Sammanfattning  Examensarbete, civilekonomprogrammet - Redovisning Ekonomihögskolan vid Linneuniversitetet i Växjö, VT24 Författare: Isa Okmark och Ebba Persson Handledare: Christopher von Koch Examinator: Ola Nilsson Titel: Revisorernas upplevelser inför den obligatoriska granskningen av hållbarhetsredovisning- En kvalitativ studie om vilka upplevelser som revisorer inom Big-4 har inför CSRD Sökord: Sensemaking theory, upplevelse, CSRD, revisor, revision, hållbarhet, känslor, earnings management ____________________________________________________________ Bakgrund och problemdiskussion: Hållbarhet är ett ämne som blivit allt viktigare i dagens samhälle. Det har sedan tidigare funnits regleringar om hur företagen ska hållbarhetsrapportera och vilken roll en revisor har till denna typ av rapportering. Inom Europeiska unionen, EU,  har det kommit ett nytt direktiv vid namn CSRD som påverkar företag inom unionen att på ett mer strikt och kontrollerat sätt rapportera om hållbarhet. Direktivet har även kommit med krav på att företagens hållbarhetsredovisning ska revideras av revisorer på en mer detaljerad nivå. Tidigare forskning har fokuserat på hur revisionsyrket har formats av tidigare förändringar. Det finns däremot ingen forskning som undersökt revisorers upplevelse inför en förändring. Därmed är revisorernas upplevelse med förändringen i och med CSRD något som författarna bidrar med utifrån denna studie.  Syfte: Syftet med studien är att skapa en ökad förståelse för hur revisorer upplever förändringen i och med införandet av obligatorisk granskning av hållbarhetsredovisning.  Metod: Denna studie har genomförts utifrån en kvalitativ ansats med en deduktiv forskningsansats. För att samla in data har semistrukturerade intervjuer med auktoriserade revisorer utförts.  Slutsats: Studien visar på att revisorer upplevelser inför CSRD skiljer sig åt. Däremot finns det vissa upplevelser som liknar varandra där flera av revisorerna beskriver att de ser positivt på förändringen. Dock beskriver flera av revisorerna att de upplever en typ av osäkerhet då de anser att informationen om direktivet varit bristfällig. Det framkom även av resultatet att revisorerna kan ha blivit påverkade av externa faktorer. Detta på grund av att ledningen framfört positivitet angående CSRD. Det påvisades ur empirin att flertalet revisorer har varit med om förändringar tidigare som gör att de känner sig säkra att även denna förändring kommer att lösa sig. / Abstract Master Thesis in accounting, School of business and economics,  Linnaeus University in Växjö, Spring 2024.  Authors:  Isa Okmark and Ebba Persson Supervisor: Christopher von Koch Examiner: Ola Nilsson Title: Auditors´ experience before the mandatory review of sustainability reports- A qualitative study about which experience auditors in Big-4 have before CSRD Keywords: Sensemaking theory, experience, CSRD, auditor , auditing, sustainability, emotions, earnings management ___________________________________________________________ Background and problematization: Sustainability is a topic that has become more important in today's society. Previously there have been regulations regarding how companies should do sustainability reporting, and which role the auditor has regarding sustainability reporting. However, a new directive from the EU called CSRD has occurred that affects companies in the union to report on sustainability in a more strict and controlled way. The directive also comes with requirements that auditors need to audit on companies sustainability report at a more detailed level. Previous research has focused on how the audit profession has been affected by previous changes. On the other hand, there is no research regarding experience auditors have before a change. With that the authors contribute how auditors experience a change regarding CSRD.  Purpose: The purpose of the study is to create an increased understanding of how auditors experience the change regarding the mandatory review of sustainability reports.  Method: This study is based on a qualitative approach with a deductive research approach. To collect data semi structured interviews with authorized auditors have been conducted.  Conclusion: The study shows that auditors' experience regarding CSRD differ from each other on an individual level. Although there are certain experiences that are similar to each other, however several auditors describe that the change is positive. On the other hand, some of the auditors describe that they experience a sort of uncertainty because the information about the directive has been inadequate. It has also shown that auditors may have been influenced by external factors. Because the management has expressed positivity regarding CSRD. The empirical findings showed that the majority of the auditors have been through changes before and therefore they feel confident that even this change will work out.

