This investigation sought to explore the relationship of Julian Rotter's concept of internal versus external control (I-E) to stages of moral judgment. The I-E dimension is defined as the attribution by the individual of responsibility for behavioral outcomes to either oneself or to outside entities. The internal oriented person believes that the events in which he is involved lie within his control. Conversely, the external oriented person believes that the events that happen to him are controlled by other factors.

Using 629 observations of U.S. publicly listed firms with internal control related frauds from 2000 to 2006; this study investigates the change in auditor litigations in the Post- Sarbanes Oxley, Section 404 period. To the extent the conditions of the internal control in place are inadequate or non-existent, the possibility of the occurrence of internal control related fraud heightens. Thus, the inability of auditors to detect a financial statement misstatement due to internal control fraud in a timely manner exposes auditors to litigation (Barra, 2010; Heninger, 2001; Caplan, 1999). This situation was prevalent in the recent notable corporate failures that resulted in auditors being named as potential defendants. The present research finding indicates during the Post-SOX 404 period, the probability of auditor litigation due to internal control fraud increases. However, no support was shown for further increases in the likelihood of auditor litigation when both types of fraud occur in the Post-SOX 404 period. These results suggest an increase in the enforcement of accountability by the SEC, and should motivate auditors towards reassessing their audit procedures. Furthermore, the results indicate the probability of auditor litigation due to internal control fraud decreases for accelerated filers, and similarly, the probability of auditor litigation decreases for firms with management voluntary disclosures reflecting effective internal control. The overall result of this study indicates the likelihood of auditors being litigated increased in the Post-SOX 404 period, and auditors are more likely to be litigated when both types of fraud occurs simultaneously. This result further supports the argument for meritorious claims and the procedural justice theory.

This thesis uses a new institutional sociology perspective to examine financial risk management practices adopted by Saudi listed companies and identify the factors that influence these practices. In Islamic shariah law, using conventional derivatives is prohibited and so this thesis aims to determine if there is an institutional logic within the organisational field and a community of practice that results from networks of actors. The study also, examines the effect of different types of coercive, mimetic and normative isomorphic pressures on the adoption of risk management practices by Saudi listed companies. For this purpose, two pieces of empirical work are employed, (i) semi- structured interviews; and (ii) statistical tests. The interviews were held with 22 treasury managers of Saudi listed companies in 2011 to explore their perspectives of financial risk management practices. The second empirical work uses binary logistic regression to test the factors that might affect the adoption of financial risk management practices of 132 listed companies using publicly available data in 2011. Most of the previous studies relating to financial risk management practices have been undertaken in developing countries Therefore, there is a need to expand the scope of existing research by investigating such practices in Islamic countries to test the relevance of existing theory there and to enrich the risk financial management literature. This thesis investigate 12 factors: (the influence of political factors, cultural factors, and the competitive environment in Saudi society as well as nine institutional characteristics, comprising: firm size; profitability; leverage; being an Islamic company; auditor type; industrial sector; ownership structure; number of subsidiaries and exports) to identify to what extent they affect the financial risk management practices in the organisational field. The main findings indicate that Saudi listed companies hedge more interest rate risk than other financial risks, using conventional derivatives contracts which are prohibited in Islam. This finding is surprising in a country such as Saudi Arabia that is regulated and dominated by Shariah law. The political, cultural and competitive environments also affect the financial risk management practices in the organisational field. In addition, firm size in Saudi Arabia is related to interest rate risk and foreign exchange rate risk; also more leveraged companies and companies audited by Big-4 firms hedge interest rate risk. In addition, Islamic companies depend on Islamic derivatives that are available to hedge financial risk. Furthermore, the profitability of companies, industrial sector and their ownership structure has little influence on the risk management practices in Saudi listed companies. Finally, having subsidiaries and exports also affects hedging practices. It seems that actors are involved in similar networks and that considerable boundary-spanning takes place across these networks especially by treasury managers. This results in several different communities of practice with different organisational logics.

