Bachelor-Arbeit Univ. St. Gallen, 2008.

Zugl.: Frankfurt (Main), Universiẗat, Diplomarbeit, 2004.

Thesis (doctoral)--Universität St. Gallen, 2006.

In this paper, I will highlight the current issues at hand pertaining to the accounting industry policies. I will focus on the auditing sector providing services for public companies. I will lay out the structure, rules, and regulations that are in place today as well as criticize the areas that can be improved upon. I will go through various possibilities of solutions and conclude that the best way to increase financial statement reliability in our country is by both strengthening audit committees and providing financial statement insurance.

A field that previously has not been studied to a great extent is regarding how different factors in the environment has affected changes in the work of accountants and auditors. This has been examined and explained, using institutional logic theory. What has changed in the process of work for accountants and auditors, which factors have affected these changes and in which ways will these factors continue contributing to further development? Data has been collected through a qualitative method consisting of nine interviews, where three of these were held with accountants, five of them with auditors and one with a business advisor to try answering the purpose of this study. The conclusion of the study explains that the process of work mainly is managed digitally, where cloud computing is being used to upload and gain access to documents wherever you are. After the requirement of using an auditor became non-mandatory, the responsibility of accountants grew larger in the companies that chose to not use the services of auditors. Advisory is constantly growing, becoming a more important field of business for auditing firms. Due to clients having more knowledge regarding economy today than previously, the advisory has now become more advanced. Besides new digital functions, marketing services have developed contributing to changes within the industry. Logics regarding capitalism and regulations affect different areas of the society where increasing income and purpose of the profession is working both along and against each other. Previous research has identified digitization as a notable factor, contributing to changes within the accounting and auditing industry which is confirmed by this study. Aside from digitization affecting changes within the industries, the study highlights several other factors surrounding the profession, including changes in regulations, market and society, which has impacted the process of work. Understanding how different factors contributes to changes enables preparation for future occurrences which may affect organizations.

Orientadora: Marcia Cristina de Carvalho Pazin Vitoriano / Banca: Marta Lígia Pomim Valentim / Banca: Letícia Gorri Molina / Resumo: No atual mundo globalizado e competitivo apresentar as informações adequadas em tempo hábil tornou-se um diferencial para as empresas que almejam grandes resultados e liderança no mercado. A gestão documental é parte deste processo, pois a partir de um modelo de gestão será possível localizar a informação solicitada a tempo de contribuir com a tomada de decisão, amenizando possíveis erros. Nesse contexto, a presente pesquisa tem como foco os arquivos empresariais e visa aprofundar-se no cenário dos arquivos contábeis, fiscais e financeiros por meio da técnica contábil: auditoria. Indica-se como problema desta pesquisa: Quais os impactos da ausência de gestão documental no processo de auditoria? O objetivo geral da presente pesquisa é verificar os impactos da ausência da gestão documental no processo de auditoria. Para investigar e responder aos questionamentos propostos nesta pesquisa foram estabelecidos os seguintes objetivos específicos: a) compreender os fundamentos teóricos e conceitos relacionados aos arquivos contábeis, fiscais e de auditorias; b) verificar as dificuldades vivenciadas pela empresa de auditoria, relacionadas à gestão documental não realizada por seus clientes; c) identificar e caracterizar os fatores determinantes da gestão documental para o êxito das auditorias e, d) apresentar as relações entre a gestão documental e a auditoria contábil. . Utilizou-se como método de pesquisa o estudo de caso em uma organização de prestação de serviços em auditorias e c... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: In today's globalized and competitive world presenting the right information in a timely manner has become a differential for companies that aim for great results and market leadership. The records management is part of this process, because from a management model it will be possible to locate the requested information in time to contribute to the decision-making, alleviating possible errors. In this context, the present research focuses on business archives and seeks to delve deeper into the scenario of accounting, tax and financial files by means of accounting techniques: audit. It is pointed out as a problem of this research: What are the impacts of the absence of records management in the audit process? The overall objective of this research is to verify the impacts of the absence of records management in the audit process. In order to investigate and answer the questions proposed in this research, the following specific objectives were established: a) to understand the theoretical foundations and concepts related to accounting, tax and audit files; b) verify the difficulties experienced by the audit firm, related to the records management not performed by its clients; c) identify and characterize the determinants of records management for the success of audits and d) present the relationship between records management and accounting audit. . The case study was used as a research method in an organization providing services in audits and consultancies. Data analysis was ... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

The increasing dependence upon Information Systems (IS) in the last few decades by businesses has resulted in many concerns regarding auditing. Traditional IS auditing has changed from auditing "around the computer" to a hands-on approach (auditing through and with the computer). Technology is changing rapidly and so is the profession of IS auditing. As IS auditing is dependent on Infonnation Technology (IT), it is essential that an IS auditor possesses IT and auditing knowledge to bridge the gap between the IT and auditing professions. The aim of the study is to: 1) define the roles and responsibilities expected from IS auditors, based on the different types of audit assignments and the steps involved in perfonning an IS audit assignment; 2) describe the basic IT and audit knowledge required from IS auditors based on the roles and responsibilities identified; 3) describe the soft skills required from IS auditors to successfully perfonn an IS audit assignment; 4) define the main types of IS audit tools and techniques used most often to assist IS auditors in executing IS audit roles and responsibilities; and 5) establish an IS auditor's profile based on the 4 characteristics defined above / Computing / M.Sc.