This study was conducted to generate an in-depth understanding of key internal audit function (IAF) customers’ perceptions of the work performed by the Department of National Treasury’s IAF. This study was further intended to address the absence of any qualitative study of IAF customers’ experiences and expectations, and their perceptions of the challenges the IAF faces. The study had five research objectives, namely: to identify the role of the IAF in the public sector in relation to its customers; to discuss strategies to meet the expectations of IAF customers; to determine the experiences of the identified key IAF customers of the work performed by the IAF in the National Treasury; to determine the expectations of the identified key IAF customers of the IAF in the National Treasury, and to ascertain what the identified key IAF customers perceive to be challenges facing the IAF in the National Treasury. In order to achieve the research objectives, the study implemented a qualitative research design using the National Treasury as a case study. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with participants selected from the key IAF customers’ categories (comprising the audit committee (AC), executive and senior managers, programme and operating managers, and external auditors). Three main themes emerged from the identified key customers’ views. These were (1) Experiences, which revealed that the participants were reasonably satisfied with the work of the IAF in the National Treasury. Participants from the AC, the executive and senior managers, and the Auditor General of South Africa (AGSA) felt that the IAF does add value, while the programme and operating managers participants indicated that the IAF does not demonstrate a holistic view when it conducts evaluations. (2) Expectations, the AC participants expected the AGSA to be able to rely on the work of the IAF, that the IAF should maintain a findings register, and that it should demonstrate IT skills. Executive and senior managers participants expected the IAF to add value to the strategic direction of the National Treasury. Programme and operating managers participants expected the IAF to be open and consultative, to set realistic audit plans, to provide regular feedback, and to demonstrate knowledge of the business. The AGSA participants called for the IAF to demonstrate technical competencies as well as independence and objectivity. (3) Challenges, participants perceived the IAF’s lack of knowledge of the business, the limited reliance placed on its work by the AGSA, the lack of audit action monitoring processes and the lack of management support for the IAF as its biggest challenges. This study could benefit the National Treasury’s IAF by helping it to understand the changing needs and expectations of its customers, and to identify areas for improvement. It may also benefit professional audit bodies and the newly-established National School of Government by providing them with insights into the training needs of internal auditors, and the necessity of providing continuing professional educational programmes. / Auditing / MCom (Auditing)

The study was undertaken to investigate the following: limiting factors faced by the developers in complying with the EIA conditions and to determine whether the various developers comply with the conditions. The study was undertaken by use of questionnaires, site visits, meetings, photographs, group interviews. Trained fields assistants were also used to administer the questionnaires in order to collect data. Data from two sites were collected between 2012 and 2014 and were intentionally collected in order to provide information regarding the implementation of mitigation measures. The collected data was subjected to SAS (statistical software). Chi-square test for independence was performed in order to compare the differences (Snedecor & Cocharen, 1978) between the two sites. Based on the results of the study, it is therefore recommended that competent authorities should consider drafting and supplying follow-up guidelines and these guidelines should also apply to all the relevant role players involved. / Environmental Sciences / M. Sc. (Environmental Management)

