...September 29, 2004 The Role of Internal Auditing in Enterprise-wide Risk Management In conjunction with the newly released Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO) Enterprise Risk Management - Integrated Framework, The Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA), in coordination with its IIAUK and Ireland affiliate, has issued a position paper on The Role of Internal Audit in Enterprise-wide Risk Management. The paper's purpose is to assist chief audit executives (CAEs) in responding to enterprise risk management (ERM) issues in their organizations. The paper suggests ways for internal auditors to maintain the objectivity and independence required by The IIA's International Standards for the Professional Practice of Internal Auditing (Standards) when providing assurance and consulting services. Internal auditing's core role with regard to ERM is to provide objective assurance to the board on the effectiveness of an organization's ERM activities to help ensure key business risks are being managed appropriately and that the system of internal control is operating effectively Recommended Roles The main factors CAEs should take into account when determining internal auditing's role are whether the activity raises any threats to the internal auditors' independence and objectivity, and whether it is likely to improve the organization's risk management, control, and governance processes. The IIA's position paper indicates which roles internal auditing should and...
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...Title CORPORATE GOVERNANCE AND THE ROLE AND INTERNAL AUDIT WITHIN HIGHER EDUCATION IN UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (UAE) Why I am interested in this area I am working as Senior Internal Auditor in the Education Industry from last 4 years and for this reason, I consider it as a great opportunity to explore and research, that, any importance is available and provided in this aspect or not and what are the preventive and mitigating measures taken by the Institutions to overcome towards any shortfalls or problems. The term “Corporate Governance” is relatively new in this area and specially in the field of Education and it will not only be a great learning curve for me but will also help me understand the Industry practices, and for sure it will help towards my future development and getting more experience in this field. Introduction to the focus of study Similar to the counterpart of the industries, Educational institutes are facing increasing demand for accountability. Students for example requires a strong institutional commitment towards their future growth and quality teaching, agencies and donors requires assurance that institutions are contributing towards public good moreover they are also concern about the correct utilization of their funds/ donations i.e. are they being utilized according to their desires and requirements. For government and related agencies, they are concern with the implementation of regulations and other procedures. Alumni want an assurance...
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...SAMPLE RESEARCH PROPOSAL PROMOTING GOOD GOVERNANCE IN PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS OF GHANA: THE ROLE OF THE INTERNAL AUDITOR 5/5/2009 SCHOOL OF BUSINESS, UNIVERSITY OF CAPE COAST, GHANA ISHMEAL OFORI AMPONSAH (STUDENT) Table of Contents Introduction........................................................................................ ........................3 Background of the Study ........................................................................................3 Problem Statement............................................................................................ ......4 Research Questions: .................................................................................. .........4 Hypothesis:..........................................................................................................4 Objectives............................................................................................................... .5 Significance of Study............................................................................... ................5 Literature Review.................................................................................................... ....6 Definition of Internal Audit...................................................................................6 Role of the Internal Auditor in governance ..........................................................7 Methodology...........................................................................
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...Risk-based Auditing PHIL GRIFFITHS CHAPTER 1 What is Risk-based Audit? The Internal Audit identity crisis Let’s face it, if you are reading this book, you are probably either already an auditor, preparing to become one or responsible for managing or overseeing the function. The other possibility is that you are considering a role in Internal Audit – if this is the case I hope to be able to whet your appetite and show you what a wonderful opportunity it brings. Whichever category of reader you are the first major bridge to be crossed is the identity of the function. I was to learn that we tend to meet any new situations by reorganising – a wonderful method for creating the illusion of progress This quote by the Roman Caius Petronius in AD 66 illustrates the dilemma for Internal Audit. Internal Audit has seemingly attempted a number of changes in approach over the years, but have any made a real difference? Is Internal Audit seen as the ‘White Knight’ charging in full armour, past cheering throngs of well-wishers to rescue the damsel in distress or the ‘Lady with the Lamp’, splendid and serene, tending to the ranks of wounded in the Crimean War without a thought for her personal well-being. Probably not. It is more likely that an auditor may be seen, to use the old joke, as the team that comes in after the battle and bayonets the wounded. The role still has somewhat of an identity crisis. Risk-based audit offers some, if not all, of the solutions. In the following chart I...
