Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping how businesses, governments, organizations and individuals operate. Most businesses are now moving away from traditional systems of operation into employing and leveraging on technologies like AI to deliver superior goods and services to their clients. Today, there are calls for a shift from the traditional auditing techniques of sampling to the use of advanced technology with the capability to analyze all the operating activities of a business to improve audit quality. There is no better time for auditing to merge with AI than now as it is increasingly becoming too challenging for human auditors to analyze huge volumes of structured and unstructured data in various locations to gain the relevant financial and non-financial information that they may need to form their opinions. The purpose of this research was to examine the impact of AI on auditors’ skills and competencies, audit process and audit quality. The researchers used the qualitative research methodology and reviewed literature to identify gaps in the literature. Participants (practicing auditors) were interviewed to gather data for analysis. The findings from the empirical data concludes that AI has had a significant impact on auditors’ skills and competencies, with many respondents affirming that the core skills now needed by auditors is IT skills. Audit process and audit quality have also been positively affected by AI.

SYFTE:  Syftet med den här studien är att undersöka hur Covid-19 pandemin har påverkat revisionsprocessen samt revisionskvalitén. METOD: Studien utgår från en kvalitativ forskningsmetod, baserade på semistrukturerade intervjuer med sex revisorer från både små och stora revisionsbyråer.  SLUTSATS: Den slutsatsen som kan dras av pandemins påverkan på revisionsprocessen är att det inneburit extra granskningsåtgärder i och med det omställningsstöd och permitteringsstöd som har erbjudits företag. Detta har lett till att ytterligare granskningsmoment tillkommit vilket har påverkat revisorns riskbedömning. Studien ser ingen påverkan på revisionsarvodet och revisorersättning, dock har pandemin haft en påverkan på företagens fortlevnad, vilket har orsakat att fler företag haft ekonomiska svårigheter. Vidare finner denna studie inget samband mellan Covid-19 och revisorers arbetssätt, däremot har arbetet förändrats för nyanställda. Slutligen visar även studien att utbildningar påverkats negativt av pandemin men att det främst haft en påverkan på nyanställdas möjlighet att introduceras i arbetet. / PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to investigate how the Covid-19 pandemic has affected the audit process and the audit quality. METHOD: This study followed a qualitative method, based on semi structured interviews with six auditors from small and large audit firms.  CONCLUSION: The conclusion that can be drawn from the pandemics impact on the auditing process is that it has entailed additional review measures because of the adjustment support and redundancy support that has been offered to companies. This had led to additional audit elements being added, which has affected the auditors risk assessment. This study shows no impact on audit fees and auditor remuneration however, the pandemic has had an impact on going concerns, which has caused more companies to have financial difficulties. Furthermore, this study finds no connection between Covid-19 and the auditors working methods, however, the work has changed for new employees. Finally, studies also show that education was negatively affected by the pandemic, but that it mainly affected new employees ability to be introduced to work.

