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The study aims to explore the reasons behind external auditors' failure to detect and report fraud.
Abstract
Purpose
The study aims to explore the reasons behind external auditors' failure to detect and report fraud.
Design/methodology/approach
Semi-structured interviews were conducted with twenty-four experienced Big 4 auditors.
Findings
The present study reveals power issues within audit firms and how some dishonest audit partners deal with auditors' concerns at the higher echelons. It also shows how auditors are pressured and intimidated by audit clients when fraud-related issues are raised. Further, it sheds light on ethical, governance and regulatory issues inhibiting auditors’ ability to detect or report fraud.
Research limitations/implications
This study advances the audit literature by adding practice-based evidence on why external auditors fail to discover fraud.
Practical implications
The results draw policymakers' attention to the issues that inhibit external auditors' ability to discover fraud in practice which could help policymakers develop effective interventions. Additionally, it provides several recommendations which could aid policymakers and audit firms in designing effective audit reforms to resolve the fraud detection deficit.
Originality/value
This is the first study exploring external auditors' views on their failure to detect and report fraud and how the conflict of interests operates in the audit practice.
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This paper reviews recent research on the expected economic effects of developing artificial intelligence (AI) through a survey of the latest publications, in particular papers…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper reviews recent research on the expected economic effects of developing artificial intelligence (AI) through a survey of the latest publications, in particular papers and reports issued by academics, consulting companies and think tanks.
Design/methodology/approach
Our paper represents a point of view on AI and its impact on the global economy. It represents a descriptive analysis of the AI phenomenon.
Findings
AI represents a driver of productivity and economic growth. It can increase efficiency and significantly improve the decision-making process by analyzing large amounts of data, yet at the same time it creates equally serious risks of job market polarization, rising inequality, structural unemployment and the emergence of new undesirable industrial structures.
Practical implications
This paper presents itself as a building block for further research by introducing the two main factors in the production function (Cobb-Douglas): labor and capital. Indeed, Zeira (1998) and Aghion, Jones and Jones (2017) suggested that AI can stimulate growth by replacing labor, which is a limited resource, with capital, an unlimited resource, both for the production of goods, services and ideas.
Originality/value
Our study contributes to the previous literature and presents a descriptive analysis of the impact of AI on technological development, economic growth and employment.
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Antonio D’Andreamatteo, Giuseppe Grossi, Giorgia Mattei and Massimo Sargiacomo
This paper aims to explore how the phenomena of corruption and fraud in the public sector have been portrayed in the literature using the Audit Society Framework (Power, 1997).
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to explore how the phenomena of corruption and fraud in the public sector have been portrayed in the literature using the Audit Society Framework (Power, 1997).
Design/methodology/approach
The authors conducted a structured literature review (Massaro et al., 2016) to unveil relevant literature in the area of corruption and fraud in the public sector.
Findings
Results highlight that the literature using “The Audit Society” theory is still scant. Notwithstanding the call for a more decisive role of auditors in fighting corruption and fraud, much is still to be discovered about consequences of auditing and what “good quality” is.
Research limitations/implications
The main limitation is that only literature in English has been included.
Practical implications
This paper helps practitioners and policymakers to take and implement informed decisions with regards to the fight against fraud and corruption.
Social implications
In calling for more research in the domain of audit, fraud and corruption in the public sector, this paper promotes a higher focus of society on public interest and the common good.
Originality/value
This paper investigates one part of The Audit Society related to corruption and fraud, topics that are still very underdeveloped and unexplored by researchers. From the findings the authors suggest possible new avenues for further research.
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Nicole F. Stowell, Carl Pacini, Martina K. Schmidt and Nathan Wadlinger
This study aims to increase awareness and educate the reader about health-care fraud targeting seniors in the USA to help stakeholders better understand, recognize and prevent…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to increase awareness and educate the reader about health-care fraud targeting seniors in the USA to help stakeholders better understand, recognize and prevent this type of fraud.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper collects statistics on the current state of health care frauds committed against seniors, and examines related cases and laws.
Findings
The authors find this type of fraud is highly prevalent and expected to increase. Current laws preventing this fraud from occurring are multifold and complex. While prevention strategies through law enforcement have been somewhat successful, a reduction in resources may put seniors at an increased risk in the years to come.
Research limitations/implications
Without additional prevention strategies, the problem will likely escalate with a growing population of older adults. This study encourages further research into effective prevention strategies and methods to fight health-care fraud against seniors.
Practical implications
Health-care fraud and its associated costs pose a significant threat to the society and economy of the USA. Reducing this fraud will not only reduce the costs to the US economy but also improve the physical and mental well-being of senior victims, reduce their mortality and hospitalization rates and improve the public trust placed to health-care providers.