This thesis describes research that was conducted into the potential of modeling the activities of the Data Processing Department as an aid to the computer auditor. A methodology is composed to aid in the evaluation of the Internal Controls, particularly the General Controls relative to computer processing. Consisting of three major components, the methodology enables the auditor to model the presumed activities of the Data Processing Department against the actual activities, as recorded on the Operating System Log. The first component of the methodology is the construction and loading of a model of the presumed activities of the Data Processing Department from its verbal, scheduled, and reported activities. The second component is the generation of a description of the actual activities of the Data Processing Department from the information recorded on the Operating System Log. This is effected by reducing the Operating System Log to the format described by the Standard Audit File concept. Finally, the third component in the methodology is the modeling process itself. This is in fact a new analysis technique proposed for use by the EDP auditor. The modeling process is composed of software that compares the model developed and loaded in the first component, with the description of actual activity as collated by the second component. Results from this comparison are then reviewed by the auditor, who determines if they adequately depict the situation, or whether the models description as specified in the first component requires to be altered, and the modeling process re-initiated. In conducting the research, information and data from a production installation was used. Use of the ‘real-world’ input proved both the feasibility of developing a model of the reported activities of the Data Processing Department, and the adequacy of the operating system log as a source of information to report the departments actual activities. Additionally, it enabled the involvement and comment of practicing auditors. The research involved analysis of the effect of EDP on the audit process, structure of the EDP audit process, data reduction, data structures, model formalization, and model processing software. Additionally, the Standard Audit File concept was verified through its use by practising auditors, and expanded by the development of an indexed data structure, which enabled its analysis to be conducted interactively. Results from the trial implementation of the research software and methodology at a production installation confirmed the research hypothesis that the activities of the Data Processing Department could be modelled, and that there are substantial benefits from the EDP auditor in analysing this process. The research in fact provides a new source of information, and develops a new analysis technique for the EDP auditor. It demonstrates the utilization of computer technology to monitor itself for the audit function, and reasserts auditor independence by providing access to technical detail describing the processing activities of the computer.

<p></p><p>This study has been made with the purpose of gaining an understanding of how a Swedish company may think and act concerning their internal control. An American body, COSO, have for some time published documents containing guidelines for how companies should go about this process, however, when conducting this study we were not aware of the extent to which companies in Europe and mainly Sweden used them. In order to learn about this, and also to gain an understanding of when these guidelines are appropriate, we conducted a case study with a large-sized, multinational Swedish company. We also conducted an interview with an expert in internal control monitoring, Anna-Clara af Ekenstam of Pricewaterhouse Coopers, in order to get the perspective of the evaluators in this process and to gain some insight as to whether our case is typical in Sweden or not.</p><p> </p><p>We found that our company disregards certain aspects of internal control condoned by COSO, while performing better on other dimensions. The main reasons for disregarding COSOs recommendations are a perceived lack of necessity for some of the control mechanisms, cost-effectiveness and cultural differences.</p>

 This study has been made with the purpose of gaining an understanding of how a Swedish company may think and act concerning their internal control. An American body, COSO, have for some time published documents containing guidelines for how companies should go about this process, however, when conducting this study we were not aware of the extent to which companies in Europe and mainly Sweden used them. In order to learn about this, and also to gain an understanding of when these guidelines are appropriate, we conducted a case study with a large-sized, multinational Swedish company. We also conducted an interview with an expert in internal control monitoring, Anna-Clara af Ekenstam of Pricewaterhouse Coopers, in order to get the perspective of the evaluators in this process and to gain some insight as to whether our case is typical in Sweden or not.   We found that our company disregards certain aspects of internal control condoned by COSO, while performing better on other dimensions. The main reasons for disregarding COSOs recommendations are a perceived lack of necessity for some of the control mechanisms, cost-effectiveness and cultural differences.

Abstract This research intends to explore the advantages and disadvantages of internal control, conduct the whole concepts of total ethical management, and standardize all business ethics, social responsibility and profit level as performance benchmarking. Instead of single criterion on profit level, the multi-assessment expects to achieve business sustaining operation and win-win situation for both business and society. It can also re-build the way of investment decision for investors and improve the attitude of business on social responsibility and the consumers¡¦ recognition on business image. The study collected related data for corporate governance, internal control and ethic management to find out how to promote and implement the integration of corporate governance, internal control and ethic management on routine operation, so as to conduct a business culture. In this study, questionnaire survey and statistical analysis are used to understand the business viewpoints on the above 3 subjects in present and raise the importance and development of business ethics. Keyword: corporate governance, internal control, ethic management