Information och data är något som är värdefullt i de flesta organisationer. Idag finns det möjlighet att samla in och analysera stora mängder data, något som brukar benämnas Big data. Ifall materialet hanteras på ett korrekt sätt kan det leda till ett förbättrat beslutsfattande samt ökade insikter om kunden och marknaden. Bearbetning av Big data har möjliggjorts under de senaste åren genom ny teknik, men det är förknippat med höga kostnader vilket har medfört att små- och medelstora företag inte har tillräckligt med resurser för att implementera Big data- tekniker. Detta är något som i stor utsträckning även kan appliceras på revisionsbyråer. I studiens problemdiskussion diskuteras att trots de fördelar som Big data-tekniker och digitalisering innebär för revisionsbranschen, har utvecklingen varit långsam. Genom det utformades ett syfte, att undersöka hur digitaliseringen och Big data-tekniker påverkat den svenska revisionsbranschen.  Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka, analysera och beskriva hur implementeringen av Big data har och kommer att påverka revisorns arbetsprocess. Syftet är också att undersöka vilka fördelar och nackdelar som implementeringen har medfört för revisionsbyråer och det skedde genom en empirisk undersökning.  Den empiriska undersökningen är en fallstudie som består av sju stycken intervjuer med representanter från olika revisionsbyråer i Västra Sverige. Genom att använda sig av intervjuer har respondenterna haft möjlighet att berätta om sina egna erfarenheter utan störningsmoment. Det är en kvalitativ metod som har tillämpats och studien har utgångspunkt ur en deduktiv ansats. Det eftersom utgångspunkten kommer ifrån tidigare forskning samt teori som redan existerar om digitalisering, Big data och revisionsbranschen.  Resultatet av studien visar att de olika respondenterna gav liknande svar, dels kring hur deras revisionsprocess är utformad, men även om den digitala utvecklingen och Big data. Det är tre stycken byråer som idag använder sig utav Big data i begränsad omfattning och en av respondenterna hade ingen kunskap om konceptet alls. Samtliga respondenter anser att digitaliseringen inom revisionsbranschen kommer att bli ännu viktigare och spela en större roll i framtiden. Automatisering och standardisering är processer som respondenterna tror kommer att bli mer omfattande i framtiden inom revisionen.  I studiens slutsats framkommer det att digitaliseringen inom revisionsbranschen har utvecklats något långsamt jämfört med andra delar i samhället, men att det skett en stor utveckling under de senaste åren. De slutsatser som presenteras och som utgår ifrån studiens frågeställningar är att arbetsprocessen för revisorerna inte har påverkats av Big data än, då det fortfarande är ett relativt okänt begrepp. Framtidens revision kommer dock inte se ut som idag, utan att det kommer ske stora förändringar inom branschen kommande år. Arbetsprocesser kommer att bli mer effektiva samt att revisionen kommer att ha en högre kvalitet. / Information and data are something that is of value in most organizations. Today, there is theopportunity to collect and analyze large amounts of data, which usually goes by the term Bigdata. If the essential material is handled correctly, it may result in improved decision makingand increased insights about clients and the market. The use and processing of Big data hasbeen made possible in the recent years through new technology, but it is associated with highcosts which has resulted in that small and medium-sized companies don’t have the resourcesto implement Big data technologies. This means that larger and more established companieshave an advantage. Big data can also be widely applied to auditing firms. The study's problemdiscussion proves that despite the many benefits that Big data technologies and the digitizationcreate for the auditing industry, the development is slagging behind other industries. Therefore,the purpose of the study was designed to see how digitalization and Big Data technologies hasaffected the Swedish auditing industry.The purpose of this study is to investigate, analyze and describe how the implementation ofBig data has and future affect the auditors’ work process. The purpose is also to investigatewhich advantages and disadvantages the implementation has brought auditing firms and thatwill be examined through an empirical study.The empirical study is a case study that consists of seven interviews with representatives fromvarious auditing firms in Western Sweden. By using interviews, the respondents have theopportunity to describe their own experiences. The study is based on the qualitative method.The study has a deductive approach as the starting point comes from previous research andtheory that already exists about digitization, Big data and the auditing industry.The results of the study shows that the respondents gave somewhat similar answers to thequestions, mostly about their auditing process and how it's designed today. But also about theirdigital development and Big data. Three of the interviewed firms use Big data today, but onlyto a limited extent and one of the respondents had no idea what the concept Big datarepresented. However, all respondents believe that digitalization in the auditing industry willbecome even more important and play a greater role in the near future. Automation andstandardization are processes that the respondents believe will be more extensive in the futurewithin the auditing firms.The study's conclusion shows that digitalization in the auditing industry has been somewhatslow compared with other industries, but that there has been a great development in recentyears. The conclusions that are presented and which are based on the study's questions are thatthe work process for the auditors has not been affected by Big data yet, as it’s still a relativelyunknown concept. However, auditing in the future will not look like it does today, there will besome major changes in the industry in the upcoming years. The work processes will be moreefficient than today and the audit will be of a higher quality.