Originality/value
This study highlights how health-care fraud is committed against seniors. With the projected trend of an aging US population, educating stakeholders, increasing awareness and applying tools to protect seniors will be important to reduce the absolute scope of this problem in the future.
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No country is free from financial crime issues. Therefore, this paper aims to discover how to control financial crime from the perspective of national culture.
Abstract
Purpose
No country is free from financial crime issues. Therefore, this paper aims to discover how to control financial crime from the perspective of national culture.
Design/methodology/approach
This study conducted a bibliometric approach and systematic literature review analysis of 47 publications in the Scopus database.
Findings
Bibliometric and content analyses show that national culture is more often associated with tax evasion, money laundering and corruption. The role of national culture is less investigated currently in the schemes of financial statement crime, workplace fraud and cybercrime. Overall, the study concludes financial crime can be prevented by developing a culture that supports anti-fraud measures. These include individualized country profiles, feminism, low power distance, tolerance for uncertainty, short-term orientation and restraint.
Originality/value
This research provides clear knowledge of the role of the six dimensions of national culture in fighting financial crime. Finally, this study is also valuable for decision-making in designing more effective financial crime prevention programs.
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Julien Le Maux and Nadia Smaili
The purpose of this paper is to provide a review of the literature on white-collar crime that combines the perspectives of criminology and management sciences research.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide a review of the literature on white-collar crime that combines the perspectives of criminology and management sciences research.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on a systematic review of white-collar crime recidivism, this paper defines crime and the white-collar criminal from a different perspective. The literature review was conducted using a multidisciplinary approach.
Findings
This paper offers an insightful discussion of white-collar recidivism. In particular, it highlights the interesting use of “Post Conviction Risk Assessment,” a tool used in criminology literature, and aims to show that the probability of recidivism in white-collar crime can be effectively measured and evaluated. This tool is commonly used by American professionals in combatting criminal recidivism.
Originality/value
This study provides interesting insights into white-collar crime recidivism. It has a number of implications for probation officers and criminologists evaluating the recidivism risk of white-collar criminals for reintegration purposes.
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Georgia Kontogeorga and Anna Papapanagiotou
The purpose of this paper is to examine how Supreme audit institutions (SAIs) address the issue of auditing ethical cases and, more specifically, to research whether the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine how Supreme audit institutions (SAIs) address the issue of auditing ethical cases and, more specifically, to research whether the organizational structure of an SAI affects the variables of “corruption” and “trust in government.”
Design/methodology/approach
The authors categorized SAIs into two groups depending on their organizational structure according to two divergent philosophies: the court (French) and Anglo-Saxon models. These reflect the presidential and parliamentary systems, respectively. Given the lack of a common definition for these concepts, the authors tested their results using several indexes for corruption by examining OECD (The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) Member countries between 2015 and 2019.
Findings
The authors’ research showed that SAIs organized according to the Anglo-Saxon philosophy achieved better scores than judicial SAIs for all indexes, and the difference was statistically significant. This result confirms the results of previous studies; however, one single common SAI model worldwide is not necessarily the optimal solution for fighting corruption.
Originality/value
The topic of this paper is a challenging and promising one for scholars and practitioners alike, as it combines a review of SAIs' community practices with academic research by expanding the scant literature in this field.
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Andrada Popa (Sabău), Monica Violeta Achim and Alin Cristian Teusdea
The aim of this study is to approach the way in which corporate governance influences the occurrence of financial fraud, as expressed by the M-Beneish score. In order to get…
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this study is to approach the way in which corporate governance influences the occurrence of financial fraud, as expressed by the M-Beneish score. In order to get further into the topic, we have first computed a corporate governance score based on the comply-explain statement and then selected a few elements that are part of the corporate governance reporting: equilibrium of board members (EQUIL), independence of board members (INDEP), selection of the board members (NOM), remuneration policy (REM), audit committee (AUDIT) and the proportion of female directors on boards (GenF). They were tested, one by one, using the financial fraud score to see the way in which they interact.
Design/methodology/approach
The study is conducted on a sample of 65 companies listed on the Bucharest Stock Exchange (BSE) for the 2016–2022 period. The data were processed using three-stage general least square [general least squares (GLS), with iteration, igls and option] with a common first-order panel-specific autocorrelation correction, so as to explain how a poor adoption of the corporate governance score and its elements has a negative implication for the M-Beneish score, controlling for the auditor opinion, type of auditing company and if the company is privately owned.
