题目内容
（请给出正确答案）
(e) Internal controls are very important in a complex civil engineering project such as the Giant Dam Project.
Required:
Describe the difficulties of maintaining sound internal controls in the Giant Dam Project created by working
through sub-contractors. (4 marks)
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更多“（e) Internal controls are very…”相关的问题
Which of the following is NOT an inherent limitation of internal control systems？
A.Insufficient segregation of duties
B.Possibility that employees may collude together fraudulently
C.Possibility of human error in undertaking tasks
A．Right
B．Wrong
C．Doesn't say
The Committee of Sponsoring Organisations (COSO) of the Treadway Commission is an American voluntary, private sector organisation and is unconnected to government or any other regulatory authority. It was established in 1985 to help companies identify the causes of fraudulent reporting and to create internal control environments able to support full and accurate reporting. It is named after its fi rst chairman, James Treadway, and has issued several guidance reports over the years including important reports in 1987, 1992 and 2006.
In 2009, COSO issued new ‘Guidance on monitoring internal control systems’ to help companies tighten internal controls and thereby enjoy greater internal productivity and produce higher quality reporting. The report, written principally by a leading global professional services fi rm but adopted by all of the COSO members, noted that ‘unmonitored controls tend to deteriorate over time’ and encouraged organisations to adopt wide ranging internal controls. It went on to say that, the ‘assessment of internal controls [can] ... involve a signifi cant amount of ... internal audit testing.’
After its publication, the business journalist, Mark Rogalski, said that the latest report contained ‘yet more guidance from COSO on how to make your company less productive by burdening it even more with non-productive things to do’ referring to the internal control guidance the 2009 report contains. He said that there was no industry sector-specifi c advice and that a ‘one-size-fi ts-all’ approach to internal control was ‘ridiculous’. He further argued that there was no link between internal controls and external reporting, and that internal controls are unnecessary for effective external reporting.
Another commentator, Claire Mahmood, wrote a reply to Rogalski’s column pointing to the views expressed in the 2009 COSO report that, ‘over time effective monitoring can lead to organisational effi ciencies and reduced costs associated with public reporting on internal control because problems are identifi ed and addressed in a proactive, rather than reactive, manner.’ She said that these benefi ts were not industry sector specifi c and that Rogalski was incorrect in his dismissal of the report’s value. She also said that although primarily concerned with governance in the USA, the best practice guidance from COSO could be applied by companies anywhere in the world. She said that although the USA, where COSO is based, is concerned with the ‘rigid rules’ of compliance, the advice ought to be followed by companies in countries with principles-based approaches to corporate governance because it was best practice.
Required:
(a) Distinguish between rules-based and principles-based approaches to internal control system compliance as described by Claire Mahmood and discuss the benefi ts to an organisation of a principles-based approach. (7 marks)
(b) Mr Rogalski is sceptical over the value of internal control and believes that controls must be industry-specifi c to be effective. Required: Describe the advantages of internal control that apply regardless of industry sector and briefl y explain the meaning of the statement, ‘unmonitored controls tend to deteriorate over time’. Your answer should refer to the case scenario as appropriate. (10 marks)
(c) The COSO report explains that ‘assessment of internal controls [can] ... involve a signifi cant amount of ... internal audit testing.’ Required: Defi ne ‘internal audit testing’ and explain the roles of internal audit in helping ensure the effectiveness of internal control systems. (8 marks)
A.Considering the business concerns
B.Analyzing, categorizing and prioritizing resources
C.Evaluating the existing perimeter and internal security
D.Using the existing management and control architecture
W: Yes. Accounting controls are important elements of a bank's internal control system, the soundness of which is vital for bank's survival.
Q: What are the important elements of a bank's internal control system？
(15)
A．Accounting basis.
B．Cash basis accounting.
C．Accounting control.
D．The chart of accounts of a bank.
A．A large number of skillful staff and expertise.
B．Effective internal control system.
C．Complex accounting system.
D．Widespread use of electronic data processing.
Pear International Co (Pear) is a manufacturer of electrical equipment. It has factories across the country and its customer base includes retailers as well as individuals, to whom direct sales are made through their website. The company’s year end is 30 September 2012. You are an audit supervisor of Apple & Co and are currently reviewing documentation of Pear’s internal control in preparation for the interim audit.
Pear’s website allows individuals to order goods directly, and full payment is taken in advance. Currently the website is not integrated into the inventory system and inventory levels are not checked at the time when orders are placed.
