Beneath the data

How internal auditors can use business intelligence tools to mine their organization’s data.

The audit committee connection

The article discusses how internal audit's ability to serve as a trusted advisor to its primary stakeholder - the audit committee - is key to organisational success.

Doing the right thing: today's boards are taking a closer look at corporate culture

An interview with Brian Christensen, executive vice president of global internal audit at Protiviti, and Tracey Keele, partner of internal audit and enterprise risk services at KPMG LLP. Topics they discuss include the efforts of boards of directors to manage corporate culture; the factors that should be considered to understand culture such as the drivers of conduct, expectations, and curiosity; and the role of internal audit to make organisations understand their culture.

Leverage internal audit to help monitor and assess corporate culture

The article offers suggestions to boards and audit committees on using internal audit's skills, capabilities and stature in overseeing and assessing corporate culture. Internal audit can help reinforce the importance of clarity regarding the behaviors and values to be encouraged depending on the strategy of the company. There are several options that can be explored by internal audit with the audit committee in developing a culture audit approach.

Internal audit: in-house versus outsourcing

The article looks at the impact of outsourcing of the internal audit function on the effectiveness of the process or the level of independence and objectivity of the audit. Topics covered include importance of effective internal audit as demonstrated by the failure of Carillion, advantages of outsourcing internal audit such as credibility and cost-effectiveness, potential disadvantages like lack of permanent on-site resource and the pros and cons of in-house internal audit. * For the full article please contact the Library *

Board matters: Internal audit and board alignment can best be achieved when each looks to understand the priorities and needs of the other

The article focuses on the relationship between the board of directors and chief audit executives (CAEs). According to the author, the alignment of the internal audit and the board can best be achieved when each looks to understand the priorities and needs of the other.

Managers vs audit committees

A study of the ways different stakeholders understand success in an internal audits, with particular emphasis on managers and audit committees.

Report refutes Sarbanes-Oxley critics: Strong evidence exists of a link between auditor-identified weak internal controls and subsequent fraud cases

The article focuses on a study published in the "Auditing: A Journal of Practice & Theory" periodical over relationship between material weaknesses and company fraud.

Key stakeholder surveys

Internal auditors should look to get feedback from their most important customers.

How to audit culture

Article looks at cultural audits and how they can aid insight into the causes of poor organizational behaviour.