Repairing Organizational Legitimacy Following Information Technology (IT) Material Weaknesses: Executive Turnover, IT Expertise, and IT System Upgrades

2015 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacob Z. Haislip ◽  
Adi Masli ◽  
Vernon J. Richardson ◽  
Juan Manuel Sanchez
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Data Availability ◽  
Organizational Legitimacy ◽  
Executive Turnover ◽  
Material Weakness ◽  
Material Weaknesses ◽  
Monitoring Mechanism ◽  
Timely Fashion ◽  
System Upgrades

ABSTRACT Since Information Technology (IT)-based internal controls are pivotal in providing access to, and security of, financial records, we argue that an IT-related material weakness (ITMW) is a significant threat to organizational legitimacy. Prior research suggests that firms work to repair legitimacy by disassociation with executives blamed for the deficiency and the establishment of a monitoring mechanism to ensure the problem is addressed (Suchman 1995). As a test of disassociation, we find that, relative to a propensity-score-matched sample of non-ITMW firms, ITMW firms experience higher CEO, CFO, and director turnover. As a test of the establishment of a monitoring mechanism to repair organizational legitimacy, we find that ITMW firms hire CEOs, CFOs, and directors with higher levels of IT expertise, and make significant IT system upgrades. We find evidence that ITMW firms remediate deficiencies in a more timely fashion when they appoint a new CFO with IT expertise or upgrade their financial reporting system. Collectively, our results suggest that firms make significant monitoring changes to re-establish organizational legitimacy after receiving an ITMW. Data Availability: The data used are publicly available from the sources cited in the text.

The Impact of Audit Committee Information Technology Expertise on the Reliability and Timeliness of Financial Reporting

2019 ◽  
Vol 95 (5) ◽  
pp. 23-56 ◽  
Author(s):  
Musaib Ashraf ◽  
Paul N. Michas ◽  
Dan Russomanno
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Fixed Effects ◽  
Audit Committee ◽  
Data Availability ◽  
Audit Committees ◽  
Material Weaknesses ◽  
Other Information ◽  
High Quality Information ◽  
The Impact

ABSTRACT We examine whether information technology expertise on audit committees impacts the reliability and timeliness of financial reporting. We find a reduction in the likelihood of material restatement, a reduction in the likelihood of information technology-related material weaknesses (which account for 55 percent of all reported material weaknesses), and more timely earnings announcements at firms with audit committee information technology expertise. These findings are robust to controlling for a firm's other information technology attributes, as well as when using entropy balanced samples, and we mitigate endogeneity concerns with evidence that our findings hold in a subsample of firms that all possess overall high-quality information technology. Finally, a difference-in-differences analysis, inclusion of firm fixed effects, and a falsification test largely support our assertion that the quality of financial reporting is significantly improved by the presence of an audit committee information technology expert. JEL Classifications: M41; M15. Data Availability: All data used in the study are publicly available.

The Severity of Internal Controls over Financial Reporting Deficiencies: Differences among Types and Industries

2014 ◽  
pp. 55-77
Author(s):  
Tatiana Mazza ◽  
Stefano Azzali
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Internal Control ◽  
Service Industry ◽  
Listed Companies ◽  
Internal Controls ◽  
Service Companies ◽  
Finance Industry ◽  
Material Weaknesses ◽  
Fixed Assets

This study analyzes the severity of Internal Control over Financial Reporting deficiencies (Deficiencies, Significant Deficiencies and Material Weaknesses) in a sample of Italian listed companies, in the period 2007- 2012. Using proprietary data the severity of the deficiencies is tested for account-specific, entity level and information technology controls and for industries (manufacturing and services vs finance industries). The results on ICD severity is compared with one of the most frequent ICD (Acc_Period End/Accounting Policies): for account-specific, ICD in revenues, purchase, fixed assets and intangible, loans and insurance are more severe while ICD in Inventory are less severe. Differences in ICD severity have been found in the characteristic account: ICD in loan and insurance for finance industry and ICD in revenue, purchase for manufacturing and service industry are more severe. Finally, we found that ICD in entity level and information technology controls are less severe than account specific ICD in all industries. However, the results on entity level and information technology deficiencies could also mean that the importance of these types of control are under-evaluated by the manufacturing and service companies.

scholarly journals Comments of the Auditing Standards Committee of the Auditing Section of the American Accounting Association on International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board Exposure Draft, Proposed International Standard on Auditing 315 (Revised): Identifying and Assessing the Risks of Material Misstatement and Proposed Consequential and Conforming Amendments to Other ISAs

2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. C1-C9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Veena Looknanan Brown ◽  
Paul J. Coram ◽  
Sean A. Dennis ◽  
Denise Dickins ◽  
Christine E. Earley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Data Availability ◽  
Professional Skepticism ◽  
International Standard ◽  
Auditing Standards ◽  
Explicit Recognition ◽  
Automated Tools ◽  
Tools And Techniques

SUMMARY On July 16, 2018, the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (the Board or IAASB) issued a request for comment on its Exposure Draft, Proposed International Standard on Auditing 315 (Revised): Identifying and Assessing the Risks of Material Misstatement and Proposed Consequential and Conforming Amendments to Other ISAs (ED-315). Major enhancements proposed include explicit recognition of the auditor's use of automated tools and techniques, requiring an understanding of an auditee's use of information technology relevant to financial reporting, acknowledging the influence of an entity's complexity on the audit plan, and increasing the emphasis on the need for professional skepticism. The comment period ended on November 2, 2018. This commentary summarizes the participating committee members' views on selected questions posed by the IAASB. Data Availability: ED-315, including questions for respondents, is available at: https://www.ifac.org/publications-resources/exposure-draft-isa-315-revised-identifying-and-assessing-risks-material.