Goods are despatched via local couriers; however, they do not always record customer signatures as proof that the customer has received the goods. Over the past 12 months there have been customer complaints about the delay between sales orders and receipt of goods. Pear has investigated these and found that, in each case, the sales order had been entered into the sales system correctly but was not forwarded to the despatch department for fulfilling.
Pear’s retail customers undergo credit checks prior to being accepted and credit limits are set accordingly by sales ledger clerks. These customers place their orders through one of the sales team, who decides on sales discount levels.
Raw materials used in the manufacturing process are purchased from a wide range of suppliers. As a result of staff changes in the purchase ledger department, supplier statement reconciliations are no longer performed. Additionally, changes to supplier details in the purchase ledger master file can be undertaken by purchase ledger clerks as well as supervisors.
In the past six months Pear has changed part of its manufacturing process and as a result some new equipment has been purchased, however, there are considerable levels of plant and equipment which are now surplus to requirement. Purchase requisitions for all new equipment have been authorised by production supervisors and little has been done to reduce the surplus of old equipment.
Required:
(a) In respect of the internal control of Pear International Co:
(i) Identify and explain FIVE deficiencies;
(ii) Recommend a control to address each of these deficiencies; and
(iii) Describe a test of control Apple & Co would perform. to assess if each of these controls is operating effectively. (15 marks)
(b) Describe substantive procedures you should perform. at the year end to confirm each of the following for plant and equipment:
(i) Additions; and
(ii) Disposals. (4 marks)
(c) Pear’s finance director has expressed an interest in Apple & Co performing other review engagements in addition to the external audit; however, he is unsure how much assurance would be gained via these engagements and how this differs to the assurance provided by an external audit.
Required:
Identify and explain the level of assurance provided by an external audit and other review engagements. (3 marks)
Pear’s directors are considering establishing an internal audit department next year, and the finance director has asked about the differences between internal audit and external audit and what impact, if any, establishing an internal audit department would have on future external audits performed by Apple & Co.
Required:
(d) Distinguish between internal audit and external audit. (4 marks)
(e) Explain the potential impact on the work performed by Apple & Co during the interim and final audits, if Pear International Co was to establish an internal audit department. (4 marks)
A.Recalculation involves the auditor’s independent execution of procedures or controls which were originally performed as part of the entity’s internal control
B.Confirmation consists of seeking information of knowledgeable persons, within the company or outside the company
C.Reperformance consists of checking the mathematical accuracy of documents or records
D.Observation consists of looking at a procedure or process being performed by others
(a) Contrast the role of internal and external auditors. (8 marks)
(b) Conoy Co designs and manufactures luxury motor vehicles. The company employs 2,500 staff and consistently makes a net profit of between 10% and 15% of sales. Conoy Co is not listed; its shares are held by 15 individuals, most of them from the same family. The maximum shareholding is 15% of the share capital.
The executive directors are drawn mainly from the shareholders. There are no non-executive directors because the company legislation in Conoy Co’s jurisdiction does not require any. The executive directors are very successful in running Conoy Co, partly from their training in production and management techniques, and partly from their ‘hands-on’ approach providing motivation to employees.
The board are considering a significant expansion of the company. However, the company’s bankers are
concerned with the standard of financial reporting as the financial director (FD) has recently left Conoy Co. The board are delaying provision of additional financial information until a new FD is appointed.
Conoy Co does have an internal audit department, although the chief internal auditor frequently comments that the board of Conoy Co do not understand his reports or provide sufficient support for his department or the internal control systems within Conoy Co. The board of Conoy Co concur with this view. Anders & Co, the external auditors have also expressed concern in this area and the fact that the internal audit department focuses work on control systems, not financial reporting. Anders & Co are appointed by and report to the board of Conoy Co.
The board of Conoy Co are considering a proposal from the chief internal auditor to establish an audit committee.
The committee would consist of one executive director, the chief internal auditor as well as three new appointees.
One appointee would have a non-executive seat on the board of directors.
Required:
Discuss the benefits to Conoy Co of forming an audit committee. (12 marks)
A.That all deficiencies in internal control known to management have been communicated to the auditor
B.That subsequent events requiring adjustment or disclosure in the financial statements have been dealt with appropriately
C.That the payroll charge for three months of the year when the accounting records were unavailable is correctly stated
D.That management has fulfilled their responsibility for the preparation and presentation of the financial statements
