Date of Conferral
2020
Degree
Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.)
School
Information Systems and Technology
Advisor
David Harris
Abstract
The digitization of the corporate and regulatory environment presents an opportunity for internal audit organizations to change their audit techniques and increase their value to corporations. Audit functions have not kept pace with these advancements, as evidenced by the massive frauds in recent years, and current audit methodology does not robustly incorporate analytics and security of data. Grounded in agency theory, the purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore successful strategies business leaders use to implement data analytics and security for internal auditing and fraudulent activity. The participants comprised 3 audit leaders in Pennsylvania, who effectively used data analytics and security strategies to promote quality audits and detect fraud. Data collected from semistructured interviews and company documents facilitated thematic analysis. Four themes emerged: data analytics framework, human capital, technology, and stakeholder engagement. A key recommendation for successful implementation of data analytics is a strategy to staff the audit function with the appropriate level of IT and finance skills, which would reduce the overall cost of implementation. The implications for positive social change include the potential to increase confidence in financial statements and the potential for job opportunities and support of economic growth in the local communities.
Recommended Citation
Auchey, Desiree, "Effective Data Analytics and Security Strategies in Internal Audit Organizations" (2020). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 8838.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/8838