Die oogmerk van hierdie studie is om die waarde van 'n klein maatskappy-oudit te bepaal en om daarvolgens 'n geskikte hervormingstrategie vir sodanige audits te bepaal. 'n Literatuurstudie is uitgevoer met betrekking tot die ontwikkeling en aard van klein maatskappy-oudits, die toepaslikheid van Suid-Afrikaanse ouditstandaarde op klein maatskappy-oudits en die verwagtings van die gebruikers van 'n klein maatskappy se finansiele state. Die voormelde aspekte is daarna empiries getoets ten einde 'n algemeen aanvaarde hervormingstrategie vir klein maatskappy-oudits te formuleer. Uit die literatuurstudie is verskeie kenmerke van 'n klein maatskappy ge"identifiseer. Daarvolgens is argumente aangevoer wat die waarde van 'n klein maatskappy-oudit bevraagteken, soos dat belanghebbendes nie die geouditeerde finansiele state vir besluitnemingsdoeleindes aanwend nie, en dat die tradisionele behoefte aan ouditering nie by klein maatskappye bestaan nie, omdat die aandeelhouers en bestuur (direkteure) gewoonlik dieselfde persona is. Die empiriese navorsing onder die vernaamste gebruikers van klein maatskappye se finansiele state, naamlik sodanige maatskappye se aandeelhouers en/of direkteure, die Suid-Afrikaanse lnkomstediens, bankinstellings en praktiserende ouditeure, het aan die lig gebring dat daar nie eenstemmigheid ocr 'n objektiewe definisie van 'n klein maatskappy bestaan nie. Die oorheersende kenmerk van 'n klein maatskappy is dat die eienaarskap van so 'n maatskappy in die bestuur (direkteure) gesetel is. As 'n algemene norm kan 'n maatskappy egter as klein geklassifiseer word indien dit nie twee van die volgende maatstawwe oorskry nie: Omset R12 miljoen; totale bates R6 miljoen; vyftig werknemers. Die empiriese ondersoek het verder getoon dat die primere gebruikers van klein maatskappye se finansiele state 'n positiewe houding oor so 'n maatskappy-oudit huldig en dat geouditeerde finansiele state van klein maatskappye wei gebruik word tydens bedrywighede en/of vir besluitnemingsdoeleindes en dat Suid-Afrikaanse ouditstandaarde redelik gepas is in 'n klein maatskappy-ouditomgewing. Die huidige openbaarmaking- en dokumentasievereistes van toepassing op aile maatskappye, word egter as te omvangryk beskou. Die slotsom van die studie is dat 'n klein maatskappy-oudit wei 'n bestaansreg geniet omdat dit waarde toevoeg. Gevolglik behoort die konvensionele statutere audit behou te word; die algemeen aanvaarde rekeningkundige-vereistes behoort egter vir klein maatskappye afgeskaal word. / The purpose of this study was to determine the value of a small company audit and then to establish a suitable reform strategy for such audits. A literature study was performed of the development and nature of small company audits, the applicability of South African auditing standards to small company audits and the expectations of the users of the financial statements of a small company. These aspects were then empirically tested to formulate a generally accepted reform strategy for small company audits. The literature study distinguished various characteristics of a small company. Arguments were raised which questioned the value of small company audits, for instance that the interested parties did not use the audited financial statements for decision-making and that the traditional need of auditing does not exist with small companies as the shareholders and management (directors) usually are the same people. The empirical research among the main users of the financial statements of small companies, namely its shareholders and/or directors, the South African Revenue Services, financial institutions and practising auditors revealed that there is no acceptable objective definition of a small company. The dominant characteristic of a small company is that the ownership of such a company vests in management. A company can, as a general norm, be classified as small if it does not exceed two of the following three measures: Turnover R12 million; total assets R6 million; fifty employees. The empirical investigation also showed that the primary users of the financial statements of small companies have a positive attitude towards a small company audit, that the audited financial statements of small companies are used in the performance of their activities and/or decision-making and that South African auditing standards are reasonably applicable to a small company audit environment. The current disclosure and documentation requirements applicable to all companies are, however, regarded as too comprehensive. This study led to the conclusion that a small company audit is justified because it adds value. The conventional statutory audit should therefore be retained but the generally accepted accounting requirements should be scaled down for small companies. / Auditing / D. Compt. (Toegepaste Rekenmeesterskap)

“In the future, virtually every function in the world of financial services will be displaced, disintermediated and decentralized. The Internet gave us a powerful way to share and access information. Blockchain now gives us a powerful way to share and access value.” During a February 2017 AICPA roundtable, Chairman of the Wall Street Blockchain Alliance and previous Global Head of Trading Analytics at Thomson Reuters, Ron Quarantana spoke to the revolutionary scale of blockchain. Quaranta, viewed by many as an expert in financial technology, predicts that the adoption of blockchain, both by the Big Four accounting firms and their clients, will disrupt the accounting industry by greatly reducing the time and skill needed to perform a quality audit. Some, such as Thomson Reuters’ Jon Baron, even claim that blockchain may eliminate the need for financial statement audits altogether. To many, blockchain is synonymous with Bitcoin, the cryptocurrency that, over the past three years, has returned 3,310%, compared to 35% and 36% returns of the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA), respectively. Blockchain, however, is much more than Bitcoin, with applications stretching further than cryptocurrency. Rather, it is a peer-to-peer hosted public ledger that does not require a central authority to support or verify transactions, and is unalterable in future periods. In this study, I propose to examine what blockchain technology means for the 887,000 people currently employed by the Big Four. More specifically, I seek to expand upon whether the potential adoption of blockchain in the coming years will reduce audit fees, impact audit quality, or perhaps do away with the audit completely.

M.Com. (Computer Auditing) / Please refer to full text to view abstract