These thesis focus on one of the most problematic fields of the governance of local authorities – the control system of local governments‘ and the most important figure in this system – the municipality controller‘s institution. This work aims to analyse the municipality controller‘s instituttion and to present an in depth and systematic analysis of it‘s legal regulation and institutional development, problems and topicalities, concerning the controller‘s practise and functions. Another aspect of this research - is to describe the international and the EU standards, related to the external and internal audit, and to give examples of the experience of other European countries in the field of the municipality control.

Στην παρούσα εργασία περιλαμβάνονται: η θεωρητική προσέγγιση του εσωτερικού ελέγχου (internal audit) στην οποία αναλύονται ο ορισμός του εσωτερικού ελέγχου και το πλαίσιο επαγγελματικής εφαρμογής. Τα ελεγκτικά πρότυπα και οι κανόνες συμπεριφοράς. Επίσης αναλύεται το σύστημα εσωτερικού ελέγχου και η επιτροπή ελέγχου, καθώς και η οργάνωση της διεύθυνσης εσωτερικού ελέγχου και η μεθοδολογία που ακολουθείται για τη διεξαγωγή των ελέγχων. Στο δεύτερο μέρος αναλύουμε το πλαίσιο διαχείρισης κινδύνων (Enterprise risk management) και περιγράφουμε πως διεξάγεται ο έλεγχος στις τράπεζες. Στο τρίτο μέρος παρουσιάζουμε ένα εξειδικευμένο πρόγραμμα ελέγχου σε κάποιο τραπεζικό ίδρυμα με επισυναπτόμενα φύλλα εργασίας και εργαλεία που χρησιμοποιούν οι ελεγκτές και τη μεθοδολογία κατάρτισης εκθέσεων εσωτερικού ελέγχου. Παραθέτουμε συμπεράσματα από την ανάλυση των πορισμάτων της διεύθυνσης εσωτερικού ελέγχου. Στο παράρτημα αναφέρουμε τα διεθνή πρότυπα εσωτερικού ελέγχου και παρουσιάζουμε υπόδειγμα φύλλου αυτοαξιολόγησης καταστήματος μιας τράπεζας. / Included in this work: a theoretical approach of internal audit explaining definition of internal audit and professional practice framework (PPF) and auditing standards and rules of conduct. We also analyzed the internal audit and audit committee, and the organization of internal audit and the methodology used for the audits. In the second part we analyse the risk management (enterprise risk management) and we describe how the audit is being conducted in the banks. In the third part we present in any bank foundation a specialized inspection program with attached work sheets and tools using the controllers and methods of preparation internal audit report. We set conclusions from the analysis of the findings of the internal audit manager. The annex lists international standards of internal audit and presents a model of self-assessment package for one bank.

The aim of this thesis is to define the audit in general and to define its meaning and essence. Documents obtained from the company demonstrated the method of implementation of internal audit. On the basis of these documents, the internal audit results for the years 2013 and 2014 were evaluated by individual departments and by the overall results. Based on the findings, the company was recommended the establishment of an internal audit of the accounting. Questionnaires were sent to a sample of companies in the South Bohemia. The questionnaire investigated whether the company has established an internal audit, how often they perform it, which person performs an internal audit, on what action the internal audit is focused and whether the employees are motivated to improve their work.

