Accounting Commons^™

The Impact Of Enterprise Risk Management On The Internal Audit Function, Mark S. Beasley, Richard Clune, Dana Hermanson

Faculty Articles

This exploratory study provides evidence about factors associated with the overall impact of enterprise risk management (ERM) on the internal audit function’s activities. Based on responses from 122 organizations in several countries, we find that ERM has the greatest impact on internal audit’s activities when (a) the organization’s ERM process is more completely in place, (b) the CFO and audit committee have called for greater internal audit activity related to ERM, (c) the chief audit executive’s (CAE) tenure is longer, (d) the organization is in the banking industry or is an educational institution, and (e) the internal audit function has …

How Sales Executives Can Avoid Accounting Fraud Allegations, Mark S. Beasley, Dana R. Hermanson

Faculty Articles

Is accounting fraud only a concern for CEOs and financial executives? This article discusses recent cases in which the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) charged Sales Vice Presidents for their role in accounting fraud. The authors offer suggestions to help sales executives steer clear of accounting fraud allegations.

The Fraud Diamond: Considering The Four Elements Of Fraud, David T. Wolfe, Dana R. Hermanson

Faculty Articles

Focuses on the use of the elements of the fraud diamond to prevent and detect accounting fraud. Essential traits for committing fraud; Steps in assessing fraud risk through the use of the fourth element of the diamond; Ways for auditors to prevent potential fraud.

Corporate Governance Ratings: Good Or Bad?, Dana R. Hermanson

Faculty Articles

If something is important, eventually it gets measured. The last several years clearly have demonstrated that corporate governance is important, so it is no surprise that an industry has emerged to provide ratings of companies' corporate governance. There are several governance ratings providers, and three have been chosen that illustrate the types of rating systems currently in use: 1. Institutional Shareholder Services, 2. Corporate Library-Board Effectiveness Ratings, and 3. Governance Metrics International. For each service, the rating system's purpose, methodology, and criteria are presented. What is good about governance ratings? The ratings further promote the importance of good governance, and …

Going Beyond Sarbanes-Oxley Compliance: Five Keys To Creating Value, Mark S. Beasley, Dana R. Hermanson

Faculty Articles

Discusses the factors involved in implementing Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 for U.S. accounting firms. Appreciation of the goal behind the law; Comprehension of the accounting fraud; Aggressiveness in addressing ethical attitudes and rationalization.

Young Cpas Remain Undaunted By Scandals, Heather M. Hermanson, Mary C. Hill, Susan H. Ivancevich

Faculty Articles

Did the demise of Arthur Andersen and the related fallout affect the satisfaction of entry-level accountants at Big Four firms? The answer appears to be "no." Despite the considerable negative press focused on the profession, entry-level accountants still assess positively the profession and their careers. The authors followed the careers of 32 new hires from the summer of 2000, assessing their job satisfaction every 6 months. Job satisfaction remained stable over the period just before and after the Andersen collapse. Despite the negative press, respondents indicated that their firm is operating much as it had in the past. The relatively …

Factors To Be Considered In Determining A Corporation's Commercial Domicile, A. Bruce Clements

Faculty Articles

Laws can vary significantly in taxing multijurisdictional companies depending on a company's degree of corporate presence in the taxing state, the type and source of income earned, and the type of property used or held in the state. Several critical factors can determine a company's tax liability in a state, including the location of the company's commercial domicile. The US Supreme Court's decision in the Wheeling Steel case regarding commercial domicile is overriding in federal, as well as state courts. Accordingly, multistate companies and their tax advisors should consider the location of central management activities when planning to start or …

Coso: More Relevant Now Than Ever, Heather M. Hermanson

Faculty Articles

In 1992 when the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO) issued its internal control framework, few would have guessed that the framework would become an integral part of corporate accountability a decade later, but things are moving in that direction. COSO's framework may become an important tool for implementing the directives set forth in the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. With the newly mandated reporting on controls and other directives set forth in the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, the full effect of COSO's internal control vision may finally be realized. COSO's framework may help to address compliance with the new …

The Role Of Bargaining Style In Public Company Audits, Heather M. Hermanson, Kurt S. Schulzke, G. Richard Shell

Faculty Articles

According to prior auditing research, negotiation plans an important role in audit outcomes. General purpose negotiating literature suggests that bargaining styles are an important factor in business negotiations and that bargaining style mismatches between negotiating counter-parties can influence negotiation results. To date, the role of auditors' bargaining-style tendencies in audit negotiations has gone unnoticed in the auditing literature. A study examines the bargaining styles of accountants and managers as measured by the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument. The results suggest that accountants are predisposed to avoid conflict or accommodate whereas managers are predisposed to collaborate or compete. Recognizing this potential mismatch …

