Finansiella revisorns IT-kompetens

: En studie om den finansiella revisorns granskning av affärssystem

Abstract

Information technology is an expanding area that is evolving in step with technological development. As the society becomes more digital, it has a significant impact on the financial auditor and its audit work. There is previous research and discussions about how important IT competence is for the financial auditor due to the growing IT environment.

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the financial auditor has sufficient IT competence to audit information systems, to understand if or when the financial auditor engages the help of an IT auditor and examine the expectations that exist for the financial auditors. To answer the studies purpose and the formulated questions, a qualitative research method with semi-structured interviews was conducted. The respondents who participated in the study were auditors from various auditing firms and a CEO, they formed the empirical data which were then analyzed by using the studies theoretical framework.

The key conclusions in the study are that the financial auditor considers themselves to have sufficient IT competence to perform their tasks and to be able to audit an information system. The study indicates that basic knowledge of how information systems work is required from a financial auditor to perform an audit of the system. The study also indicates that a financial auditor can engage the help of IT auditors when their knowledge is not sufficient. It appears mainly in audits of complex and special adapted information systems. Lastly the result of the study shows that the expectation of the financial auditor is in line with the customer’s expectations.