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We aim to offer empirical evidence about the effect of the interaction between the audit committee and internal audit function (IAF) on the moral courage of the chief audit executive (CAE). Methodology: We follow a mixed approach. In a first stage, we sent questionnaires to CAEs of 60 listed, financial and non-financial Tunisian companies. To enhance the depth of our analysis, we performed, in the second stage, semi-directed interviews with 22 CAEs from listed financial and non-financial Tunisian companies. Findings: We find that the existence of private access to the audit committee has a positive effect on the moral courage of the CAE. The number of meetings between the audit committee and the CAE, the examination of internal audit programs and results together with the contribution of the audit committee to the appointment and dismissal of the CAE do not show a significant link with the moral courage of the CAE. We also find an insignificant relationship between the audit committee's examination of interaction between management and the IAF and the moral courage of the CAE. Originality: To the best of our knowledge, we fill one of the major research gaps in the auditing literature by demonstrating the critical role of audit committee-internal audit interaction in promoting the CAE's moral courage to behave ethically.

This paper investigates the variables driving the demand for life insurance in Tunisia based on annual macroeconomic data spanning the period from 1990 to 2014 and collected from the Swiss Reinsurance company and the World Bank's databases. We provide a characterization of the Tunisian life insurance sector and a comparison to some emerging markets. Empirical results show that life insurance demand increases with income and financial development. However, other economic variables such as inflation and interest rate do not seem to influence life insurance consumption in Tunisia. Socio‐demographic variables such as dependency, life expectancy at birth and the country's level of urbanization stimulate life insurance demand, while the level of education dampens it. Finally, pension expenditures have a negative effect on life insurance consumption confirming the substitution by social security system for private insurance.

This study investigates the effect of positive states, perceived supervisor support and independence of internal audit function on internal auditors' moral courage. Although extensive research has suggested that risk of feared consequences is the major cause that inhibits internal auditors from reporting managerial fraud, there has been little empirical investigation into the way of fostering internal auditors' moral courage to speak up. This study used a survey of 146 internal auditors in Tunisia. The partial least squares–structural equation model was used to test our hypotheses. The results indicate that self‐efficacy, resilience, perceived supervisor support and the independence of internal audit function have a positive effect on the internal auditors' moral courage; however, state hope does not show a significant link. Additionally, we find that women experience higher levels of moral courage than men do.

A string of accounting-related scandals has revealed key shortcomings in internal auditor truthfulness. These scandals have led researchers, professional organizations and institutions to question causes of internal auditor silence and the failure of ethical guidelines. This study responds to these questions by revealing moral courage as the missing ingredient in internal auditor ethical instruction and as the tool needed for internal auditors to preserve their integrity and overcome their fears. Building on what is currently known of internal auditors and moral courage, this study sheds light on professional and ethical requirements placed on internal auditors to tell the truth, and it emphasizes the role of moral courage in guiding their ethical behaviors. It also considers what must be known about the development of moral courage among internal auditors and seeks to identify the factors that promote internal auditors' moral courage through thirty structured interviews with chief audit executives.