Je développe ici une nouvelle évaluation de la qualité de la fonction d'audit interne (FAI) basée sur des données d'entrée et j'examine les facteurs qui poussent les entreprises à mettre en place une FAI de haute qualité ainsi que les conséquences économiques d'une FAI de haute qualité. Afin de rendre opérationnelle mon analyse empirique, je crée un échantillon d'archivage de FAI international unique en associant une enquête d'auditeur interne menée au niveau international intitulée CBOK 2010 à des données publiques présentes dans la base de données Worldscope. En me basant sur les Normes Internationales pour la Pratique Professionnelle d'Audit Interne proposées par l'Institut des Auditeurs Internes, je mesure la qualité de la FAI en fonction des attributs et des pratiques de FAI souhaitables qui prennent en compte la compétence (1), l'indépendance (2), les pratiques de reporting et de planification (3), et les pratiques d'amélioration et de vérification de la qualité (4) de la FAI. En ce qui concerne les facteurs décisifs de la qualité de la FAI, je constate que la qualité de la FAI est affectée par les cadres opérationnels et les caractéristiques d'autres mécanismes de gouvernance des entreprises y compris les mesures incitatives de supervision du conseil d'administration, la diligence du comité d'audit et les pouvoirs du PDG. En outre, les mesures incitatives des entreprises destinées à une FAI de haute qualité sont renforcées par les exigences strictes et détaillées en matière de FAI présentes dans les codes de gouvernance d'entreprise des pays. Enfin, je documente le fait que d'autres mécanismes de gouvernance, en particulier les mesures incitatives de supervision des directeurs, jouent un plus grand rôle pour influencer la qualité de la FAI lorsque le cadre réglementaire dans son ensemble est fragile. En ce qui concerne les conséquences économiques d'une FAI de haute qualité, j'aborde le rôle que joue la FAI pour fournir des services de vérification en matière de reporting financier et je constate que la qualité de la FAI est associée de manière positive à la qualité des revenus. En prenant en compte l'implication croissante de la FAI dans la gestion du risque et les initiatives stratégiques, qui a pour conséquence le fait que la FAI joue un rôle accru pour fournir des services de consulting appropriés aux opérations des entreprises, je fournis en outre les preuves qu'une FAI de haute qualité est importante pour la performance opérationnelle des entreprises. Je documente de manière spécifique le fait que la vitesse de reprise de la performance opérationnelle suite à la crise financière récente est considérablement plus rapide pour les entreprises qui bénéficient d'une FAI de haute qualité que pour les entreprises dont la FAI est de mauvaise qualité, et que la qualité de la FAI est associée de manière positive à la bonne capacité d'investissement des entreprises au cours de la période post-crise financière. De plus, je constate que le degré d'implication de la FAI dans les activités de consulting stratégique a un effet positif incrémentiel sur la reprise de la performance, ce qui suggère que fournir des services de consulting est une façon importante pour la FAI de procurer de la valeur aux entreprises. Les bénéfices d'une telle expansion des activités de consulting ont cependant un coût pour les entreprises dont la FAI est de mauvaise qualité, car je constate que l'implication de la FAI dans le consulting stratégique peut nuire au rôle que joue la FAI pour fournir des services de vérification et par conséquent affecter de manière négative la qualité des revenus lorsque la qualité de la FAI est mauvaise mais non pas lorsque la qualité de la FAI est bonne. De manière générale, ces constatations suggèrent que si l'on s'attend à ce que la FAI procure de la valeur aux entreprises en fournissant à la fois des services de vérification et de consulting, il est alors essentiel de maintenir un niveau de qualité de FAI adéquat. / I develop a new input-based measure of internal audit function (IAF) quality and investigate the factors that incentivize firms to establish a high-quality IAF as well as the economic consequences of a high-quality IAF. To operationalize my empirical analysis, I construct a unique, international archival IAF sample by matching a proprietary global internal auditor survey named CBOK 2010 with public data in the Worldscope database. Based on the International Standards for the Professional Practice of Internal Auditing proposed by the Institute of Internal Auditors, I measure IAF quality by desirable IAF attributes and practices which encompass the IAF’s (1) competence, (2) independence, (3) planning and reporting practices, and (4) quality assurance and improvement practices. Regarding the determinants of IAF quality, I find that the IAF quality is affected by firms’ operating environments and features of other governance mechanisms including board monitoring incentives, audit committee diligence, and CEO power. Moreover, firms’ incentives for a high-quality IAF are bolstered by strict and detailed IAF requirements in countries’ corporate governance codes. Finally, I document that other governance mechanisms, especially the monitoring incentives of directors, play a greater role in influencing the IAF quality when the overall regulatory environment is weak. Regarding the economic consequences of a high-quality IAF, I first address the role of IAF in providing assurance services in financial reporting and find that IAF quality is positively associated with earnings quality. Considering the increasing involvement of IAF in risk management and strategic initiatives, which leads to an expanded role of IAF in providing consulting services relevant to firms’ operations, I further provide evidence supporting that a high-quality IAF matters for firms’ operating performance. Specifically, I document that the speed of operating performance recovery after the recent financial crisis is significantly quicker for firms with a high-quality IAF than for firms with a low-quality IAF, and that the IAF quality is positively associated with firms’ investment efficiency in the post-financial-crisis period. In addition, I find that the extent to which the IAF is involved in strategic consulting activities has an incremental positive effect on performance recovery, which suggests that providing consulting services is an important way for the IAF to deliver value to firms. However, the benefits from such an expansion of consulting activities comes at a cost in firms with a low-quality IAF, as I find that the IAF’s involvement in strategic consulting can impair the IAF’s role in providing assurance services and hence negatively affects earnings quality when the IAF quality is low but not when the IAF quality is high. Overall, the findings suggest that if the IAF is expected to deliver value to firms by providing both assurance and consulting services, maintaining an appropriate level of IAF quality is essential.