Revised Innocent Spouse Rules Offer Greater Tax Relief, Linda M. Johnson, A. Bruce Clements

Faculty Articles

When a married couple files a joint tax return, both spouses become jointly and severally liable for the income taxes due, including any additional taxes, interest, and penalties determined at a later date. In the event of an underpayment of income tax, the IRS can proceed against either spouse to collect the entire tax deficiency. This places a spouse in a precarious position in situations where the other spouse deliberately omits income or overstates deductions on a jointly filed income tax return, even if the spouse is totally unaware of the other's transgressions. Relief from joint and several liability is …

Measuring Roi: Is It Worth It? Interview By Richard K Thomas, David Marlowe, Daniel Fell, Sheb L. True, Chuck Mcleester

Faculty Articles

Return on investment (ROI) for healthcare marketing is a hot topic among healthcare professionals. It has been discussed off and on in the past, but recent financial developments in healthcare have brought it to the forefront. Today, because of financial pressures, all operational efforts (including marketing) are under intense scrutiny, making the bottom line more important than ever.

Who Are We Hiring? Characteristics Of Entrants To The Profession, Heather M. Hermanson, Mary C. Hill, Susan H. Ivancevich

Faculty Articles

Presents the results of a survey among auditors hired by a large international accounting firm in the U.S. as of 2002. Demographic characteristics of new hires; Factors important to new hires in selecting their employer; Initial job expectations of new hires.

The High Road, Jane E. Campbell, Heather M. Hermanson, John P. Mcallister

Faculty Articles

Discusses the obstacles to international accounting standards convergence. Effort of the International Accounting Standards Committee (IASC) to promote to convergence theme; Comparison between the convergence frameworks of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Financial Accounting Standards Board; Sections of the 'Framework for the Preparation and Presentation of Financial Statements' document issued by the IASC.

Obstacles To International Accounting Standards Convergence, Jane E. Campbell, Heather M. Hermanson, John P. Mcallister

Faculty Articles

Given the recent changes in the international sector, along with the similarities in the conceptual frameworks of the FASB and IASC, the relatively swift convergence of US GAAP and International Accounting Standards is a distinct possibility. This article contends convergence is possible, and reviews 3 key areas that could hinder or foster it: 1. the general organization, in terms of form and topical content, of the frameworks, 2. a significant pervasive difference between the frameworks, and 3. specific differences within the major topical areas of the frameworks.

Audit Committee Effectiveness: A Synthesis Of The Empirical Audit Committee Literature, F. Todd Dezoort, Dana R. Hermanson, Deborah S. Archambeault, Scott A. Reed

Faculty Articles

The article describes the factors that contribute to audit committee effectiveness. An effective audit committee has qualified members with the authority and resources to protect stakeholder interests by ensuring reliable financial reporting, internal controls, and risk management through its diligent oversight efforts. The determinants of audit committee effectiveness includes the audit committee composition, authority, resources and diligence. The major U.S. stock exchanges require that audit committees be composed of at least three independent, financially literate directors. Team issues also are relevant when considering audit committee composition. The audit committee derives its authority from the full board of directors, federal law …

Top 10 Audit Deficiencies, Mark S. Beasley, Joseph V. Carcello, Dana R. Hermanson

Faculty Articles

The article focuses on financial statement fraud based on cases wherein the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission sanctioned auditors for their association with fraudulent financial statements. All of the cases involved public companies, most of which engaged ill fraudulent financial reporting. Only a few engaged in misappropriation of assets or defalcation. The most common problem, alleged in 90% of the cases, was the auditor's failure to gather sufficient evidence. In some instances, this failure was pervasive throughout the engagement while in other instances the allegations were more specific. For example, many of the cases involved inadequate evidence in the areas …

Uncertain Litigation Cost And Seller Behavior: Evidence From An Auditing Game, Ping Zhang, Bryan K. Church, Lucy Ackert

Faculty Articles

Investigates difficulties that arise in estimating expected litigation costs in an auditing game in the United States. Effect of effort level on certain and uncertain costs of performing the engagement; Frequency of observed fee offers below the total expected cost of an engagement; Institutional arrangements and damage-sharing regimes; Theoretical and behavioral predictions.

Preventing Fraudulent Financial Reporting, Mark S. Beasley, Joseph V. Carcello, Dana R. Hermanson

Faculty Articles

Provides information on a study conducted by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations regarding the detection and prevention of financial fraud. Discussion on the nature of financial frauds; Characteristics of unreliable financial reporting; Views on the role of auditing firms in the prevention of fraud.

