A fraud investigation skills self-assessment framework for internal audit practitioners
- Authors: Labuschagne, Mario
- Date: 2023-04
- Subjects: fraud investigation , Auditing, Internal
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/61465 , vital:70660
- Description: Globally incidents of fraud are on the increase, resulting in an expectation from users of internal audit services that internal auditors should accept responsibility for conducting fraud investigations. This expectation exists even though limited guidance pronouncements on how to conduct fraud investigations being available from the Institute of internal auditors (IIA) and internal auditors not always being equipped to conduct fraud investigations. This expectation also stretches beyond the current pronounced role and responsibilities of internal audit practitioners, according to the IIAs International Professional Practices Framework (IPPF) (hereafter, referred to as the Standards). Conducting fraud investigations without possessing the relevant knowledge and skills, introduces the risk that evidence collected may be considered inadmissible in a court of law. The research problem is stated as, “a dearth of adequate guidance pronouncements for internal audit practitioners exists, in respect of fraud investigations.” In response to the expectation, risk, and research problem, underpinned by the policeman theory and theory of inspired confidence, the primary research objective of the study was to develop a fraud investigation proficiency self-assessment framework for use by internal audit practitioners who are expected to conduct fraud investigations. The study’s research objectives were achieved by making use of an interpretivist research paradigm and a qualitative methodological approach. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews from authoritative internal auditors on the membership database of the Institute of Internal Auditors South Africa (IIASA). Findings confirmed the existence of an expectation gap and the lack of guidance contained in IIA guidance pronouncements and Standards. Developed from the findings, the thesis proposes a fraud investigation proficiency self-assessment framework. The proposed self-assessment framework lists 14 fraud investigation knowledge and skills measures in the form of statements that internal audit practitioners should use to assess their personal level of proficiency for conducting a fraud investigation. The results from the self-assessment should then be Page | vii used to guide an internal audit practitioner on whether to accept the responsibility for conducting a fraud investigation or to defer the investigation to a more proficient fraud investigator. The decision for accepting the responsibility to conduct a fraud investigation ultimately resides with the internal audit practitioner. The study concluded that an expectation from organisations exists for internal audit practitioners to conduct fraud investigations, even though limited guidance pronouncements are available to internal audit practitioners from the IIA for conducting fraud investigations. The study identified that the most prominent risk associated with a fraud investigation being conducted by a person lacking the required fraud investigation knowledge and skills was that of collected evidence being dismissed in a court of law and not being able to use the evidence against a perpetrator. It can, therefore, be recommended that internal audit practitioners should not conduct a fraud investigation if they lacked any of the proficiencies required. The study provides support for the development and use of the proposed fraud investigation proficiency self-assessment framework. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, 2023
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2023-04
- Authors: Labuschagne, Mario
- Date: 2023-04
- Subjects: fraud investigation , Auditing, Internal
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/61465 , vital:70660
- Description: Globally incidents of fraud are on the increase, resulting in an expectation from users of internal audit services that internal auditors should accept responsibility for conducting fraud investigations. This expectation exists even though limited guidance pronouncements on how to conduct fraud investigations being available from the Institute of internal auditors (IIA) and internal auditors not always being equipped to conduct fraud investigations. This expectation also stretches beyond the current pronounced role and responsibilities of internal audit practitioners, according to the IIAs International Professional Practices Framework (IPPF) (hereafter, referred to as the Standards). Conducting fraud investigations without possessing the relevant knowledge and skills, introduces the risk that evidence collected may be considered inadmissible in a court of law. The research problem is stated as, “a dearth of adequate guidance pronouncements for internal audit practitioners exists, in respect of fraud investigations.” In response to the expectation, risk, and research problem, underpinned by the policeman theory and theory of inspired confidence, the primary research objective of the study was to develop a fraud investigation proficiency self-assessment framework for use by internal audit practitioners who are expected to conduct fraud investigations. The study’s research objectives were achieved by making use of an interpretivist research paradigm and a qualitative methodological approach. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews from authoritative internal auditors on the membership database of the Institute of Internal Auditors South Africa (IIASA). Findings confirmed the existence of an expectation gap and the lack of guidance contained in IIA guidance pronouncements and Standards. Developed from the findings, the thesis proposes a fraud investigation proficiency self-assessment framework. The proposed self-assessment framework lists 14 fraud investigation knowledge and skills measures in the form of statements that internal audit practitioners should use to assess their personal level of proficiency for conducting a fraud investigation. The results from the self-assessment should then be Page | vii used to guide an internal audit practitioner on whether to accept the responsibility for conducting a fraud investigation or to defer the investigation to a more proficient fraud investigator. The decision for accepting the responsibility to conduct a fraud investigation ultimately resides with the internal audit practitioner. The study concluded that an expectation from organisations exists for internal audit practitioners to conduct fraud investigations, even though limited guidance pronouncements are available to internal audit practitioners from the IIA for conducting fraud investigations. The study identified that the most prominent risk associated with a fraud investigation being conducted by a person lacking the required fraud investigation knowledge and skills was that of collected evidence being dismissed in a court of law and not being able to use the evidence against a perpetrator. It can, therefore, be recommended that internal audit practitioners should not conduct a fraud investigation if they lacked any of the proficiencies required. The study provides support for the development and use of the proposed fraud investigation proficiency self-assessment framework. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, 2023
