internal audit function in three respects. First, it impacts its scope. The agility of the internal audit planning and the required digital knowledge are expected to increase and information technology (IT) risks gain importance, especially cybersecurity threats. Second, the demand for consulting activities performed by internal auditors is higher and third, digitalisation modifies the working practices of internal auditors in their day-to-day tasks. New technologies such as data analytics tools are being implemented progressively in internal audit departments and digital skills are considered a critical asset. Research limitations/implications This research was conducted in the European Union and gathers opinions of members of management committees and internal auditors. Future research could focus on other internal auditing stakeholders in other legal contexts. Practical implications The internal audit function needs to integrate IT and data analytics skills. In addition, the internal audit function should develop consulting activities to help organisations deal with the digitalisation of the business environment. Originality/value The impact of digitalisation on the internal audit function and its effect on internal audit practices is an underexplored area.

Corporate governance and internal audit: an institutional theory perspective

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 175-190 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christina Vadasi ◽  
Michalis Bekiaris ◽  
Andreas Andrikopoulos
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Governance ◽  
Institutional Theory ◽  
Audit Committee ◽  
Internal Audit ◽  
Annual Reports ◽  
Substantial Impact ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Internal Auditors ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Audit Effectiveness

Purpose This paper aims to explore internal audit effectiveness through its contribution to corporate governance. Namely, the authors attempt to investigate the impact of internal audit professionalization on internal audit’s contribution to corporate governance. Design/methodology/approach Using a research framework informed by institutional theory, the authors predict that internal audit’s contribution to corporate governance is associated with factors related to internal audit professionalization. To investigate the arguments, the authors combine data from a survey of 49 listed companies in the Athens Stock Exchange with publicly available information from annual reports. Findings Empirical results indicate that internal audit professionalization affects internal audit effectiveness, as internal audit’s contribution to corporate governance is improved for organizations where internal audit function complies with internal auditing standards and internal auditors hold professional certifications. The findings also suggest that internal audit’s contribution to corporate governance is shaped by some company-specific characteristics, namely, CEO duality and audit committee quality. Practical implications The results have implications for internal auditors who wish to increase the efficiency of their work, corporate governance mechanisms such as the board of directors and the audit committee, which can use the findings of this study to better respond to their responsibilities concerning internal audit and regulators who can also benefit to strengthen areas with substantial impact on internal audit’s contribution to corporate governance. Originality/value This paper contributes to the academic discussion on the role of internal audit in corporate governance and complements the work of other researchers in the field of internal audit professionalization. This study tries to fill a gap in the literature on the effect of internal audit professionalization elements on internal audit’s contribution to corporate governance.

E-business internal audit: the elephant is still in the room!

2014 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-63 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amr Kotb ◽  
Alan Sangster ◽  
David Henderson
Keyword(s):  
Resistance To Change ◽  
Internal Audit ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Internal Auditors ◽  
Internal Audit Function ◽  
The Usa ◽  
The Uk ◽  
It Audit ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact of technological change on the internal audit practices and skills requirements for internal auditors in an e-business environment. Design/methodology/approach – Generalist internal auditors and specialist information technology (IT) internal auditors were surveyed online in ten countries, including the USA and the UK which, together, provided the majority of responses. Findings – The results suggest a need for advanced IT-audit techniques in conducting the internal audit function, thereby increasing IT audit skill demands on generalist internal auditors. However, the results show a low confidence among internal auditors about their IT training and a continuing reliance upon IT audit specialists, rather than their own training/retraining. Research limitations/implications – The responses obtained in this study provide insight into both the status quo of the internal audit function, and to the changes that are needed to prepare generalist internal auditors for work in an e-business environment and, while the scale of the study limits the extent to which the findings may be generalized, they are consistent with the literature concerning the changing business environment and with the literature on resistance to change, suggesting that the issues revealed should be of concern. Practical implications – The results reported in this paper are useful to internal auditing educators and regulators in their consideration of the skills needed by generalist internal auditors in e-business environment. Originality/value – This study sheds light on a significantly growing area which remains relatively unexplored in the auditing-related literature, e-business audit. The study provides empirical evidence on challenges facing internal auditors in an e-business environment, thereby serving as a wake-up call, to both internal auditors and the professional bodies representing them, to defend their jurisdictional space against rival professional groups.