傳統的財務報表審計服務，其查核作業的執行時點主要是以會計期間為基準，每季、每半年或一年才針對企業財務揭露，進行事後的交易查核。然而，近年來企業普遍地應用網際網路和全球資訊網技術之後，在沒有任何第三者稽核的情況下，企業的財務資訊幾乎可選擇於任何時點在網路上公開揭露，再加上投資者藉由網路瀏覽器等工具蒐集或分析這些資訊的成本降低，更使得此類資訊被使用的機率大幅增加。由資訊效率的觀點來看，市場投資者使用這些未經查核的資訊，將可能導致因資訊信賴度低而產生的資訊不效率，故傳統期間性的審計服務，顯然亦即當即時性網路資訊環境逐漸形成時，不但已不能提昇資本市場網路時代的資訊品質，同時也會逐漸喪失審計專業一直所強調的審計品質和權威性，故為了因應此一即時性資訊揭露市場的來臨，審計專業該當尋求更符合即時性資訊環境的審計方法。 　　改善資訊效率的方法之一，即所謂連續性審計(Continuous Auditing)的觀念，其目的乃是希望擴充即時線上資訊系統診斷機能至外部審計服務，以達成「交易結束後，立即進行查核；財務報表發布後，立即出具審計意見報告」的目標。但此一課題目前仍屬新興階段，不論是理論或技術架構皆存在許多未盡之處。例如連續性審計是否在任何經濟環境下均較具效率？或是某些經濟條件必須符合時，才適合應用連續性審計方法？此等重要的經濟適用性問題，均無任何研究曾明確地交代。此外，如何有效率地整合各種資訊技術，來實地發展連續性審計技術，以對目前網路財務揭露系統進行連續性審計？而完整的一般化系統架構、技術指引與系統發展方法論又如何建立？這些問題，在相關的文獻中，均皆未能提出適切的答案。 　　本研究即針對上述各項議題分別提出解決方案，首先從資訊經濟學理論的角度，探討在連續性財務資訊揭露的環境下，連續性審計的必要性，並以較嚴謹的定義，來建立連續性審計的理論架構，並討論可能影響連續性審計效率性的各種經濟條件；確認連續性審計的重要性後，其次將整合應用審計專業知識、連續性審計觀念架構與相關的資訊技術，以發展出適用於連續性審計的一般化技術架構；最後則依照連續性審計一般化的技術架構，實地設計出一個應用物件技術的連續性審計雛型系統，以驗證連續性審計理論與技術架構的可行性。 / Through years, regulation parties consistently emphasized the importance of timely accounting information in their formal statements. Despite those highlights from regulation parties, professional accountants can't achieve timeliness due to the lack ofrealtime disclosure technology. However, in the past a few years, situation is changing dramatically. The combined innovative technology on production (such as the on-line transaction processing and the on-line analytical processing) and dissemination (such as the Internet distributed object technology and World- Wide-Web technology) of the real-time accounting information definitely made timeliness feasible. In fact, there is strong evidence to believe there would be more and more public companies posting their timely important financial or operating information on Internet in the near future. Although the increasing provision of timely accounting numbers on the web is expected to strengthen the quality of accounting information, behind the web-disclosure behavior, the information asymmetry problem still will bother both the reporting companies and information users since those web-releases are usually remained unaudited. 　　Recently, in AICPA and CICA's joint report, they emphasized on the importance of continuous auditing as a soluetion to this emerging web-release problem. Unfortunately, besides their awakenings on this material, those official reports did not provide much insight on both continuous auditing theoretic and technical framework. For instance, what exactly is the economic definition and implication of continuous auditing? Would continuous auditing be the most efficient way to audit the real-time information? How to prove it? Also, technically, how to conduct this new approach successfully? Depending on what kind of information technology this approach could be best implemented? 　　From research design view, the above problems are certainly not appropriate to be answered through an empirical research approach since there are still no continuous auditing practice existing. Accordingly, the most emerging research now is to construct a complete continuous auditing theory and technical framework. This paper, based on the motivation to examine both the theoretic and technical framework of continuous auditing, is going to address the following issues. First, some formal modeling tools are adopted to analyze different auditing approaches to show why, from an economic view, continuous auditing would dominate others in different dimensions. Secondly, we derive a generic technical framework from the continuous auditing concepts to guide the implementation of technical issues. Finally, an object-oriented prototype system implemented by Java language is developed to support the proposed theoretic and generic technical framework.

