In: Accounting
Task:
Here’s a list of the internal audit challenges that present threats
to the profession or cause sleepless nights for some CAEs. While
it’s hardly a comprehensive list, it includes some of the changes
and trends that we internal auditors simply can’t ignore.
Speed of Technology: Changing business models from technological
advances are disrupting traditional organizations and just may be
the existential threat to internal audit. Deeper knowledge and
skills related to new technology used throughout the organization
are needed, as well as understanding and adoption of technology
tools for performing audits, such as robotic process automation
(RPA), artificial intelligence (AI), and advanced analytics. As
Karl Stingily, CAE of Caesars Entertainment said, “every auditor
needs to have a basic understanding of IT, as it is embedded in
every audit that we perform.”
Cybersecurity: Cybersecurity is a critical issue for nearly all
boards and senior managers, and, whether you know it or not, they
are looking to internal audit to make sure everything is “OK.”
Since cybersecurity is such a broad topic, and little direction is
given on what internal audit is expected to do, scoping engagements
is difficult.
Downgrades to the CAE Position: Some organizations are pushing down
the CAE position from vice-president to director or from director
to manager, leaving internal audit to report lower in the
organizational hierarchy. This is bad news if internal audit is to
maintain influence in the organization. This harsh reality
increases the need for internal audit to demonstrate value to
senior management and the board, audit what matters most, and
simply make the case for internal audit by achieving more
“wins.”
More Specialization: Increased technical and business skills are
needed in internal audit, leading to the death of the general
auditor. Internal audit departments will likely see more
experienced, technically savvy auditors making up most of the
department.
Serving Two Masters: Internal audit has always had some challenge
serving both the board and senior management—two groups that are
not always aligned—and pull internal audit in different directions.
The challenges around independence are real.
Talent Acquisition: Finding enough people to fill open positions
and finding people with the right skills is a challenge in the
current tight job market and could be for some time. CAEs will need
to be more creative, looking for candidates with non-traditional
audit backgrounds and relying more on “guest auditors” to fill the
gaps.
Talent Development: Training current employees in technical and
soft-skills is a constant challenge for CAEs. And soft-skills, such
as communication and emotional intelligence, are more important
than ever. Auditors who can do the work, but have difficulty
communicating the results, will find themselves out of a job.
Constant Justification: Nobody seems to care that last year you
saved the organization millions of dollars. The “what have you done
for me lately?” mentality requires CAEs to constantly justify their
value to the organization, some of which is cost and risk avoidance
that is difficult to calculate and quantify to the chief financial
officer. Yet CAEs will need to prove return on investment to the
organization or risk getting outsourced.
Sarbanes-Oxley: Immediately after the passage of the Sarbanes-Oxley
Act (SOX) internal audit spent an inordinate amount of time doing
lower-level work around SOX compliance. Over time, some of that
work transitioned to others in the organization, but new
requirements from the PCAOB, which have led to shifting
expectations of the board and senior management, means internal
audit is being pulled back, kicking and screaming, into SOX
compliance work.
I have answer but are generally discuss the challenges
facing international agencies in their daily activities. I want to
improve the answer by getting a few points from specific articles
that outline the challenges international agencies face due to the
ever-changing business environment.
need more clarity for Overtaking process and Limited range.
provide examples for Lack of resources and Large and non-critical
risks. So please help me.
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Evaluate the challenges faced by the internal
auditors, as follows:
Auditors are fully responsible for conducting investigations if
threats that are inconsistent with compliance with the fundamental
principles (independence) are included. The internal auditors must
also be reliable advisors and take some time to build confidence in
your eligibility.
Technical knowledge:
In general, auditors have very limited knowledge of the system, as
they are eligible for accounting, auditing and legal
qualifications. Therefore, it is difficult to understand and ensure
operations.
Overtaking process:
The outline can only be used to detect process overruns if the
auditor is technically skilled in performing system audits.
Limited range:
The scope of internal auditors is often limited to be predetermined
by management, which causes little room for expansion in the
investigation and identification of fraud cases.
Lack of resources:
Employees and executives can access resources throughout the year,
but auditors see only those resources that cannot provide
sufficient access to understand the transaction in detail, with
very limited access and only for a very limited time.
Large and non-critical risks:
The risks identified by the auditors can have minimal impact on
management unless there is actually exposure or reporting of
incidents. This reduces the results of the checker somewhat.
Cooperation and assistance by the company's senior management will
help in recruiting a workforce with the necessary skills, and
supporting auditors with training in the latest technological
processes in addition to the constant awareness of adding value to
the company's initiatives and achieving organizational
goals.
Solution
Challenges faced by the internal auditors
Therefore the internal auditors are required to adapt to the changes in the business environment and keep themselves updated with the new developments. They are required to conduct the internal audit with independence and facilitate the management in achieving the objectives of the organisations with relevant findings and recommendations.