O presente trabalho tem por objetivo identificar de que forma a auditoria interna pode contribuir com o atingimento dos objetivos da organização tendo em vista o seu papel atual dentro do contexto de instabilidade financeira que ocasiona o aumento dos riscos inerentes ao negócio fazendo com que este departamento seja desafiado a gerir os riscos presentes, futuros, juntamente com a pressão por reduzir custos e agregar valor à organização. A importância da auditoria interna é destacada como sendo uma área que possui alto potencial dentro da organização dados seu conhecimento acerca dos riscos e processos internos e que pode ampliar sua atuação em áreas que possuem relevância sob o ponto de vista da alta administração. / This final paper focus on identify how internal audit can contribute to the achievement of organizational goals with a view to its current role within the context of financial instability that causes the increase of inherent business risks and therefore this department is challenged to manage the present and future risks, along with the pressure to reduce costs and add value to the organization. The importance of internal audit is highlighted as an area that holds great potential within the organization given their risk knowledge and internal processes that can expand its activities in areas that are relevant from the point of view of top management.

A presente pesquisa objetiva verificar se os procedimentos utilizados pela Auditoria Interna na detecção de fraudes em uma empresa privada operadora de planos de saúde permitiram a coleta de evidências confiáveis e suficientes para suportar as conclusões dos auditores sobre os fatos reportados nos relatórios de auditoria interna. Para realização do estudo, adotou-se como estratégia investigativa, o estudo de caso único. As técnicas utilizadas ao longo de toda a pesquisa foram as análises documentais e de conteúdo, baseadas nos objetivos propostos no estudo e na fundamentação teórica. A pesquisa concentrou-se nas análises dos relatórios de auditoria interna que reportaram ocorrências de fraudes na empresa estudada, emitidos nos anos de 2010, 2011 e 2012; contudo optou-se, também, por descrever as rotinas e práticas operacionais relacionadas à atuação do departamento de auditoria que contribuíram para uma melhor compreensão dos dados e do resultado do estudo. Os principais achados demonstram que os procedimentos utilizados pela Auditoria Interna na detecção de fraudes permitiram a coleta de evidências de auditoria confiáveis e suficientes para suportar as conclusões dos auditores. O resultado da pesquisa indica, também, que não existe um padrão de utilização dos procedimentos de auditoria. De acordo com o tipo de fraude e objetivo, o auditor interno deve definir quais os procedimentos de auditoria devem ser utilizados na obtenção de evidências de auditoria confiáveis e suficientes para suportar as suas conclusões. / The present research has the purpose to verify if the procedures used by an Internal Audit in order to detect frauds in a private company that deals with health insurance allowed enough gathering of reliable evidences to support the auditors conclusions about facts described in the reports from internal audit. To achieve this goal, it has been used as an investigative strategy, the single event study. The techniques used along the whole research were documentary and contents analyses, based on the goals proposed in the study and in the theoretical reason. The research focused on the analyses of the internal audits reports which reported frauds occurrences in the company that has been studied, issued in the years 2010, 2011 and 2012, however, was also an option in describing the routines e operational practices related in the performance of the audit department which contributed for a better comprehension of data and the study result. The main results demonstrate that the procedures been used by the Internal Audit in the fraud detection allowed enough gathering of reliable evidences to support the auditors conclusions. The research result also indicates that there is no using standard in the audit procedures. According to the type of the fraud and goal, the internal audit should define which audit procedures must be used to obtain reliable evidences to support its conclusions.