Inom revision anses personalen vara både den största resursen och kostnaden, därför är det väsentligt att använda denna kapacitet till fullo. Yrket använder styrverktyget tidsbudgetering vilket innebär att anställda i de olika uppdragen får tidsramar att förhålla sig till. Tidigare studier har fokuserat på seniora revisorer avseende tidsbudgetar med ett mer negativt perspektiv, medan denna studie intar en mer neutral ställning utifrån revisionsassistenters perspektiv. Syftet med studien är därför att bidra med kunskap gällande hur revisionsassistenter upplever att användandet av tidsbudgetering påverkar revisionen. I studien presenteras revisionsprocessen, Input-Process-Output (IPO) modellen samt tidsbudgetering som styrverktyg och hur det appliceras inom revisionen. Studiens syfte har undersökts genom tio kvalitativa intervjuer med revisionsassistenter som arbetat minst sex månader inom yrket. Respondenterna innefattar revisionsassistenter från både The Big Four och mindre byråer. Studiens resultat visar att revisionen påverkas både positivt och negativt av tidsbudgetering som styrverktyg. Vilken påverkan det har grundas på hur styrverktyget används och mängden arbete i förhållande till den bestämda tiden. De positiva konsekvenserna som studien identifierat är ökad effektivitet, snabbare utvecklingskurva, strukturering av arbetet samt motivation hos anställda. De negativa konsekvenserna som identifieras är stress, sämre välmående, underrapportering av tid, genvägar samt minskad noggrannhet. Vilka konsekvenser tidsbudgetering medför anses främst bero på vem som har kontrollen över styrverktyget samt om det är stramt eller flexibelt. Således visar studien att vikten av att använda styrverktyget på ett korrekt sätt är avgörande för hur det upplevs påverka revisionen. / Within auditing the staff can be regarded as the biggest resource as well as the biggest cost, therefore it is essential to use this capacity to the fullest. The profession uses time budgeting as a management tool, which means that the staff have time frames to which they must adjust to for the various assignments. Previous studies have had a focus on senior auditors regarding time budgeting with a more negative outlook, while this study holds a more neutral position from audit assistant’s perspectives. The aim of this study is therefore to contribute with knowledge regarding how audit assistants experience how the usage of time budgeting influences the audit. The study presents the audit process, Input-Output-Process (IPO) model as well as time budgeting as a management tool and how it is applied in audits. The aim of the study has been studied through ten qualitative interviews with audit assistants that have been working for a minimum of six months in the profession. The respondents include audit assistants from both The Big Four and other smaller firms. The conclusion of the study indicates that audits are affected both positively and negatively by time budgeting as a management tool. Which effect it has depended on how the management tool is used and how the amount of work is in relation to the time. The positive consequences that the study has identified are increased efficiency, faster development curve, structuring of the work and motivation of the staff. The negative consequences that have been identified are stress, decreased well-being, underreporting of time, shortcuts and less meticulousness. Which consequences time budgeting entails depends mainly on who controls the management tool and if it is tight or flexible. Therefore, the study indicates the importance of using the management tool in a correct way is crucial for how it is perceived to affect the audit.

Regulations, digitalisation, and other megatrends influence many parts of society, not least the audit profession, and it is essential for the profession as well as the role of the auditor, to adapt to the changes and new requirements. It is inevitable for audit firms not to be exposed to digitalisation, and the Big Four (audit firms) are changing their identities. They are investing large amounts in data analytics and artificial intelligence. This study aims to analyse the auditor's perception of their role. This study builds on previous knowledge regarding e.g., digitalisation and auditing; however, previous research tends to have earlier periods in focus, and research on digitalisation and auditing is still limited and does not usually have the auditor's perception in focus. Therefore, this study contributes to the prevailing research by studying the effects of social changes on the auditor's perception of their role. A qualitative approach was used, and semi-structured interviews were conducted with auditors from PwC with at least ten years of experience in the profession. The results indicate, among other things, that social changes such as regulations, digitalisation and market expectations drive change within the profession. It further points to the fact that social changes affect the auditor's work, leading to a shift in the auditor's perception of their role towards it becoming standardised.

Digitaliseringen betraktas som en transformerande kraft i samhället med en betydande inverkan på revisionsbranschen. Revisionsarbetet utvecklas alltmer till att ske digitalt. Tidigare forskning har framhållit att revisorernas kompetensbehov har förändrats på grund av den tekniska utvecklingen. Revisionen har fungerat som en kontrollerande insats som säkerställer att den finansiella informationen är tillförlitlig. Syftet med studien är att öka förståelsen på hur digitaliseringen har förändrat revisorns arbetssätt. För att besvara syftet har studien använt en kvalitativ metod där åtta semistrukturerade intervjuer med auktoriserade revisorer utfördes, från både mindre och större revisionsbyråer. Den teoretiska referensramen och empirin följer en struktur av revisionsprocess, digitalisering och kompetensbehov. Resultaten visar att digitaliseringen har haft en positiv inverkan på branschen och att effektivitet är en av dess främsta fördelar. Respondenterna upplever att digitaliseringen har förbättrat revisionsprocessen då arbetsutförandet har effektiviserats genom den ökade användningen av digitala verktyg. Vidare visar studien att det finns positiva konsekvenser av digitaliseringen inom revision. I enlighet med detta hävdar revisorerna i denna studie att digitala verktyg enbart bör betraktas som hjälpmedel vid revision. Respondenterna efterfrågar även att International Standards on Auditing, ISA, uppdateras för att bättre anpassas till den digitala utvecklingen, utan att hämma företagets förmåga att implementera nya tekniker. Slutsatsen av studien visar på möjligheter till att en ökad användning av digitalisering i revisionsprocessen kan leda till förbättrad revisionskvalité. / The process of digital transformations is regarded as game-changing power in the community, affecting the audit sector considerably. Digitalization is rapidly transforming the nature of audit work. Prior studies have emphasized that technological advancements have altered the competencies required of auditors. The primary function of the audit is to guarantee the credibility of financial data. The audit sector is one among others that is continually evolving in response to digitalization. The aim of the study is to enhance the comprehension of how the process of digitalization has transformed the approach of auditors towards their work. To achieve this aim, a qualitative method was used, in which eight certified auditors were interviewed through semi-structured means, from both smaller and larger audit organizations. The theoretical framework and empirical data follow a structure of audit process, digitalization, and competence needs. The analysis is grounded on the participants’ responses and relevant theory. The results indicate that the digitalization has yielded favorable outcomes for the industry, with enhanced efficiency being a significant benefit, and the respondents opine that the audit process has been enhanced by the adoption of digital technologies, leading to a more streamlined work execution.  Nonetheless, the study indicates that digitalization in auditing has both advantageous and disadvantageous outcomes. The auditors opine that drawbacks of digitalization can be remedied by implementing conventional audit techniques. Therefore, the auditors participating in this study contend that digital instruments must only be deemed as auxiliary aids to auditing. The participants additionally urge for the modernization of International Standards on Auditing, ISA, to effectively accommodate digital advancements, while not hampering the organization's capacity to implement new technologies. The conclusion of the study reveals that a higher utilization of digitalization during the audit process, can lead to improved audit quality.

