ThroughaStrategic—SystemsLens

ThroughaStrategic—SystemsLens This monograph is not intended to constitute an exhaustive coverage of all of the policies and procedures comprising KPMG’s full audit process, and how it comports with generally accepted auditing standards. PDF file   HTML version Note:  · For best printing results please print the PDF file. · To order hard copies of the monograph please contact Pam Bullis of KPMG (email pbullisxkpmgx or call (201) 307-77一三. The KPMG Business Measurement Process Timothy B. Bell Frank O. Marrs KPMG LLP Ira Solomon Howard Thomas University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Foreword by William R. Kinney, Jr. x 1997 by KPMG LLP, the U.S. member firm of KPMG International, a Swiss association All rights reserved. Contents Foreword Preface Introduction Current Authoritative Guidance About the Need to Understand the Client’s Business and Industry Overview of the Evolution of Auditing Practices Assessing Audit Risk Through a Strategic-Systems Lens The Global Business Environment A Proposed Knowledge Acquisition Framework for the Risk-Based Strategic-Systems Audit The KPMG Business Measurement Process Business Models, KPIs, Expectations, and Audit Evidence Concluding Comments Appendix References About the Authors Footnotes Foreword by William R. Kinney, Jr. As the twentieth century comes to a close, information technology has brought dramatic changes to business processes, to business organization, and even to auditing. These changes require major reconsideration of what we know about financial-statement audit technology. This monograph presents the thinking of two leading practitioners and two leading scholars on the foundations of auditing technology for the twenty-first century. With changes in information technology, the inherent reliability of information systems for routine transactions processing is substantially increased, controls over transactions are increasingly embedded in software, and extensive data on nonfinancial dimensions of business performance are economical for audit use. But because information technology and deregulation have lowered barriers to entry in many industries, a company can lose viability quickly, making financial statements less reliable predictors of the future. Therefore, analysis of business viability is an important determinant of the value of audited financial statements. This monograph makes it clear that business viability and profitability assessments are essential elements of financial-statement auditing today and for the twenty-first century. The authors also make it clear that the viability of the whole of a business is more than the sum of its parts. The individual financial-statement elements can be valid, yet the entity as a whole not be viable because of the complex interdependencies comprising business viability. The monograph focuses on analyses of strategy, business processes to achieve strategy, key indicators necessary to monitor performance of business processes in achieving strategy, and risks faced by an entity. 〝Understanding the client’s business〞 is not a new concept, and neither is the idea of a 〝top down〞 approach to financial-statement auditing. References to both can be found in the 1960s in audit manuals of large CPA firms. What is new is a serious attempt to provide guidance to field auditors applying these concepts. Serious thought, formal analysis of an entity’s strategy, and whether it can be achieved have not been financial-statement audit steps. KPMG’s Business Measurement Process (BMP) approach makes common this type of thoughtful analysis. The viability of a business is formally considered, and it provides a basis for forming expectations about what should be the financial-statement balances for the audit period. If an entity has a viable strategy, reasonable plans, effective internal control, and account balances that are close to expectations, then the need for detailed auditing is limited to exceptional items. The monograph includes a review of the history of auditing practice, how it is changing, and how BMP satisfies auditing standards. In addition, the authors provide numerous references to concepts outside traditional auditing thought. These references can form a basis for research by scholars and practitioners. Furthermore, the monograph contains numerous phrases beginning with 〝we believe.〞 Some of the 〝we believes〞 are straightforward and not controversial. Others are controversial, and should be subjected to systematic inquiry. To me, this is a major contribution of the monograph — it can lead to thoughtful research by scholars and practitioners. The monograph also contains implications for what should be the accounting, auditing, and business curriculum for the twenty-first century. Clearly information technology will be important, as will how best to measure key performance factors, including nonfinancial measures. In addition, education for assurance services that