This study was conducted to generate an in-depth understanding of key internal audit function (IAF) customers’ perceptions of the work performed by the Department of National Treasury’s IAF. This study was further intended to address the absence of any qualitative study of IAF customers’ experiences and expectations, and their perceptions of the challenges the IAF faces. The study had five research objectives, namely: to identify the role of the IAF in the public sector in relation to its customers; to discuss strategies to meet the expectations of IAF customers; to determine the experiences of the identified key IAF customers of the work performed by the IAF in the National Treasury; to determine the expectations of the identified key IAF customers of the IAF in the National Treasury, and to ascertain what the identified key IAF customers perceive to be challenges facing the IAF in the National Treasury. In order to achieve the research objectives, the study implemented a qualitative research design using the National Treasury as a case study. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with participants selected from the key IAF customers’ categories (comprising the audit committee (AC), executive and senior managers, programme and operating managers, and external auditors). Three main themes emerged from the identified key customers’ views. These were (1) Experiences, which revealed that the participants were reasonably satisfied with the work of the IAF in the National Treasury. Participants from the AC, the executive and senior managers, and the Auditor General of South Africa (AGSA) felt that the IAF does add value, while the programme and operating managers participants indicated that the IAF does not demonstrate a holistic view when it conducts evaluations. (2) Expectations, the AC participants expected the AGSA to be able to rely on the work of the IAF, that the IAF should maintain a findings register, and that it should demonstrate IT skills. Executive and senior managers participants expected the IAF to add value to the strategic direction of the National Treasury. Programme and operating managers participants expected the IAF to be open and consultative, to set realistic audit plans, to provide regular feedback, and to demonstrate knowledge of the business. The AGSA participants called for the IAF to demonstrate technical competencies as well as independence and objectivity. (3) Challenges, participants perceived the IAF’s lack of knowledge of the business, the limited reliance placed on its work by the AGSA, the lack of audit action monitoring processes and the lack of management support for the IAF as its biggest challenges. This study could benefit the National Treasury’s IAF by helping it to understand the changing needs and expectations of its customers, and to identify areas for improvement. It may also benefit professional audit bodies and the newly-established National School of Government by providing them with insights into the training needs of internal auditors, and the necessity of providing continuing professional educational programmes. / Auditing / MCom (Auditing)

The study was undertaken to investigate the following: limiting factors faced by the developers in complying with the EIA conditions and to determine whether the various developers comply with the conditions. The study was undertaken by use of questionnaires, site visits, meetings, photographs, group interviews. Trained fields assistants were also used to administer the questionnaires in order to collect data. Data from two sites were collected between 2012 and 2014 and were intentionally collected in order to provide information regarding the implementation of mitigation measures. The collected data was subjected to SAS (statistical software). Chi-square test for independence was performed in order to compare the differences (Snedecor & Cocharen, 1978) between the two sites. Based on the results of the study, it is therefore recommended that competent authorities should consider drafting and supplying follow-up guidelines and these guidelines should also apply to all the relevant role players involved. / Environmental Sciences / M. Sc. (Environmental Management)

In this thesis I deal with the analysis of current problems on the market of auditing services in the Czech Republic, with suggestions for their solution. The theoretical part contents analysis of the historical context of the audit, the legal regulation, e. g. International Standards on Auditing (ISAs), Czech Act on Auditors and link to other laws. This part also contents analysis of the market of auditing services focusing on small auditing companies and also description on problems connected with entering the audit profession and consequently the problems related to market regulation, evaluation and quality control of the provided auditing services. Case studies in the practical part reflects the most important problems of small auditing companies. This will be complemented by a questionnaire survey that should reveal the different points of view of the audited company, accountant and auditor on key audit issues.