A alteração no sistema de controles internos da empresa estudada teve como marco principal a mudança do foco no trabalho da auditoria interna, que começou a desempenhar suas atividades de forma estruturada e seguindo uma metodologia específica; além, de perseguir um objetivo estratégico da organização. A auditoria interna, antes do processo de certificação do sistema de controles internos exigido pela seção 404 da SOX, era apenas um instrumento de detecção de erros e compliance fiscal, que baseava seus trabalhos somente em fatos passados, com a constatação de deficiências de controles. Todavia, sem assessorar a alta a administração da empresa na resolução das deficiências, objetivando a implementação das melhorias dos controles internos. Com a necessidade de certificação da eficácia dos controles internos, a partir do ano de 2005, o foco dos trabalhos de auditoria interna foi direcionado para lograr melhorias nos métodos de controle, gestão de riscos, prevenção de fraudes e erros, nos processos operacionais, contábeis e financeiros da organização. O objetivo dessa pesquisa foi, por meio de estudo de caso único, mensurar os principais procedimentos realizados para a implantação do sistema de controles internos da empresa estudada, incluindo a metodologia adotada, o modelo escolhido, o processo de controle estabelecido, a identificação e avaliação dos principais riscos e controles, bem como a forma de seleção, avaliação e teste dos controles internos existentes. Buscou-se coletar dados preconizados pela literatura de autores renomados e analisar as diversas bibliografias, com o objetivo de comparar com a pesquisa que foi realizada nos documentos fornecidos pela empresa analisada. Este estudo levantou pontos importantes sobre o processo de gestão da empresa e da forma como se utilizou da auditoria interna como ferramenta para a melhoria de seus controles internos. Destacam-se a geração de valor empresarial que um bom ambiente de controle interno traz e os motivos que levam uma organização a implementar uma área de auditoria interna, com especial atenção ao foco de assessoramento e consultoria, alinhado as práticas internacionais de auditoria interna. Entretanto, apesar de observar melhorias na atuação da auditoria interna da organização, constata-se a necessidade de alinhamento de algumas práticas internacionais, ainda não implementadas. Descobriu-se, também, que a auditoria interna, com o devido emporwerment da alta administração, e utilizando-se das técnicas atuais e internacionais, aumentam a confiabilidade do sistema de controles internos e com isso geram valor às suas organizações. Nesta pesquisa pôde-se constatar a utilização da auditoria interna como ferramenta de gestão de recursos organizacionais, ocasionando melhorias no sistema de controles internos da empresa, e ficando constatada, por meio de auditoria executada por firma independente, a irrefutável melhoria dos controles internos da organização estudada. / The change in the internal control system in the company studied has initiated with the modification of the audit scope from the internal audit department, which started to perform their activities in a more structured way and following a specific methodology, in addition, to pursue strategic objectives of the organization. Before the certification of the internal controls system required by Section 404 of SOX, the internal audit was viewed as a tool to detect mistakes and to attend tax compliance, based only on past events and pointing out the deficiencies in the controls, but without advising the senior management and board of directors on what to do to improve the internal control environment. The need for certification of the effectiveness of internal control in 2005 changed the focus of the internal audit works, which was now directed to achieve improvement in the methods of control, risk management, prevention of fraud and mistakes in the operation, accounting and financial process of the rganization. The aim of this study was, through a study of a case, to measure the main procedures performed for the deployment of the internal control system of the company object of this study, including the methodology, the model chosen, the process of control established, the identification and assessment of key risks and controls, and how to select, evaluate and test internal controls. We tried to collect data from renowned author of specific literature and analyze the various bibliographies, in order to compare with the research that was carried out in the documents provided by the studied company. This study raised important points about the management process in the company and how internal audit is used as a tool for the improvement of their internal controls. It is to add value for the business that companies seek for a good internal control environment and that provides the reason to lead an organization to implement an internal audit department, with particular attention to the outbreak of advice and consultancy, international practices aligned internal audit. However, we observed several improvements in the performance of internal audit department in the organization there is still a need to align with some international practices, which it will be implemented. It was also found that the internal audit department with proper empowerment from senior management, and using the current and international techniques, increased the reliability of the internal controls system and thereby add value to their organization. In this research it was noted the use of the internal audit department as a management tool for better use of resources, for improvement in the internal controls system, and the irrefutable improvement in the internal control environment of the organization studied, which could be noted by the external audit performed by an independent firm.