¡@¡@Under the uncertain and fast-changing business environment with price hikes, growing expenses, shrinking margin benefits, and increasing risks, how to reduce various items of operating expenses and enhance operating efficiency has become the primary subject for modern enterprises. This paper conducted a research on 3C hypermarket with its commodity characteristics---high level of same configuration pattern and lots of alternative substitutes, as well as its sales characteristics--- more and more hypermarket with increasingly bigger dimension, low standards for retail store to access to market, and the popular on-line shopping, which resulted in furious competitions and reductions of profits. During the era of narrow margin of profits, expenses control is more important than ever. ¡@¡@Well commodity managements can enable us to know the inventory turnover rate, and to avoid loss from falling price, dull sale or commodity loss which could cause serious loss for the company, therefore we should establish an effective inventory system, and assist in internal control to reduce error and fraudulent practices, which will facilitate the rapid development of branches smoothly. ¡@¡@This paper took Company A as a typical case for studying 3C hypermarket, to conduct in-depth discussion on whether the brand new dynamic inventory system is more effective than ordinary inventory methods in managing inventory and meeting the requirement of internal control based on the consideration of cost and benefit. This research adopted the method of semi-structural in-depth interviews, to conduct analysis on the difference between the internal control as before and after the introduction, the impact of the introduction, and the reason and solution of the problems, etc, according to the framework containing five key factors of internal control in COSO report, such as control environment, risk appraisal, control activity, information and communication and monitoring as well as supervision. ¡@¡@The result of this research study indicated that after the case company introduced the dynamic inventory system, its operating expenses has been dramatically reduced, the number of abnormal adjustments of inventory has been decreased, while the efficiency of controlling and managing commodities has been enhanced. As for the internal control, it was shown that there were some items needed to be adjusted along with the changes in risks, including establishing the system of managing agent, implementing the mechanism of cross-managing confirmation, setting unified standard for commodity display and shelf exhibition, and putting the standard into effect, continuing serving the function of risk and error alert, putting relevant documents and files of operation and instruction in subject to centralized management, strengthen irregular field auditing and inventory test checking, reinforcing the chief manager checking and auditing system, ensuring staff to operate in conformity to procedure, enhancing the deploying of computer-assisted auditor and the knowledge related to computer-assisted auditing, etc. ¡@¡@

In recent years, upon the urgent request of increasing administrative efficiency by all circles, how to maximize the effect from the limitative resource shall be the goal that every unit of Armed Forces has to labour on. Internal control, internal review and internal auditing can be the unlackable roles In these process. Every unit can reach more outcomes in promoting effect and performing financial resource if use them perfectly. Loopholes that influence the order of financial affairs still occur from time to time. Researcher wants to probe into the roles of supervising in military organization. How can they establish a system which promote what is beneficial and abolish what is harmful to reach the goal of reorganization. This study probes into role performing of accountants by questionnaire method under internal control, internal review and internal auditing system, also referring to related documents as researching tools of this study. The object of the questionnaire will be members of Naval Command and it¡¦s subunits. The result of this study is as follows: 1.There are highly identifications but no differences by point of view from (non)accounts in institution, execution and outcome of internal control, internal review and internal auditing system. 2.In the internal control system, there are no remarkable differences in execution and outcome from gender, age, education, seniority, rank and position of accountants. There are differences in institution from positions of supervisor or non-supervisor. 3.In the internal review system, there are no remarkable differences in institution, execution and outcome from gender, age, education, seniority, rank and position of accountants, which leads a result that the accountants have a highly identification in the internal review roles. 4.In the internal audit system, there are differences in outcome from age and rank of accountants, as well in institution and execution from seniority. Suggestion on the follow-up researcher: 1.Review the limitation and deficient of this study. 2.State to relevant topics which this research institute derive, in order to offer to a follow-up researcher and consult.

I examine firm governance characteristics for a sample of companies disclosing material weaknesses under section 404 of SOX to examine what factors impact the likelihood that a company will disclose those material weaknesses prior to their first section 404 report (under section 302 reporting requirements). I find companies that were audited by industry leading auditors, that have higher quality audit committees, that have shorter auditor/client relationships, that recently restated their financial statements or have been the subject of an SEC AAER, or that have experienced poor financial performance are more likely to discover and disclose weaknesses in their controls under section 302. I find moderate evidence of a positive relationship between company's that have a CFO with financial accounting background and disclosure prior to the SOX 404 report and a negative relationship between a company's institutional ownership concentration and the probability that they disclose weaknesses in their controls prior to the SOX 404 report. In sensitivity tests, I find a positive relationship between a company's institutional ownership concentration and the probability that they disclose significant deficiencies in their controls prior to the SOX 404 report suggesting systematic misclassification of control problems as significant deficiencies rather than material weaknesses in high institutional ownership concentration settings.