Accounting education, and specifically audit education, has been calling for change in the teaching methodology applied by audit lecturers in higher education since the 1950s. This call for change is evident in current literature, which indicates that the approach followed in audit education has been creating a knowledge-to-application barrier. Despite the vigorous research on how to change the way audit students are taught at universities and other higher education institutions, consensus has yet to be reached on the teaching methodology that would produce competent and self-efficient young professionals entering practice after graduation. The literature review performed in this thesis indicated a gap between research and practice in accounting education and research, first, because the research seems too technical for practitioners to understand and, secondly, too many research objectives seem unrelated to the realities of practice. Based on these findings, this thesis provides the novice researcher in accounting education with some guidelines on the research methodologies that could be applied in this field. It also highlights some best practices that should be followed when conducting research in this field. It was noted from the literature that all the variables in the audit teaching-learning environment need consideration when attempting to bring change to this environment, because each variable would have an impact on transforming the current approach followed in audit pedagogy. These variables were identified as: • The audit lecturer; • The audit student; • The subject content of the audit teaching-learning environment; and Summary • The milieu of the audit teaching-learning environment. In an attempt to answer the call for change in audit education, this thesis sought to develop an audit simulation as an educational tool which takes into account all the variables in the audit teaching-learning environment and can be applied at universities and other audit training institutions around the globe. A framework for simulation design was developed based on the findings of the literature review and informed the development of the audit simulation. The simulation was, subsequently, applied and evaluated at a university accredited by the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants. The newly developed audit simulation was evaluated by applying a mixed methodology research design, which had been proven to be a resourceful and trusted design in accounting education research in the past. Pre-test and post-test questionnaires were administered to the respondents as part of a quasi-experimental design. The quantitative findings from these tests were supported by qualitative findings from focus group discussions. The empirical findings from the pre-test questionnaire confirmed the call for change and the room for improvement in the current teaching methodology in the audit classroom. Participants indicated lower levels in some competencies relative to other competencies, which also did not particularly score satisfactory when the competence levels were evaluated. The competencies that showed the lowest level of achievement due to the current teaching methodology, as perceived by the participants, included executing the work plan, evaluating the evidence and drawing conclusions, and drafting the report upon completion of the engagement. It was also established that the call for change was not confined to only one university in South Africa, which broadened the generalisability of the research findings, conclusions and recommendations of this study. The results of both the quantitative and qualitative analysis support the view that the newly developed audit simulation is able to assist in bringing change to audit education. The simulation had a positive effect on the audit students’ perceived competence levels in the competencies of auditing and assurance, and the various generic and pervasive skills tested in this study. Furthermore, it was established that the audit simulation had a greater effect on the audit students’ perceived broad competence levels (i.e. auditing and assurance, and generic and pervasive skills) and their understanding of the audit process as a whole, in relation to just attending normal lectures. The qualitative findings from the focus group discussions informed the quantitative findings by indicating that the audit simulation proved to be an instrument that, among other things: Summary • Gave students the opportunity to obtain a holistic view of the audit process; • Assisted students in visualising how the audit theory is applied in practice; • Actively involved the students in the learning process; and • Replicated audit practice. Finally, it was confirmed that the newly developed audit simulation takes into account the variables in the audit teaching-learning environment which need consideration if transformation is to take place in the way the audit subject is currently being taught at higher education level. Recommendations on the way forward in audit education, based on the findings in this thesis, were also provided. This study provides audit lecturers and other audit educators around the world with a newly developed, empirically evaluated audit simulation which can be applied in the audit classroom as well as assist in answering the current call for change to audit education. / PhD (Accountancy), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Accounting education, and specifically audit education, has been calling for change in the teaching methodology applied by audit lecturers in higher education since the 1950s. This call for change is evident in current literature, which indicates that the approach followed in audit education has been creating a knowledge-to-application barrier. Despite the vigorous research on how to change the way audit