Just Say 'No', Mark S. Beasley, Joseph V. Carcello, Dana R. Hermanson

Faculty Articles

The article discusses the prevention of financial fraud within corporations and businesses in the United States. The types of individuals named in the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) files are examined. Different fraud techniques are looked at, including sham sales, the recording of conditional sales, and unauthorized shipments. The author discusses the status of firms after fraud disclosure and the implications it has for finance professionals.

Global Auditing And Accounting Confusion, John P. Mcallister, Larry L. Orsini, John D. Gould

Faculty Articles

The article discusses about the accounting and audit standards in the United States, which is different from one country to another due to business practices, fiscal systems and the law regulating a company. The International Federation of Accountants and the International Accounting Standards Committee aimed to a have a consistency of audit and accounting standards around the world, although these diversities can easily identify a company's national origin and as a basis of the financial statements presentation.

Retirement Plan Contributions And Withdrawals, Paul J. Streer, Ray A. Knight, A. Bruce Clements

Faculty Articles

Qualified retirement plans provide for tax deferral, but they are also subject to a 15% excise tax on excess distributions or accumulations, potentially higher marginal income tax rates on plan withdrawals, mandatory contributions for employers, estate taxes at death, and possible substantial income tax liability for plan beneficiaries. Three possible planning strategies to optimize return on funds available for contributions to a qualified plan include investment in alternative assets, lifetime gifts, and accelerated plan withdrawals. While the 3-year suspension of excess distribution excise taxes under the Small Business Job Protection Act may favor plan withdrawals, in certain situations participants are …

Raising Capital Overseas, John D. Gould, John P. Mcallister, Larry L. Orsini

Faculty Articles

The article states that more and more companies are trying to raise capital by listing their securities for sale on foreign exchanges.More and more companies are trying to raise capital by listing their securities for sale on foreign exchanges. However, the way financial statements are prepared varies from one country to the next. U.S. companies looking to raise capital abroad must consider the myriad rules regarding financial statement presentation just as foreign companies listing stock in the United States must adhere to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Similarly, the costs of reconciling U.S. accounting standards …

Organizational Control Systems: Matching Controls With Organizational Levels, Rajaram Veliyath, Heather M. Hermanson, Dana R. Hermanson

Faculty Articles

Companies today face a number of risks, such as environmental liabilities, losses from misuse of derivatives or harassment suits, which underscore the need for better control systems. Clearly, there is a tradeoff between having too much versus too little control. However, in addition to the amount of control, the mix of controls is important in maintaining the right balance within an organization. A framework is proposed that should help managers determine the appropriate matching of control types and control levels in their organizations. The matching is discussed for both traditional companies and modern, information-age companies.

Better Environment, Better Staff, Roger H. Hermanson, Joseph V. Carcello, Dana R. Hermanson, Bernard J. Milano, Gerald A. Polansky, Doyle Z. Williams

Faculty Articles

The article discusses result of a survey addressing the quality of work life among audit personnel in the U.S. The result shows that dissatisfaction in the work environment affects staff's performance. Creating customer value is one of the issues in business establishment. As stated, clients are demanding the expertise that comes with experiences. The quality of work environment may persuade outstanding staff members to pursue other career options. Financial rewards of public accounting are not the basis for changes in the rating of staff.

Attracting African American Honor Students Into Accounting, Dana Hermanson, Susan H. Ivancevich, Roger H. Hermanson

Faculty Articles

The percentage of minority professionals in the major accounting firms has risen only 2 percentage points since 1976. Black members of a national collegiate honor society were surveyed to see if their perceptions of the accounting profession lead them to select other majors. The nonaccounting students perceived the accounting profession very positively in providing long-term financial rewards and availability of employment. The nonfinancial characteristics of lifestyle, work environment, and nature of accounting work were perceived poorly by respondents. It is vital that black students gain a better understanding of the nonfinancial nature of accounting work and of the role of …

Management Accounting & Academe, Heather M. Hermanson, Dana R. Hermanson

Faculty Articles

Management accounting offers rewarding research opportunities. If researchers are able to identify more efficient ways to analyze internal accounting data, these new methods can be adopted immediately by interested companies. Breakthroughs in management accounting research do not have to filter through a standard-setting body before they can have an impact on practice. Due to the absence of management accounting rules, the great demand for management accounting research, and the availability of management accounting data, it is not surprising that academic research is beginning to drive the field of management accounting.

The Internal Control Paradox: What Every Manager Should Know, Dana R. Hermanson, Heather M. Hermanson

Faculty Articles

Examines some conflicting trends concerning internal control systems of companies in the 1990s. Definition of internal control; Trends toward internal control; Trends away from internal control; Balanced view of internal control; Solution to the internal control paradox.