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2023-04
The role of internal auditors with specific reference to fraud investigation
- Authors: Labuschagne, Mario
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Auditing, Internal -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Fraud investigation -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: vital:8947 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1021385
- Description: The role of internal auditors is evolving to enable them to provide stakeholders with assurance and to assist organisations to achieve objectives and remain competitive to ensure the future existence of their organisations. The research for this study was guided by the question of whether the Institute of Internal Auditors guidance pronouncements provide sufficient guidance in the light of expectations of both the institute and management (stakeholders) relating to the role of internal auditors in respect of fraud investigation. Literature reviewed on the role of internal auditors showed that there is limited guidance provided with regards to fraud investigation, knowledge and skills required by an internal auditor to perform fraud investigations. The research methodology used for this study consisted of a qualitative case study of the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University committees, namely, Council, Senate and MANCO as well as a combination of deductive and inductive interpretative analysis methods. Semi-structured interviews were used to obtain data from participants who were randomly selected from Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University Council, Senate and MANCO committees. The interviews revolved around three themes, namely, the role of internal audit, the information expected from internal audits and the role that the internal audit plays with regard to fraud. The interviews were recorded by means of a digital voice recorder which were transcribed by a qualified transcriber. The collected data was then manually coded by making use of standardised coding methods to assist with the analyses of the data. After considering the participant responses in relation to the themes, it could be deduced that a greater awareness needed to be created regarding the role of the internal audit and the services which internal audits could provide to organisations and management structures. The results of the analyses revealed that an expectation gap existed with regard to the Institute of Internal Auditors, guidance pronouncements and stakeholder expectations of internal auditor roles with specific reference to fraud investigations. This study showed that the IIA’s guidance pronouncements do not provide sufficient and adequate guidance in respect of the knowledge, skills and competency capabilities in relation to fraud investigations.The results of the study further showed that the expected role of internal auditors in an organisation should include fraud investigations.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
- Authors: Labuschagne, Mario
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Auditing, Internal -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Fraud investigation -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: vital:8947 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1021385
- Description: The role of internal auditors is evolving to enable them to provide stakeholders with assurance and to assist organisations to achieve objectives and remain competitive to ensure the future existence of their organisations. The research for this study was guided by the question of whether the Institute of Internal Auditors guidance pronouncements provide sufficient guidance in the light of expectations of both the institute and management (stakeholders) relating to the role of internal auditors in respect of fraud investigation. Literature reviewed on the role of internal auditors showed that there is limited guidance provided with regards to fraud investigation, knowledge and skills required by an internal auditor to perform fraud investigations. The research methodology used for this study consisted of a qualitative case study of the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University committees, namely, Council, Senate and MANCO as well as a combination of deductive and inductive interpretative analysis methods. Semi-structured interviews were used to obtain data from participants who were randomly selected from Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University Council, Senate and MANCO committees. The interviews revolved around three themes, namely, the role of internal audit, the information expected from internal audits and the role that the internal audit plays with regard to fraud. The interviews were recorded by means of a digital voice recorder which were transcribed by a qualified transcriber. The collected data was then manually coded by making use of standardised coding methods to assist with the analyses of the data. After considering the participant responses in relation to the themes, it could be deduced that a greater awareness needed to be created regarding the role of the internal audit and the services which internal audits could provide to organisations and management structures. The results of the analyses revealed that an expectation gap existed with regard to the Institute of Internal Auditors, guidance pronouncements and stakeholder expectations of internal auditor roles with specific reference to fraud investigations. This study showed that the IIA’s guidance pronouncements do not provide sufficient and adequate guidance in respect of the knowledge, skills and competency capabilities in relation to fraud investigations.The results of the study further showed that the expected role of internal auditors in an organisation should include fraud investigations.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
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