The Effect of Employee Treatment Policies on Internal Control Weaknesses and Financial Restatements

2015 ◽  
Vol 91 (4) ◽  
pp. 1167-1194 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jun Guo ◽  
Pinghsun Huang ◽  
Yan Zhang ◽  
Nan Zhou
Keyword(s):  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Internal Control ◽  
Employee Benefits ◽  
Data Availability ◽  
Top Executives ◽  
Material Weaknesses ◽  
Financial Restatements ◽  
Treatment Policies ◽  
Employee Treatment

ABSTRACT This study investigates the role of employment policies in reducing internal control ineffectiveness and financial restatements. We provide new evidence that employee treatment policies are an important predictor of ineffective internal control. We also find that employee-friendly policies significantly reduce the propensity for employee-related material weaknesses. These results suggest that greater employee benefits facilitate the acquisition, development, and motivation of the workforce and ameliorate the loss of valuable human capital, thereby mitigating employee failures to implement internal control tasks properly. Moreover, we document novel results that financial restatements, especially those caused by unintentional errors, are less likely to arise in firms that invest more in employee benefits. Collectively, our emphasis on the effect of employee treatment policies on the integrity of internal control and financial reporting distinguishes our paper from previous studies that focus on the role of top executives in accounting practices. Data Availability: Data are available from public sources indicated in the text.

Determinants and Market Consequences of Auditor Dismissals after Accounting Restatements

2013 ◽  
Vol 89 (3) ◽  
pp. 1051-1082 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen M. Hennes ◽  
Andrew J. Leone ◽  
Brian P. Miller
Keyword(s):  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Market Reaction ◽  
Data Availability ◽  
Executive Turnover ◽  
Corporate Boards ◽  
External Auditors ◽  
Audit Market ◽  
Big 4 ◽  
Financial Restatements ◽  
Market Consequences

ABSTRACT This study examines the conditions under which financial restatements lead corporate boards to dismiss external auditors and how the market responds to those dismissal announcements. We find that auditors are more likely to be dismissed after more severe restatements but that the severity effect is primarily attributable to the dismissal of non-Big 4 auditors rather than Big 4 auditors. We also document that among corporations with Big 4 auditors, those that are larger and more complex operationally are less likely to dismiss their auditors. Combined, this evidence suggests that firms with higher switching costs and fewer replacement auditor choices are less likely to dismiss their auditors after a restatement, which is informative to the debates about the costs and benefits of mandatory auditor rotation and limited competition in the audit market. Additionally, we examine contemporaneous executive turnover and find evidence that boards view auditor dismissals as complementary rather than substitute responses to restatements. Finally, we investigate the market reaction to auditor dismissals after restatements. The market reaction to the dismissal is significantly more positive following more severe restatements (5.9 percent) relative to less severe restatements (0.6 percent) when the client engages a comparably sized auditor. This positive market reaction is consistent with firms restoring financial reporting credibility by replacing their auditors and highlights the important role that auditors play in the financial markets. Data Availability: Data are available from public sources indicated in the text.

Material Weakness in Internal Controls and Stock Price Crash Risk

2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 106-138 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerald Lobo ◽  
Chong Wang ◽  
Xiaoou Yu ◽  
Yuping Zhao
Keyword(s):  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Stock Price ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Internal Controls ◽  
Crash Risk ◽  
Significant Relation ◽  
Material Weakness ◽  
Sarbanes Oxley ◽  
Material Weaknesses ◽  
Section 302

We investigate the association between material weakness in internal controls (MW) disclosed under Section 302 of the Sarbanes–Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX) and future stock price crash risk. We argue that relative to firms with effective internal controls, firms with MW have lower financial reporting precision. The lower reporting precision (a) increases divergence of investor opinion with regard to firm valuation and (b) facilitates managers’ withholding of negative information, which increases the information asymmetry between managers and outside investors. We hypothesize that both these effects increase the probability of a future stock price crash. We find empirical evidence consistent with our prediction. In additional analyses, we document that the positive association between MW and crash risk is primarily driven by company level rather than by account-specific weaknesses, increases with the number of material weaknesses, and intensifies during the financial crisis. In addition, we find that both the existence and the disclosure of MW incrementally affect crash risk, and that MW facilitates managers’ withholding of bad news. Finally, we fail to find consistent evidence of a significant relation between MW disclosed under Section 404 of SOX and crash risk.