Internal audit as an antecedent of economic growth

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdulaziz Alzeban
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Corporate Governance ◽  
Internal Audit ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Internal Auditors ◽  
Transparency International ◽  
Chi Squared ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Audit Standards ◽  
Professional Standing

PurposeThis paper reports a study that examines the role of the internal audit function as a cornerstone of corporate governance, on economic growth.Design/methodology/approachData were obtained from 108 countries for the period 2011–2015. The World Bank, the Institute of Internal Auditors Research Foundation and the Transparency International Corruption Perception Index were the data sources. Two statistical techniques were used: regression analysis to test the study hypotheses and the Chi-squared test to determine whether variations between countries.FindingsThe findings suggest that conformance with internal audit standards and maturity (in years) of the internal audit department contribute to economic growth. They also reveal a relationship between the professional standing of internal audit staff (represented by professional qualifications and number of training hours annually) and the contribution to economic growth, that being that the greater the professional standing of staff, the greater internal audit conformance to the standards and the higher the contribution to economic growth. Further, the findings reveal that the impact of internal audit on economic growth varies among countries according to income classifications.Originality/valueThe consideration of internal audit as one of the four fundamental bases of corporate governance, and therefore, its relationship with economic growth is a neglected topic in the research arena. This study addresses that shortcoming by providing worldwide evidence on the contribution of internal audit to economic growth and, thus, makes a new contribution to the literature. Further, evidence is provided to enlighten poorly performing economies of the value of mandating the presence of internal audit and the compliance of it with international internal audit standards.

scholarly journals The Effectiveness of Enterprise Risk Management and Internal Audit Function on Quality of Financial Reporting in Universities

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (4(J)) ◽  
pp. 230-241
Author(s):  
Wadesango N ◽  
Mhaka C.
Keyword(s):  
Risk Management ◽  
Corporate Governance ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Internal Audit ◽  
Enterprise Risk Management ◽  
State Universities ◽  
Internal Audit Function ◽  
Enterprise Risk ◽  
The Impact

This study examined the impact of enterprise risk management (ERM) and internal audit function (IAF) on the financial reporting quality (FRQ) of state universities in Zimbabwe. Utilizing a dataset of 250 respondents from across nine (9) state universities, the researchers examined the effectiveness of ERM and the IAF on the quality of financial reporting in state universities. The researchers employed the contingency theory and studied each university separately to report on items that are specific to each and then also establish a commonality in the definition of parameters to be used in setting up the benchmark against which future performance may be measured. The findings were that there is a strong and significant relationship between ERM and the FRQ and also that there is a positive relationship between the internal audit function and FRQ. Quality internal audit results improved corporate governance systems. The results also underscore the significance and need for central government to establish and monitor a system of good ERM processes that minimize corporate governance breaches and enhance integrity and independence in financial reporting in state universities.

scholarly journals An Examination Of Underreporting Of Time And Premature Signoffs By Internal Auditors

2010 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Qianhua (Q) Ling ◽  
Michael D. Akers
Keyword(s):  
Internal Audit ◽  
Internal Controls ◽  
Professional Skepticism ◽  
Internal Auditors ◽  
External Auditors ◽  
Considerable Research ◽  
Internal Audit Function ◽  
Sarbanes Oxley ◽  
Audit Team ◽  
The Impact

The passage of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX) heightened the importance of internal controls and accordingly, a key control - the internal audit function.  Consequently, management and external auditors have both increased their reliance on internal auditors’ work.  While there has been considerable research regarding the impact of the underreporting of time and premature sign-offs on the external audit, there has only been one study that has examined the impact of these two items on the internal auditors’ work.  Such research is dated (1994) and prior to the passage of SOX.  We surveyed members of the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) in the Midwest to examine their behavior and perceptions regarding these two items.  The respondents in our study believe the underreporting of time is unethical and is supported by their reporting of all time worked, even if such time exceeded the budget.  Our findings also show that the respondents feel premature sign-offs are unethical and result primarily from lack of professional skepticism and inadequate training.  Increasing training in audit areas and improving communications within the audit team are possible solutions to reduce premature sign-offs.  Premature sign-offs are more likely to occur in operational audits and to a lesser degree in financial audits and compliance audits. 