A presente pesquisa objetiva verificar se os procedimentos utilizados pela Auditoria Interna na detecção de fraudes em uma empresa privada operadora de planos de saúde permitiram a coleta de evidências confiáveis e suficientes para suportar as conclusões dos auditores sobre os fatos reportados nos relatórios de auditoria interna. Para realização do estudo, adotou-se como estratégia investigativa, o estudo de caso único. As técnicas utilizadas ao longo de toda a pesquisa foram as análises documentais e de conteúdo, baseadas nos objetivos propostos no estudo e na fundamentação teórica. A pesquisa concentrou-se nas análises dos relatórios de auditoria interna que reportaram ocorrências de fraudes na empresa estudada, emitidos nos anos de 2010, 2011 e 2012; contudo optou-se, também, por descrever as rotinas e práticas operacionais relacionadas à atuação do departamento de auditoria que contribuíram para uma melhor compreensão dos dados e do resultado do estudo. Os principais achados demonstram que os procedimentos utilizados pela Auditoria Interna na detecção de fraudes permitiram a coleta de evidências de auditoria confiáveis e suficientes para suportar as conclusões dos auditores. O resultado da pesquisa indica, também, que não existe um padrão de utilização dos procedimentos de auditoria. De acordo com o tipo de fraude e objetivo, o auditor interno deve definir quais os procedimentos de auditoria devem ser utilizados na obtenção de evidências de auditoria confiáveis e suficientes para suportar as suas conclusões. / The present research has the purpose to verify if the procedures used by an Internal Audit in order to detect frauds in a private company that deals with health insurance allowed enough gathering of reliable evidences to support the auditors conclusions about facts described in the reports from internal audit. To achieve this goal, it has been used as an investigative strategy, the single event study. The techniques used along the whole research were documentary and contents analyses, based on the goals proposed in the study and in the theoretical reason. The research focused on the analyses of the internal audits reports which reported frauds occurrences in the company that has been studied, issued in the years 2010, 2011 and 2012, however, was also an option in describing the routines e operational practices related in the performance of the audit department which contributed for a better comprehension of data and the study result. The main results demonstrate that the procedures been used by the Internal Audit in the fraud detection allowed enough gathering of reliable evidences to support the auditors conclusions. The research result also indicates that there is no using standard in the audit procedures. According to the type of the fraud and goal, the internal audit should define which audit procedures must be used to obtain reliable evidences to support its conclusions.

O presente trabalho tem por objetivo identificar de que forma a auditoria interna pode contribuir com o atingimento dos objetivos da organização tendo em vista o seu papel atual dentro do contexto de instabilidade financeira que ocasiona o aumento dos riscos inerentes ao negócio fazendo com que este departamento seja desafiado a gerir os riscos presentes, futuros, juntamente com a pressão por reduzir custos e agregar valor à organização. A importância da auditoria interna é destacada como sendo uma área que possui alto potencial dentro da organização dados seu conhecimento acerca dos riscos e processos internos e que pode ampliar sua atuação em áreas que possuem relevância sob o ponto de vista da alta administração. / This final paper focus on identify how internal audit can contribute to the achievement of organizational goals with a view to its current role within the context of financial instability that causes the increase of inherent business risks and therefore this department is challenged to manage the present and future risks, along with the pressure to reduce costs and add value to the organization. The importance of internal audit is highlighted as an area that holds great potential within the organization given their risk knowledge and internal processes that can expand its activities in areas that are relevant from the point of view of top management.

O presente trabalho tem por objetivo identificar de que forma a auditoria interna pode contribuir com o atingimento dos objetivos da organização tendo em vista o seu papel atual dentro do contexto de instabilidade financeira que ocasiona o aumento dos riscos inerentes ao negócio fazendo com que este departamento seja desafiado a gerir os riscos presentes, futuros, juntamente com a pressão por reduzir custos e agregar valor à organização. A importância da auditoria interna é destacada como sendo uma área que possui alto potencial dentro da organização dados seu conhecimento acerca dos riscos e processos internos e que pode ampliar sua atuação em áreas que possuem relevância sob o ponto de vista da alta administração. / This final paper focus on identify how internal audit can contribute to the achievement of organizational goals with a view to its current role within the context of financial instability that causes the increase of inherent business risks and therefore this department is challenged to manage the present and future risks, along with the pressure to reduce costs and add value to the organization. The importance of internal audit is highlighted as an area that holds great potential within the organization given their risk knowledge and internal processes that can expand its activities in areas that are relevant from the point of view of top management.