This study is the first to establish IAF characteristics as separate, distinct constructs that act jointly in creating IAF quality; therefore, it contributes to the overall understanding of IAF quality and the determinants of the IAF as an effective internally based financial reporting monitor.
Abbott, L. J., B. Daugherty, S. Parker and G. F. Peters. 2016. Internal Audit Quality and Financial Reporting Quality: The Joint Importance of Independence and Competence. Journal of Accounting Research 54 (1): 3-40.
This study offers insights into why internal auditing is experiencing a shortage of qualified job candidates and offers a potential solution to the problem. The authors find that external auditors have negative perceptions about internal auditing, and these negative perceptions are associated with a (1) decreased desire to apply for internal auditing positions, (2) lower likelihood of recommending an in-house internal auditing career to high-performing students, and (3) higher likelihood of recommending an in-house internal auditing career to mediocre students. Internal auditors can try solving this problem by improving perceptions about internal auditing via a media campaign that raises awareness about the true internal audit career path.
Bartlett, G.D., J. Kremin, K.K. Saunders, and D.A. Wood. 2016. Attracting Applicants for In-House and Outsourced Internal Audit Positions: Views from External Auditors. Accounting Horizons 30 (1): 143-156.
Results from this study suggest that rotating internal auditors into operational management programs reduces financial reporting quality. Companies that utilize a rotational internal audit program should be aware of these possible unintended consequences. Companies utilizing these programs should consider implementing several compensating controls (listed in the findings section), as the authors have found that these controls can reduce or even eliminate (if used together) the negative consequences of rotational internal audit programs.
Christ, M.H., A. Masli, N.Y. Sharp, and D.A. Wood. 2015. Rotational internal audit programs and financial reporting quality: Do compensating controls help? Accounting, Organizations and Society 44: 37-59.
This study’s results are important to regulators thinking about requiring issuance of an internal audit report and practitioners planning how to respond to such proposals. The authors suggest that the assurance internal audit report, which leads to more conservative risk assessment when internal auditors mainly report to the audit committee, may prove rather costly and unpopular among internal auditors. Meanwhile, the descriptive internal audit report, which prior research found to be useful to investors, does not make internal auditors more conservative, but it may prove less costly and more popular among internal auditors. Ultimately, these findings suggest that regulators need to discuss any internal audit report proposals with key stakeholders, including internal auditors, before getting too far into the rule making process.
Boyle, D. M., F. T. DeZoort, and D. R. Hermanson. 2015. The Effects of Internal Audit Report Type and Reporting Relationship on Internal Auditors' Risk Judgments. Accounting Horizons 29 (3): 695-718.
These results have implications for both audit research and practice as well as policy makers and firms deciding on whether to outsource the internal audit function. From a research perspective, this study is the first to examine how external auditors view various internal audit outsourcing arrangements. Further, the results indicate a potential cost of internal audit outsourcing that has not been previously considered. That is, if outsourced internal auditors provide other services, the cost of the external audit could increase, which potentially interferes with some of the expected cost savings of AS No. 5.
Brandon, D. M. 2010. External Auditor Evaluations of Outsourced Internal Auditors. Auditing: A Journal of Practice & Theory 29 (2): 159-173.
The results suggest that internal auditors contribute to decreased reliability of disclosed amounts. It appears that the incentives of external auditors and internal auditors are closely aligned on this issue. In general, both of these parties seem to feel less responsibility for disclosed, relative to recognized amounts. The results indicate that financial reporting location has significant effects on internal auditors’ decisions to correct misstatements. Specifically, internal auditors are more willing to waive disclosed misstatements relative to recognized misstatements. Contrary to expectations, the results do not indicate that increased audit committee expertise and associated increases in audit committee members’ perceived powers cause internal auditors to be less willing to waive misstatements.
Norman, C. S., J. M. Rose, and I. S. Suh. 2011. The effects of disclosure type and audit committee expertise on Chief Audit Executives’ tolerance for financial misstatements. Accounting, Organizations & Society 36 (2): 102-108.
The results speak to the need for regulators to consider the incentives of the various stakeholders when determining policy. Should policy makers consider expanding or restricting specific oversight roles, they should consider the concomitant effects on the internal audit function, and the differential incentives faced by the audit committee and executive management. In addition, as audit committees and managers jointly work or oversee the work of internal auditors, the results suggest that these two oversight participants should consider how their respective incentives potentially bias the focus of the internal audit department away from a mix of activities that optimally address the greater business risks of the company. Likewise, as external auditors assess the organizational status of the internal audit department, they may also wish to consider the apparent focus of internal audit as a potential indication of oversight control.
Abbott, L. J., S. Parker, and G. F. Peters. 2010. Serving Two Masters: The Association between Audit Committee Internal Audit Oversight and Internal Audit Activities. Accounting Horizons 24 (1): 1-24.
This study makes an original contribution to the development of new knowledge on internal auditing. It concludes that internal auditors tend to lack independence and audit committee members often exercise disturbingly weak power (on the internal audit function), as compared to the top managers. This points to the difficulty of applying an idealized conception of independence and purist governance principles to practice. That is, it encourages auditors to consider the appropriateness of internal auditing as a meaningful independent assurance device in operating the corporate governance "mosaic."
Roussy, M. 2015. Welcome to the day-to-day of internal auditors: How do they cope with conflict? Auditing: A Journal of Practice and Theory 34 (2): 237-264.
These findings suggest that regulators, audit committees, and other stakeholders should consider ways to improve IAF quality, specifically IAF competence, and IAFs improve corporate governance by assisting audit committees in monitoring management. This study provides empirical evidence consistent with the proposition that IAF quality and competence deter management misconduct. IAF quality and, particularly, IAF competence are important in deterring observable instances of management misconduct, both accounting- and nonaccounting-related. These findings are important because in the early 2000s, regulators responded to public outcry over observable management misconduct, yet IAF quality was largely left out of the regulatory debate and reforms that followed.
Ege, M. S. 2015. Does Internal Audit Function Quality Deter Management Misconduct? Accounting Review 90 (2): 495-527.
The primary result that audit committee involvement is significantly and positively associated with “outsourcing” is an important finding that suggests a need for management to pay close attention to the role that audit committee plays in “outsourcing” internal audit activities. The significance of value-added-activities, missing-skill-set, and audit-staff-vacancies on “outsourcing” also require management attention because collectively these three variables indicate trade-offs between acquiring the expertise in-house or “outsourcing” to external service providers.
For more information on this study, please contact Mohammad Abdolmohammadi
Abdolmohammadi, M. 2013. Correlates of Co-Sourcing/Outsourcing of Internal Audit Activities. Auditing: A Journal of Practice and Theory 32(3): 69-85.