students are taught at universities and other higher education institutions, consensus has yet to be reached on the teaching methodology that would produce competent and self-efficient young professionals entering practice after graduation. The literature review performed in this thesis indicated a gap between research and practice in accounting education and research, first, because the research seems too technical for practitioners to understand and, secondly, too many research objectives seem unrelated to the realities of practice. Based on these findings, this thesis provides the novice researcher in accounting education with some guidelines on the research methodologies that could be applied in this field. It also highlights some best practices that should be followed when conducting research in this field. It was noted from the literature that all the variables in the audit teaching-learning environment need consideration when attempting to bring change to this environment, because each variable would have an impact on transforming the current approach followed in audit pedagogy. These variables were identified as: • The audit lecturer; • The audit student; • The subject content of the audit teaching-learning environment; and Summary • The milieu of the audit teaching-learning environment. In an attempt to answer the call for change in audit education, this thesis sought to develop an audit simulation as an educational tool which takes into account all the variables in the audit teaching-learning environment and can be applied at universities and other audit training institutions around the globe. A framework for simulation design was developed based on the findings of the literature review and informed the development of the audit simulation. The simulation was, subsequently, applied and evaluated at a university accredited by the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants. The newly developed audit simulation was evaluated by applying a mixed methodology research design, which had been proven to be a resourceful and trusted design in accounting education research in the past. Pre-test and post-test questionnaires were administered to the respondents as part of a quasi-experimental design. The quantitative findings from these tests were supported by qualitative findings from focus group discussions. The empirical findings from the pre-test questionnaire confirmed the call for change and the room for improvement in the current teaching methodology in the audit classroom. Participants indicated lower levels in some competencies relative to other competencies, which also did not particularly score satisfactory when the competence levels were evaluated. The competencies that showed the lowest level of achievement due to the current teaching methodology, as perceived by the participants, included executing the work plan, evaluating the evidence and drawing conclusions, and drafting the report upon completion of the engagement. It was also established that the call for change was not confined to only one university in South Africa, which broadened the generalisability of the research findings, conclusions and recommendations of this study. The results of both the quantitative and qualitative analysis support the view that the newly developed audit simulation is able to assist in bringing change to audit education. The simulation had a positive effect on the audit students’ perceived competence levels in the competencies of auditing and assurance, and the various generic and pervasive skills tested in this study. Furthermore, it was established that the audit simulation had a greater effect on the audit students’ perceived broad competence levels (i.e. auditing and assurance, and generic and pervasive skills) and their understanding of the audit process as a whole, in relation to just attending normal lectures. The qualitative findings from the focus group discussions informed the quantitative findings by indicating that the audit simulation proved to be an instrument that, among other things: Summary • Gave students the opportunity to obtain a holistic view of the audit process; • Assisted students in visualising how the audit theory is applied in practice; • Actively involved the students in the learning process; and • Replicated audit practice. Finally, it was confirmed that the newly developed audit simulation takes into account the variables in the audit teaching-learning environment which need consideration if transformation is to take place in the way the audit subject is currently being taught at higher education level. Recommendations on the way forward in audit education, based on the findings in this thesis, were also provided. This study provides audit lecturers and other audit educators around the world with a newly developed, empirically evaluated audit simulation which can be applied in the audit classroom as well as assist in answering the current call for change to audit education. / PhD (Accountancy), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

This dissertation reflects the results of a study during which the 2006 annual reports of the top-40 JSE listed companies, were assessed for their disclosure of the required corporate governance statements. Content analysis was used to identify the information. The results obtained indicate that the majority of the JSE's top-40 listed companies adhere to good corporate governance disclosure practices. However, there are areas in which the non-disclosure of information was prevalent. These include the disclosure of information on the selection of external auditors and whistle blowing. Future research, employing sources such as SENS announcements, press releases, trading updates, cautionary announcements and websites together with annual reports should be conducted. / Financial Accounting / M.Com. (Accounting)