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...Roles of audit committee An Audit Committee does not focus solely on internal audit activities or on financial issues. Recent trends are for it to take on broader roles and responsibilities. The establishment of an Audit Committee affords the opportunity to set aside time to focus on governance, risk and control issues. The key responsibilities of an Audit Committee include: overseeing the risk management framework and processes; reviewing compliance related matters and internal controls; overseeing the relationship, appointment and work of the external and internal auditors; and reviewing the annual financial statements and recommending them for governing body approval. As it relates to oversight of the internal audit function, the responsibilities of Committee’s include: ensuring that internal audit activity is structured to achieve organisational independence; ensuring the internal audit charter permits full and unrestricted access to top management, the Audit Committee and the governing body; ensuring unrestricted access by internal auditors to records, personnel, and physical properties; ensuring the function is appropriately resourced; and ensuring the function is operating effectively. In relation to its other roles, Audit Committee responsibilities could include: review, with management, the adequacy of policies and practices for risk management and the operation of the internal control system; review, with management, the adequacy...
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...Global Technology Audit Guide Auditing IT Governance Global Technology Audit Guide (GTAG®) 17 Auditing IT Governance July 2012 GTAG — Table of Contents Executive Summary......................................................................................................................................... 1 1. Introduction................................................................................................................................................ 2 2. IT Governance Risks................................................................................................................................... 7 3. Aligning the Organization and IT — Key Considerations................................................................ 12 4. The Role of Internal Audit in IT Governance............................................................................ 15 Conclusion....................................................................................................................................................... 18 Authors and Reviewers.............................................................................................................................. 18 Appendix — IT Governance Risk Assessment/Engagement Planning Considerations............................................. 19 iv GTAG — Executive Summary Executive Summary To support the heightened importance of IT governance and the mandatory nature of the International Standards for the Professional...
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...Risk based internal auditing Background Over the last few years, the need to manage risks has become recognised as an essential part of good corporate governance practice. This has put organisations under increasing pressure to identify all the business risks they face and to explain how they manage them. In fact, the activities involved in managing risks have been recognised as playing a central and essential role in maintaining a sound system of internal control. While the responsibility for identifying and managing risks belongs to management, one of the key roles of internal audit is to provide assurance that those risks have been properly managed. We believe that a professional internal audit activity can best achieve its mission as a cornerstone of governance by positioning its work in the context of the organisation's own risk management framework. ________________________________________ What is risk based auditing? Our definition IIA defines risk based internal auditing (RBIA) as a methodology that links internal auditing to an organisation's overall risk management framework. RBIA allows internal audit to provide assurance to the board that risk management processes are managing risks effectively, in relation to the risk appetite. Is the organisation ready? Every organisation is different, with a different attitude to risk, different structure, different processes and different language. Experienced internal auditors need to adapt these ideas to the structures...
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...Internal audit Internal auditing is an independent, objective assurance and consulting activity designed to add value and improve an organization's operations. It helps an organization accomplish its objectives by bringing a systematic, disciplined approach to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of risk management, control, and governance processes.[1] Internal auditing is a catalyst for improving an organization's governance, risk management and management controls by providing insight and recommendations based on analyses and assessments of data and business processes. With commitment to integrity and accountability, internal auditing provides value to governing bodies and senior management as an objective source of independent advice. Professionals called internal auditors are employed by organizations to perform the internal auditing activity. The scope of internal auditing within an organization is broad and may involve topics such as an organization's governance, risk management and management controls over: efficiency/effectiveness of operations (including safeguarding of assets), the reliability of financial and management reporting, and compliance with laws and regulations. Internal auditing may also involve conducting proactive fraud audits to identify potentially fraudulent acts; participating in fraud investigations under the direction of fraud investigation professionals, and conducting post investigation fraud audits to identify control breakdowns and establish...