scholarly journals The Effectiveness of Enterprise Risk Management and Internal Audit Function on Quality of Financial Reporting in Universities

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 230
Author(s):  
Wadesango N ◽  
Mhaka C.
Keyword(s):  
Risk Management ◽  
Corporate Governance ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Internal Audit ◽  
Enterprise Risk Management ◽  
State Universities ◽  
Internal Audit Function ◽  
Enterprise Risk ◽  
The Impact

This study examined the impact of enterprise risk management (ERM) and internal audit function (IAF) on the financial reporting quality (FRQ) of state universities in Zimbabwe. Utilizing a dataset of 250 respondents from across nine (9) state universities, the researchers examined the effectiveness of ERM and the IAF on the quality of financial reporting in state universities. The researchers employed the contingency theory and studied each university separately to report on items that are specific to each and then also establish a commonality in the definition of parameters to be used in setting up the benchmark against which future performance may be measured. The findings were that there is a strong and significant relationship between ERM and the FRQ and also that there is a positive relationship between the internal audit function and FRQ. Quality internal audit results improved corporate governance systems. The results also underscore the significance and need for central government to establish and monitor a system of good ERM processes that minimize corporate governance breaches and enhance integrity and independence in financial reporting in state universities.

scholarly journals The Complexity of Corporate Governance and Its Impact on Internal Audit Independence

10.28945/4588 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 133-134
Author(s):  
Lily Bi
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Governance ◽  
Internal Audit ◽  
Board Structure ◽  
Internal Auditing ◽  
Governance System ◽  
Internal Auditors ◽  
Assurance Services ◽  
Governance Models ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Audit Independence

Internal audit independence lays the foundation for its assurance services. Although the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) requires that chief audit executives (CAE) report to the board to ensure internal audit independence, regulations are silent on this requirement. The variances of governance models added complexity. CAEs’ relationship with the board differs depending on the organization’s board structures. Clarke (2016) recognized the three representative governance models around the world. In this research, we selected five countries representing these governance models and utilized the IIA’s survey to investigate how each governance system impacts internal audit independence and practices. Our study revealed that internal audit functions do not conform to the independence requirements. We concluded that the governance factors, specifically the board structure, have significant effects on internal audit independence and audit practices. This research is the first one that extends the understanding of the impact of corporate governance on internal auditing.

The impact of internal audit function characteristics on internal control quality

2018 ◽  
Vol 33 (5) ◽  
pp. 450-469 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmed Atef Oussii ◽  
Neila Boulila Taktak
Keyword(s):  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Internal Control ◽  
Audit Quality ◽  
Internal Audit ◽  
Audit Committees ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Internal Auditors ◽  
Control Quality ◽  
Internal Audit Function ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the association between internal audit function (IAF) characteristics and internal control quality. Design/methodology/approach Using data gathered from 59 chief audit executives from Tunisian listed companies, this paper uses a regression model to examine research hypothesis related to the association between IAF characteristics and internal control quality. Findings The findings of the current study reveal that internal control quality is significantly and positively associated with IAF competence, internal audit quality control assurance level, follow-up process and audit committee’s involvement in reviewing the internal audit program and results. Practical implications The findings have significant implications for IAF wishing to enhance their effectiveness, by recognizing the impact of the IAF’s characteristics on internal control quality. The findings of this study also have significant implications for regulatory bodies who are concerned with the internal control quality, managers and audit committees who determine IAF investment, oversight IAF activities and assess internal auditors’ performance. Originality/value This study helps fill a gap in the extant literature where existing empirical evidence of how the IAF characteristics influences the quality of the financial reporting process in emerging markets is scant.

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