Question 1

The capabilities of computer systems have advanced rapidly over the past several decades. In many organizations, the entire data has been computerised and all the information is available only in digital media. In this changed scenario, auditors have to adapt their methodology to changed circumstances. The approach of auditors to evaluate internal controls has changed accordingly. The continual development is changing the way organization works. Many companies have introduced Information Technology (IT) audit function because it is considered to be a valuable element of management control which provides assurance to the business audit committee and management and adds to the organization’s credibility with investors and creditors. Management is responsible for establishing and maintaining a system of internal financial controls and in some cases, may be required by regulators to provide written certification of the adequacy of the controls. Legal and regulatory requirements are changing fast and companies must make sure they are aware of the latest rules. Presence of controls in a computerized system is significant from the audit point of view
The Business and Financial Educational Services provider Company Limited is an organizations that do not have an IT audit function. The company is considering to establish one. They are work shopping their company size and type of business, source of capital and risk factors that warrant such an investment. They agree that the potential benefits of the IT audit function should be assessed and compared against the estimated costs. IT audit function should ensure the establishment and compliance to IT Controls in the organizations computer system. They are undecided on the decision to establish an IT audit function. They think the decision should involve the CEO, CFO, and audit committee. The following is a list of criteria they are considering:
1. The audit committee wants to get independent and objective assurance on the adequacy of internal controls from someone other than the CEO or CFO.
2. The CEO wants to get independent and objective assurance on the adequacy of internal controls from someone other than the CFO or line managers.
3. The CFO wants to get independent and objective assurance on the adequacy of internal controls from someone other than the line managers.
4. The organization gets too large or geographically dispersed for frequent and economical first-hand monitoring of controls by the audit committee, CEO or CFO.

Required:
a. You are an IT Audit consultant who is familiar with the works of the company and is well connected to the company. In a meeting with the CEO, CFO, and audit committee the CEO has asked that you name and explain the broad categories of IT Audit controls (if any) that must be put in place in their work environment.
b. Carefully consider the scenarios in the submissions provided and write out your report to be submitted to the Audit committee. From your submissions the Audit committee decided to fully contract you to support the management of the company to develop and put in place some General IT control tools. You decided to constitute and hold a sub-project committee
meeting to discuss the details on the following.
i. IT policies and standards.
ii. Physical controls (access and environment).
iii. Logical access controls.
iv. Business continuity
v. Disaster recovery controls.

QUESTION 2
In accounting, the financial transactions are recorded, processed and presented to generate financial statements that is useful to the readers, in making decisions. It is often said that both
manual and computerized accounting systems are based on the same principles, conventions and concept of accounting and auditing. However, they differ in their mechanism (devices, instruments and tools used). The manual auditor uses pen and paper, to record and document transactions. Whereas computerized auditing makes use of computers and internet, to document transactions electronically. Auditors should adequately document the audit evidence in working papers, including the basis and extent of the planning, work performed and the findings of the audit.
Documentation includes a record of:
1. The planning and preparation of the audit scope and objectives
2. The audit programme
3. The evidence collected on the basis of which conclusions are arrived at.
4. All work papers including general file pertaining to the organization and system
5. Points discussed in interviews clearly stating the topic of discussion, person interviewed,
position and designation, time and place.
6. Observations as the auditor watched the performance of work. The observations
may include the place and time, the reason for observation and the people involved.
7. Reports and data obtained from the system directly by the auditor or provided by the
audited staff. The auditor should ensure that these reports carry the source of the report,
the date and time and the conditions covered.
8. At various points in the documentation the auditor may add his comments and clarifications
on the concerns, doubts and need for additional information. The auditor should come
back to these comments later and add remarks and references on how and where these
were resolved.

Required;

It is the practice that the report should be timely, complete, accurate, objective, convincing, and as clear and concise as the subject permits. Briefly explain what the following headings entails with relevant examples how an IT Audit report can be broadly structured under the following headings:
i. IT Audit Report.
ii. Introduction.
iii. Objectives.
iv. Scope and Methodology.
v. Audit Results.
vi. Findings.
vii. Conclusions.
viii. Recommendations.
ix. Noteworthy Management Accomplishments.
x. Limitations that were faced.

QUESTION 3
You are a manager in the audit department of Huntsman & Co, a firm of Chartered Certified Accountants, responsible for the audit of several companies and for evaluating the acceptance
decisions in respect of potential new audit clients. One of your audit clients is Redback Sports Co, which operates a chain of sport and leisure centres across the country. The client invited you into a meeting with the CEO and CFO. According to the CEO of the company “the incessant development of information technology is changing the way their organization works in many ways. The pen and paper of manual transactions have made way for the online data entry of computerized applications; the locks and keys of filing cabinets have been replaced by passwords and identification codes that restrict access to electronic files. The implementation of innovative technology is helping their organizations to improve the efficiency of their business processes and considerably increase their data processing and transmission capacity, but has also introduced new vulnerabilities that need to be controlled”. The CFO was concerned about the new vulnerabilities. He is asking how these vulnerabilities could be controlled You quickly responded by saying that assessing the adequacy of each control requires new methods of auditing. With the increase in the investment and dependence on computerized systems by the company, it has become imperative for audit to change the methodology and approach to audit because of the risks to data integrity, abuse, privacy issues etc. An independent audit is required to provide assurance that adequate measures have been designed and are operated to minimize the exposure to various risks.