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...any companies’ internal audit function weighs heavily on the direction and tone provided by its Chief Audit Executive that operates within the organization on a daily basis. Stakeholders in a business must have confidence that the CAE of the internal audit function will work to make certain the interests of the stakeholders are top priority. The primary goal of the CAE is to sustain a level of objectivity and independence that ensures that public trust is not lost and value is consistently being added to the entity. Even with well-defined roles and responsibilities, issues may arise within management that requires attention and actions to be taken. Pat Goodly is an example of how even in a tightened governance structure, there still lies problems that should be addressed. Position in the Organization The internal audit function is created by the board of directors and the audit committee. Each individual that operates within the internal audit function including the CAE has their roles and responsibilities defined by the audit committee and board of directors. The primary purpose of the audit committee is to oversee the organization’s internal audit function, which plays a vital role in the aspects of corporate governance and risk management. The reporting environment in which the CAE operates in is discussed in Standard 1110. IIA Standard 1110 states that “the chief audit executive must report to a level within the organization that allows the internal audit activity to fulfill...
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...THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL AUDIT Professor PhD Atanasiu Pop, „Babeş-Bolyai” University of Cluj-Napoca, e-mail: apop@econ.ubblcuj.ro PhD Student Cristina Boţa-Avram, „Babeş-Bolyai” University of Cluj-Napoca, e-mail: botaavram@gmail.com PhD Student Florin Boţa-Avram, „Babeş Bolyai” University of Cluj-Napoca, e-mail: botaavramflorin@yahoo.com ABSTRACT: Analyzing the evolution process of internal audit, from its beginnings and so far, we can easily notice that internal audit function was born through detaching of some activities from external audit, the result being that there some situations when these two functions could be easily confused. The reality is that internal audit and external audit are two distinctive functions; net differenced, but which are also characterized through some complementary relationships. In this paper, we try to give our contribution at the clarification of the similarities and differences between these two functions, making a literature review that allowed us to identify some very interesting studies that permitted us to emphasize the main criterions that influenced the relationship between internal audit and external audit. Keywords: internal audit, external audit, objectivity, competence JEL Codes: M42 1. Introduction The coordination of internal audit activity with external audit activity is very important from both points of view: from external audit’s point of view is important because, in this way, external ...
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...other organisations has created the need for a specialist in various business controls: the internal auditor. We can understand better the nature of internal auditing today if we know something about the changing conditions in the past and the different needs these changes created. What is the earliest form of internal auditing and how did it come into existence? How has internal auditing responded to changing needs? As the operations of an organisation become more voluminous and complex, it is no longer practicable for the owner or top manager to have enough contact with all operations to satisfactorily review the effectiveness of performance. These responsibilities need to be delegated. The Development of the Profession of Internal Auditing Internal auditing has evolved from accounting-oriented to a management-oriented profession. At one time, internal auditing functioned as a junior to the independent accounting profession, and attesting to the accuracy of financial matters was the profession's main concern. Now internal auditing has established itself with a far broader focus. Modern internal auditing provides services that include the examination and appraisal of controls, performance, risk and governance throughout public and private entities. Financial matters represent only one aspect of the purview of internal auditing. Requirement to have Internal Audit Activity In January 2004, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) had approved new...