The primary goal of this study is firstly to analyse the Fraud Prevention Policy and Strategy, the Policy on Protection of Whistle-Blowers, and the Policy Document on Forensic Audit Process of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in order to establish the reason for the ongoing spate of fraudulent and corrupt activities among employees within the DTI Head Office, regardless of the relevant policies put in place. Secondly, another goal is also to establish other reasons that could be linked to the reoccurrence of fraudulent and corrupt activities within the DTI. During the research survey questionnaires were administered to employees of the DTI. Furthermore, online interviews were conducted with a purposively selected sample within two divisions of the DTI. In addition, a literature study was conducted to acquire relevant information and perspectives from available national and international literature. Various objectives were fulfilled in this study as follows:  It was established whether the reporting of internal or external fraud and corruption and the relevant policies put in place contribute in any manner to the prevention of fraudulent and corrupt activities at the Department of Trade and Industry's national office.  It was determined if there is a policy document on measuring these policies after they have been implemented.  It was determined how the Department of Trade and Industry's national head office addresses fraud and corruption. Other possible reasons for the Department of Trade and Industry employees' lack of reporting fraud and corruption in their departments, other than the fear of being victimised, were identified.  The views and opinions on the internal reporting of fraud and corruption were determined.  The degree of awareness of the investigative procedures related to fraud and corruption among the Department of Trade and Industry management and their employees were determined.  It was established if employees have faith in the Department of Trade and Industry's investigative procedures to fraud and corruption.  The extent of knowledge on the importance of reporting fraudulent and corrupt activities in the DTI were established.  Feedback to help minimise fraud and corruption within the Department of Trade and Industry and improve future strategies was provided. This study contributes to the knowledge base with regard to fraud and corruption within the Department of Trade and Industry. / Criminology and Security Science / M. Tech (Policing)

Audit is a bilateral task where the auditors are required to socially interact with their clients during the audit process. The auditor and client may encounter different expectations that could lead to challenges in their social interaction. Thus, the purpose of this study is to explore the challenges in the social interaction between the auditor and client during the audit process. Prior literature has applied versions of agency that are implicitly based on classic contract law and virtually ignored clients as a research object. The original value of this study lies in the adoption of the dramaturgical analysis into the context of audit. This study employs a qualitative research method. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven real auditor-client dyads in Scania, Sweden. The findings suggest that clients are fixated on the price tag of an audit and do not consider the person delivering the audit service. This puts the auditor and client at risk as the findings suggest that the social interaction is important whereby a similarity attraction in sociodemographic space facilities the social interaction. Asset evaluations can create challenges in the social interaction which are solved with residual control stemming from ownership as well as social status. The seven auditor-client dyads in this study deals with their own unique challenges that resulted in seven prototypes. This study fills in a gap in the literature by interviewing and analyzing the auditors’ respective client expectations on one another. To fulfil each other’s diverse expectations, both must embody different roles.