Required:

i. The CEO is asking if there is any difference between your regular Audit periodically conducted and an IT Audit. You are required to identify, name and explain the core
differences between your Internal Audits periodically conducted and an IT Audit.

ii. Explain 5 objectives of an IT Audit to Redback Sports Co.
iii. Explain 5 benefits that Redback Sports Co. may derive from an effective IT Audit.
iv. The CFO of Redback Sports Co. is asking that you explain the processes to follow to undertake an effective IT Audit for the company and how long you think it will take them to be ready for your audit. Name and explain the Phases of the Audit Process.

Imagine that you are the CEO of Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE (LVMH).  You have just received share price valuation estimates for a potential buyout target, Rimowa, from two of your top financial analysts. Both analysts used the discounted cash flow (DCF) model to estimate the share price resulting in a valuation of $50, by the first analyst and $60, by the second analyst.  

You made a buyout offer of $55 a share and Rimowa’s CEO rejected it.  The German luxury luggage brand Rimowa is crucial to LVHM’s strategic expansion into brands that have heritage and a unique position.  As the CEO of LVHM what would you do to meet LVHM’s strategic objectivewhile minimizing the costto acquire Rimowa?  Briefly defend your recommendation.

If you were the Human Resources manager and wanted to convince the CEO/management team to implement a flextime policy (e.g., can work any 8 hours between 6 am and 6 pm) to assist employees with children (elderly parents, others) to care for, what would you say/do?

You should present your post from the viewpoint of your role as the HR manager, a senior and experienced leader, to the CEO and his/her management team. It should be a comprehensive discussion or presentation-like, using influence and persuasion techniques. Don't forget to introduce the topic as if you were in a leadership meeting with the CEO and his/her team and not all members know about your topic and request; don't forget to be clear on the request.

COVID-19

The recent outbreak of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has introduced new challenges to the business environment. It is also having an impact on the global economy with tourism, aviation, education and hospitality the initially hardest hit industries. Almost all global supply-chains are affected at some level. Realistically, many sectors will be affected to different degrees, with many organizations implementing policies to limit employee travel and to prepare employees to work from home if necessary and if possible, to ensure the safety of their employees. The outbreak is moving quickly, and most countries are trying to respond quickly to contain the impact. However, the spread of the virus may continue through 2020 and impact the operations of many industries for months to come.

Question 1 - Word count: 800 words .

Critically analyze the required types of change to minimize the impact of the COVID 19 virus on the university? Then analyze which images of change management that could be adopted by the change agent to manage such situation?   

(b) Professor GeniusAtCalculus has two lecture sections (A and B) of the same 4th year
Advanced Calculus (AMA 4301) course in Semester 2. She wants to investigate whether
section A students maybe ”smarter” than section B students by comparing their performances in the midterm test. A random sample of 12 students were taken from section
A, with mean midterm test score of 78.8 and standard deviation 8.5; and a random
sample of 9 students were taken from section B, with mean midterm test score of 86
and standard deviation 9.3. Assume the population standard deviations of midterm test
scores for both sections are the same. Construct the 90% confidence interval for the
difference in midterm test scores of the two sections. Based on the sample midterm test
scores from the two sections, can Professor GeniusAtCalculus conclude that there is any
evidence that one section of students are ”smarter” than the other section? Justify your
conclusions.
[8 marks]

(c) The COVID-19 (coronavirus) mortality rate of a you country is defined as the ratio of the
number of deaths due to COVID-19 divided by the number of (confirmed) cases of
COVID-19 in that country. Suppose we want to investigate if there is any difference
between the COVID-19 mortality rate in the US and the UK. On April 18, 2020, out of
a sample of 671,493 cases of COVID-19 in the US, there was 33,288 deaths; and out of
a sample of 109,754 cases of COVID-19 in the UK, there was 14,606 deaths. What is
the 92% confidence interval in the true difference in the mortality rates between the two
countries? What can you conclude about the difference in the mortality rates between
the US and the UK? Justify your conclusions. [8 marks]

14

Which of the following does NOT decrease the threat of entry in an industry?

High switching costs

Large economies of scale

Brand loyalty

Threat of competitor retaliation

None of these

15

Which of the following is the most important reason a strategic analyst should always do an industry structure analysis when evaluating a single firm’s strategy?