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...The independence of internal auditing in China Term Paper Advanced Auditing February, 15 * The independence of internal auditing in China Abstract China’s rapid economic growth boosted its accounting system that has evolved at a singular rate. The national government encourages foreign investors to participate in the domestic capital market actively. The government also strictly supervises the different national economic activities; as a result, the credibility of the auditing system plays a important role. Chinese government as well as some firms seek reliable and independent internal audit services. This paper will examine some factors which may cause lack of independence in Chinese internal audit systems, the difference between the internal auditing in China and in western countries. Based on interviews and questionnaires, suggestions are made for future improvement on the internal audit system in China. Key words: internal auditing, audit independence I INTRODUCTION The globalization of economy, complexity of business and allegations of fraudulent financial reporting have recently sharpened the ever-increasing attention to internal controls and internal auditing. (Karagiorgos et al., 2009) The role of internal auditing is also evolving as reflected in the following definition ‘an independent, objective assurance and consulting activity designed to add value and improve an organization’s operations. It helps an organization accomplish its objectives by bringing...
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...40 SU 1: Strategic and Operational Roles of Internal Audit QUESTIONS 1.1 Change Management 1. An organization's management perceives the need to make significant changes. Which of the following factors is management least likely to be able to change? A. The organization's members. B. The organization's structure. C. The organization's environment. D. The organization's technology. Answer (C) is correct. REQUIRED: The factor management is least likely to be able to change. DISCUSSION: The environment of an organization consists of external forces outside its direct control that may affect its performance. These forces include competitors, suppliers, customers, regulators, climate, culture, pol technological change, and many other factors. The members are a factor that managers are clearly Answe~(A) is incorrect. factor that managers are incorrect. The organiz I are clearly able to change. organization's technology' able to change. 2. Lack of skills, threats to job status or security, and fear of failure all have been identified as reasons that employees often A. Want to change the culture of their organization. B. Are dissatisfied with the structure of their organization. . C. Are unable to perform their jobs. D. Resist organizational change. Lack of skills, threats to job status or re inhibit changes in the culture of the (8) is incorrect. Lack of skills, threats to job status . rity, and fear of failure are not symptoms of dissatistacjion with the structure of the organization...
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...External auditors do not rely on internal auditors as much as they could – why? How could this reliance be improved? Presented By Mingdi Deng Shirene Horner Yueyang Shi Trevor Stewart Jingtao Wang CONTENTS PAGE ABSTRACT 3 1. INTRODUCTION 3 2. REASONS 3 2.1 INTERNAL AUDITOR ROLES 3 2.2 THE REPORTING AND OBJECTIVITY RELATIONSHIP OF THE INTERNAL AUDITOR 4 3. COLLABORATION IN PRACTICE 5 3.1 COMMUNICATION AND COOPERATION 5 3.2 PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS 5 3.3 RECORDING AND TESTING ACCOUNTING SYSTEMS 6 3.4 SUBSTANTIVE TESTS 6 4. CONSEQUENCES OF INFLUENCE 7 5. RELIANCE IMPROVEMENTS 8 5.1 ATTEMPTS FOR IMPROVEMENT 8 5.2 INCREASE THE EFFICIENCY AND COMMUNICATION METHOD FOR INTERNAL AUDITORS AND EXTERNAL AUDITORS 8 5.3 FURTHER EDUCATION IS...
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...Internal Audit Guidebook Providing a framework for understanding and delivering Grant Thornton’s Internal Audit Services in a consistent, high-quality way 2012 Internal audit guidebook 1 Contents Page Introduction 2 Common service delivery methodology 6 Determine client needs 8 Scope and arrange work 10 Plan 13 Analyze and assess 20 Report and recommend 28 Implement 32 Evaluate 33 Determine business and technology context 36 Manage engagement performance, quality and risk 38 Communicate and enable change 40 Appendix 42 Internal audit engagement checklist 43 © Grant Thornton LLP. All rights reserved. Updated August 1, 2012 Internal audit guidebook 2 Introduction What is internal audit? The Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) defines internal auditing as: Internal auditing is an independent, objective assurance and consulting activity designed to add value and improve an organization's operations. It helps an organization accomplish its objectives by bringing a systematic, disciplined approach to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of risk management, control, and governance processes. (1010) An internal audit objectively assesses the management of risks that a company faces. (2100 series) The aim is to • understand the current state, • assess the current state using appropriate standards and criteria, and • develop findings and recommendations...
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