Diskussionerna om ”granskning” av miljö- och hållbarhetsredovisningar har i Sverige funnits sedan mitten av 1990-talet. Specialistrevisorn Lars-Olle Larsson menar att efterfrågan ökar angående bestyrkta hållbarhetsredovisningar. Detta på grund av de ökade kraven från organisationer som Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), Förenta Nationerna (FN) och Amnesty International. Med andra ord har uppmärksamheten riktas mot såväl företagens samhällsansvar som den enskilda revisorn och revisorsprofessionen. Det finns en pågående forskningsdebatt som grundar sig på struktur kontra bedömning i revisionsprocessen. Vi har valt att använda denna debatt som utgångspunkt i vår uppsats. Eftersom standarder och riktlinjer är en del av en strukturerad arbetsprocess har vi valt att se närmare på vilken påverkan dessa har på revisorns subjektiva bedömningar. Vårt huvudsyfte är att skapa förståelse för hur revisorer uppfattar att deras bedömningar på olika sätt kan påverkas av de olika regler, riktlinjer och standarder som de följer i deras arbete med granskning av hållbarhetsredovisningar. Vi har valt att tillämpa en kvalitativ forskningsstrategi för att få en djupare förståelse av forskningsämnet. Fokus i arbetet kommer att ligga på revisorns subjektiva bedömningar, då subjektivitet är svårt att kvantifiera lämpar sig en kvalitativ ansats bättre för vårt ändamål. Som datainsamlingsmetod har vi valt att göra intervjuer med respondenter som specialiserat sig inom området hållbarhetsredovisning.  Eftersom våra respondenter har sitt säte i Stockholm fanns ingen möjlighet att utföra personliga "face-to-face" intervjuer, därför har vi utfört telefonintervjuer. Det empiriska materialet tyder på att även om våra respondenter söker en hög grad av struktur i deras arbete med hållbarhetsredovisning så är det för att uppnå en känsla av komfort och inte för att utesluta de egna subjektiva bedömningarna. Struktur underlättar helt klart granskningsarbetet och förbättrar kvaliteten på hållbarhetsredovisningen men det går inte att bortse från att de subjektiva bedömningarna ligger till grund för revisorers arbete. / In Sweden, discussions concerning "audit" of environmental and sustainability reports have existed since the mid-1990s. Specialist Auditor Lars-Olle Larsson believes that demand for certified sustainability reports will increase as the demands of organizations such as Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), United Nations (UN), and Amnesty International intensify. In other words, attention has been directed at both the social responsibility of the corporations as well as the individual auditor and the auditor profession. There is a current research debate based on structure and judgement. This debate will be the starting point of our paper. As standards and guidelines are part of a structured work process, we have chosen to look closely at their influence on the auditor's subjective judgement. Our main objective is to create an understanding of how auditors perceive that their judgements can be affected in a variety of ways by regulations, guidelines, and standards used in auditing sustainability reports. To gain a deeper understanding of the research topic, we have chosen to apply a qualitative research approach. Our focus will be the auditor's subjective judgements, and as subjectivity is difficult to quantify, a qualitative approach better suits our purpose. Our method of collecting data will be by conducting phone interviews with respondents based in Stockholm who specialize in sustainability. The empirical material suggests that even if our respondents aim for a high degree of structure in their work with sustainability reports, it is to achieve a sense of comfort as opposed to exclude their own subjective judgements. Structure facilitates inspection, and improves the quality of sustainability reports, but the fact that subjective judgement is underlying the auditors' work cannot be ignored.

Magistro baigiamajame darbe išanalizuota valstybinio finansinio audito esmė ir įgyvendinimo metodai, ištirtos valstybinio finansinio audito ataskaitos ir pateikti siūlymai kaip pagerinti finansinio audito efektyvumą. Pirmoje darbo dalyje teoriniu aspektu nagrinėjama valstybinio finansinio audito samprata, tikslai, uždaviniai, teisinis reglamentavimas, atskleidžiama audito reikšmė ir būtinumas, jo įtaka viešųjų finansų valdymui. Antroje dalyje nagrinėjami valstybinio finansinio audito įgyvendinimo metodai, audito subjektai, aiškinamasi audito ataskaitų reikšmė. Trečioje darbo dalyje pateikta atlikto tyrimo metodika, nagrinėjamos valstybinio finansinio audito ataskaitos ir daromos išvados. / Master‘s thesis analyses the essence of state financial audit and implementation methods, explore the state financial audit reports and provides suggestions how to improve the efficienty of the financial audit. The first part of the thesis analyses the theoretical aspects of public financial audit concept, objectives, targets and legal regulation. The audit disclose the significance and necessity of its impact on public finance management. The second part explains the state financial audit methods of explementation, audit entities, value of audit reports. The third part describes the methodology of the research, analyses the state financial audit reports and conclusions are drawn.