Helps identify all the competitors trying to take profits from the firm.

Helps identify the ways the firm should try to change the industry structure through its strategy.

None of these.

Helps identify if it is impossible for the firm to gain a competitive advantage in the future.

Helps identify opportunities for the firm in the future

16

Which of the following best describes the halo effect?

A CEO is considered effective if he or she is very popular with shareholders.

A CEO is considered effective because they have achieved the highest position in the organization.

A CEO is considered effective because they follow the practices of other successful firms.

A CEO is considered effective if the firm is performing well.

None of these

Exercise 14-20 Installment note; amortization schedule [LO14-3]

American Food Services, Inc., acquired a packaging machine from Barton and Barton Corporation. Barton and Barton completed construction of the machine on January 1, 2018. In payment for the $4.3 million machine, American Food Services issued a four-year installment note to be paid in four equal payments at the end of each year. The payments include interest at the rate of 9%. (FV of $1, PV of $1, FVA of $1, PVA of $1, FVAD of $1 and PVAD of $1) (Use appropriate factor(s) from the tables provided.)

Required:
1. Prepare the journal entry for American Food Services’ purchase of the machine on January 1, 2018.
2. Prepare an amortization schedule for the four-year term of the installment note.
3. Prepare the journal entry for the first installment payment on December 31, 2018.
4. Prepare the journal entry for the third installment payment on December 31, 2020.

The Income Statement of Adom Enterprise for the year ended 31st March, 2020 as prepared by an AccountsAssistantindicatedanetprofitofGHS148,080.Though,thecashbookon31st March,2020 showed a balance at bank to be GHS 13,460. Your attention is however drawn to the following:

1. i) Cheques from customers totalling GHS 14,940 which were recorded in the cash book on

   March 25, 2020 were not credited by the bank until April 2, 2020.

2. ii) Cheques issued on March 13, 2020 totalling GHS 22,260 in favour of suppliers were not paid

   by the bank until after the end of the year (that is after March 31, 2020)

3. iii) On 22 February 2020, the bank paid an amount of GHS 10,800 with respect to a standing order from Adom Enterprise for rent of business premises for the three months to April 30, 2020 but

   unfortunately, no entry for this payment had been made in the cash book.
   Additionally, no provision of this outstanding rent had been made in the income statement for the period.

4. iv) On March 31, a customer known as Mr. Kwarteng had paid GHS 7,020 into Adom
   Enterprise bank account through a standing order to his bankers in full settlement of a debit balance of GHS 7,200 in Adom Enterprise sale ledger, but no entry had been made in the books.

5. v) On 30th March 2020, a cheque for GHS 1,440 was received from a customer in settlement of sales invoice for the same amount. The cheques were lodged into Adom Enterprise bank account. Both sale of goods and the cheque were entered in Adom Enterprise’s books. However, on 31st March 2020, the customer returned the goods and instructed her

   bankers not to pay the cheque (This instruction was carried out the same day) but no entries in respect of these latter developments have been made in Adom Enterprise’s books. The cost of these goods amounting to GHS 960 were not actually included in the closing inventories.

6. vi) Cheques received from two customers: Madam Adwoa Nyarkoa GHS 2,150 and Papa Kwame Ayisi of GHS 1,520 were recorded at the wrong side of the cash book.

7. vii) A cheque for GHS 2,520 from an insurance company in settlement of claim for fire damage to inventory had been paid into the bank and credited by the bank on 21st March 2020, but an estimated amount of GHS 2,400 had been entered in Adom Enterprise’s income statement.

8. viii) During a review of the financial records, it was discovered that the receipts side of the cash book was overstated by GHS 1,480. This has not been corrected.

Required:

a) Prepare a statement on March 31, 2020, clearly indicating the cash book balance.

b) Prepare the bank reconciliation statement for Adom Enterprise
c) Prepare a statement of corrected net profit of Adom Enterprise on 31st March, 2020

d) Explain TWO reasons for carrying out bank reconciliation.

e) Identify and explain any FIVE causes of discrepancies in the cash book balance and the bank

statement balance in this question

Moon Star Company obtained two notes receivable during the year of 2019. The details of the notes are as follows:

October 3, 2019          Sold goods for $24,000 on account to a customer (Sun Company) and received 8% note. The note was due on October 18, 2019.

December 5, 2019      Received 13% note for $15,000 to replace account receivable from a customer (Strong Company). The note was due on January 5, 2020.

1. Compute maturity value of the note receivable received on October 3 (Show supporting calculations.)
2. Journalize the collection of the note which was due on October 18, 2019.
3. Journalize the adjusting entry at December 31, 2019 to record accrued interest.
4. Compute total interest revenue earned on the note receivable received on December 5, 2019 (Show supporting calculations.)
5. Journalize the collection of the note which was due on January 5, 2020.