Findings
The results support most of our research hypothesis, revealing that a poor adoption of the corporate governance score and its components – AUDIT, EQUIL, INDEP and GenF – negatively influences the M-Beneish score, i.e. a low corporate governance score will lead to an increase in financial fraud. This is an encouraging aspect, for an improved adoption of the corporate governance principles reduces the occurrence of financial fraud.
Research limitations/implications
This is a study that concerns the relationship between corporate governance and financial fraud for the case study for Romania.
Practical implications
The study highlights the importance of adopting the corporate governance code applied to the Romanian business environment. By measuring the presence of financial fraud appearance through the M-Beneish score, we have managed to outline the negative relationship between the two components. Thus, it is an important aspect of which companies should take account, so they will have long-term benefits and ensure the continuity of the business.
Social implications
The policy implications of this project are for policymakers, so that they will understand how a good corporate governance mechanism will enhance high-performing businesses. Different aspects regarding corporate governance were validated and are in the process of being validated. Managers can extract and try to understand and apply the good characteristics of corporate governance for the well-being of their companies. At a broader level, the macroeconomic environment will increase its own well-being while encouraging market players to enhance qualitative corporate governance reporting. There is no doubt that corporate governance has a positive impact on businesses.
Originality/value
The study highlights the importance of adopting the corporate governance code as applied to the Romanian business environment. By measuring the occurrence of financial fraud using the M-Beneish score, we have managed to outline the negative relationship between the two components. Therefore, this is an important aspect that companies should take into account in order to have long-term benefits and ensure the continuity of their business.
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Keywords
Thiago Da Silva Telles Constantino, Antônio Carlos Magalhães Da Silva and Maria Aline Moreira De Oliveira Constantino
Most scientific research has focused on understanding Ponzi schemes from the point of view of the schemes and their operators, based on qualitative analysis. This paper aims to…
Abstract
Purpose
Most scientific research has focused on understanding Ponzi schemes from the point of view of the schemes and their operators, based on qualitative analysis. This paper aims to analyze Ponzi schemes from the perspective of their investors, emphasizing behavioral aspects, which have been little explored in the scientific literature, especially in quantitative research. In this way, the authors sought to understand the effects of heuristics and cognitive biases in understanding investor behavior.
Design/methodology/approach
A logistic regression was carried out with Brazilian investors, some of them participants in Ponzi schemes, who answered a structured questionnaire by means of a survey.
Findings
The authors found that social pressures, overconfidence and deliberate ignorance lead to credulity, generating little risk analysis and the desire to make a lot of money quickly.
Practical implications
Helping investors improve their levels of information through financial education and self-knowledge about their behavior. Contribute to the competent authorities in the search for improvements in the information displayed to investors.
Social implications
Understanding the mechanisms used when making a financial decision from the point of view of investors in general, but especially those exposed to Ponzi schemes, has the mission of enlightening them about the importance of financial education and the weight of psychological factors so that they can reduce the effects of heuristics and analysis biases when faced with a financial decision.
Originality/value
The basis of this work will be the inclusion of psychological variables and financial education, adapting existing models in an attempt to demonstrate the effects they may or may not have on mental accounting in the specific case of investors
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This study aims to observe people’s decisions to commit fraud. This study is important in the current time because it provides insights into the development of fraudulent…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to observe people’s decisions to commit fraud. This study is important in the current time because it provides insights into the development of fraudulent intentions within individuals.
Design/methodology/approach
The information used in this study is derived from semi-structured interviews, conducted with 16 high-ranking officials who are employed in Indonesian local government positions.
Findings
The study does not have strong evidence to support prior studies assuming that situational factors or social enablers have direct effects on fraud intentions. As suggested, individual factors which are related to moral reasoning (moral judgment and rationalisation) emerge as a consequence of social enablers. The significant role of that moral reasoning is to rationalise any fraud attempt as permissible conduct. As such, when an individual is capable of legitimising his/her fraud attempt into appropriate self-judgement, s/he is more likely to engage in fraudulent behaviours.
Practical implications
This study offers practical prescriptions in guiding the management to develop strategies to curb fraudulent behaviours. The study suggests that moral cognitive reasoning is found to be a parameter of whether fraud is an acceptable option or not. So, an understanding of observers’ moral reasoning is helpful in predicting the likelihood of fraud within an organisation or in detecting it.
Originality/value
This study provides a different perspective on the psychological pathway to fraud. It becomes a complement work for the fraud triangle to explain fraudulent behaviours. Specifically, it provides crucial insights into the underlying motivations that lead individuals to accept invitations to engage in fraudulent activities.
Details