International internal audit standards (IIA) and the geographical location of international groups: An application to the information technology sector

Abstract

The international standards for internal audit (IIA) created by the Internal Audit Institute in the United States are presently one of the most important bases for the practice of the internal audit profession. In this research, we assess the use of these principles in international groups through empirical studies, adopting an objective evaluation of the application of the standards. This multivariate statistical study was conducted in 2017 on more than 22 countries covering Africa, Middle East and Europe. Data was collected through a validated questionnaire covering two topics: general company information, and international internal audit standards applicability and relevance. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS-22 software (IBM, New York, USA). Results showed that audit quality components, information technology and accounting and finance have a favorable correlation with the international standards. In conclusion, these findings suggest such standards are expected to enhance the internal audit practice. As such, international companies should consider applying these standards in their core practice promote the application of the standards through complying their audit practice strategies to the regulations.