The Persistence in the Association between Section 404 Material Weaknesses and Financial Reporting Quality

2013 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 93-116 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emma-Riikka Myllymäki
Keyword(s):  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Internal Control ◽  
Reporting Quality ◽  
Financial Reporting Quality ◽  
Control Problems ◽  
Section 404 ◽  
Material Weakness ◽  
Sarbanes Oxley ◽  
Material Weaknesses ◽  
History Of

SUMMARY This study examines whether Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) Section 404 material weakness (MW404) disclosures are predictive of future financial reporting quality. I find evidence that for companies with a history of MW404s, the likelihood of misstatements in financial information continues to be significantly higher for two years after the last MW404 report compared to companies without a history of reported MW404s. The magnitude of the effect decreases non-linearly with decreasing speed. The findings further imply that the reason for the misstatement incidences is the unacknowledged pervasiveness of control problems. In particular, it appears that in many cases, the future misstatements are unrelated to the MW types disclosed in the last MW404 report, suggesting that some MW types are unacknowledged and, hence, control problems are even more pervasive than what was identified. Overall, the findings of this study highlight the importance of discovering and disclosing material weaknesses in internal control over financial reporting.

The Unintended Consequences of Material Weakness Reporting on Auditors' Acceptance of Aggressive Client Reporting

2019 ◽  
Vol 95 (4) ◽  
pp. 51-72
Author(s):  
Tim D. Bauer ◽  
Anthony C. Bucaro ◽  
Cassandra Estep
Keyword(s):  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Internal Control ◽  
Audit Quality ◽  
Unintended Consequences ◽  
Unintended Consequence ◽  
Financial Statement ◽  
Material Weakness ◽  
Material Weaknesses ◽  
Licensing Effects ◽  
Potential Remedy

ABSTRACT Regulators are concerned that auditors do not sufficiently identify and report material weaknesses in internal control over financial reporting (ICFR). However, psychological licensing theory suggests reporting material weaknesses could have unintended consequences for acceptance of aggressive client financial reporting. In an experiment, we predict and find auditors accept more aggressive client reporting after they report a material weakness in ICFR than after they report no material weakness. We provide evidence licensing underlies this effect. In a second experiment, we investigate the efficacy of an intervention to reduce the identified licensing effects by prompting an audit quality goal. We find this prompt mitigates the unintended consequence when auditors report a material weakness. While regulators are concerned companies are undeservedly receiving clean ICFR audit opinions, our findings indicate adverse ICFR opinions may lead auditors to give companies undeservedly clean financial statement opinions. We provide a potential remedy to this unintended consequence.

Inferring Remediation and Operational Risk from Material Weakness Disclosures

2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen K. Asare ◽  
Arnold M. Wright
Keyword(s):  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Investment Decisions ◽  
Data Availability ◽  
Risk Assessments ◽  
Material Weakness ◽  
Nonprofessional Investors ◽  
Operational Risks ◽  
Specific Material ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Current Standards

ABSTRACT Understanding the inferences that nonprofessional investors draw from material weakness disclosures is important because of their effect on investment decisions and for assessing whether current standards serve their needs. Prior research shows that users assess higher financial reporting risk for an entity-level material weakness compared to an account-specific material weakness because they perceive the former as presenting a higher risk of potential misstatement. We extend the literature by proposing two variables (remediation and operational risks) that mediate and incrementally explain the observed relationship between the type of material weakness and financial reporting risk assessments. In an experiment involving 181 nonprofessional investors, we find, as predicted, that the entity-level material weakness signals not just a higher potential for undetected misstatements but also higher remediation and operational risks. Further, we find that the two variables fully mediate and incrementally explain the relationship between the type of material weakness and financial reporting risk assessments. To the extent that these variables are decision relevant, our findings suggest that regulators should reconsider and possibly reengineer the current disclosure regime that allows management to disclose unaudited information about these variables. Data Availability: Contact the authors.

The Role of the Internal Audit Function in the Disclosure of Material Weaknesses

2011 ◽  
Vol 86 (1) ◽  
pp. 287-323 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shu Lin ◽  
Mina Pizzini ◽  
Mark Vargus ◽  
Indranil R. Bardhan
Keyword(s):  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Internal Audit ◽  
Section 404 ◽  
Material Weakness ◽  
Internal Auditor ◽  
Internal Audit Function ◽  
Sarbanes Oxley ◽  
Material Weaknesses ◽  
Using Data

ABSTRACT: This study investigates the role that a firm’s internal audit function (IAF) plays in the disclosure of material weaknesses reported under Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (U.S. Congress 2002). Using data from 214 firms, we examine the relation between material weakness (MW) disclosures and various IAF attributes and activities. Our results indicate that MW disclosures are negatively associated with the education level of the IAF and the extent to which the IAF incorporates quality assurance techniques into fieldwork, audits activities related to financial reporting, and monitors the remediation of previously identified control problems. The timing of Section 404 work and the nature of follow-up monitoring suggests that these aspects of IAF quality help prevent MWs from occurring. We find that MW disclosures are positively associated with the IAF practice of grading audit engagements and external-internal auditor coordination, suggesting that these activities increase the effectiveness of Section 404 compliance processes.

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