The results of this study are important because they illuminate the impact of new accounting rules on standard setters and companies abiding by these rules (in this case, the specific context was the implementation process related to SOX Section 404). The study suggests that a number of steps are required in order to perfect the guidance. It is important to understand the meaning and intentions behind authoritative literature in order to follow it. The observations suggest that the process for implementing new guidance has room for change, yet has evolved over time to increase effectiveness. The findings are specific to the implementation for assessment and auditing of internal controls for public companies.
For more information on this study, please contact Zoe-Vonna Palmrose (zv.palmrose@marshall.usc.edu).
Palmrose, Z.-V. 2010. Balancing the Costs and Benefits of Auditing and Financial Reporting Regulation Post-SOX, Part I: Perspectives from the Nexus at the SEC. Accounting Horizons 24 (2):313-326.
Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) Section 404 adds requirements for disclosures discussing management’s assessment of internal controls. Zoe-Vonna Palmrose served as the Deputy Chief Accountant for Professional Practice in the Office of the Chief Accountant. From August 2006 to July 2008, Palmrose observed the effects of SOX Section 404 on practice. The paper describes her observations related to:
The author collected data through personal experiences from August 2006 through July 2008. She observed and recorded information related to SOX Section 404 during her time as the Deputy Chief Accountant in the Professional Practice Group.