Internal audit function, board quality and financial reporting quality: evidence from Malaysia

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to test the impact of the internal audit function (IAF), an increasingly common internal governance mechanism, on a firm's financial reporting quality. Specifically, this paper investigates the association between the quality of the IAF and abnormal accruals (as a proxy for financial reporting quality) and whether the board of directors play a role in moderating the relationship. Design/methodology/approach This paper uses a unique dataset of survey responses and archival data. Regression analysis was used to test their hypotheses. Findings Although their initial findings show an unexpected positive relationship between internal audit quality and abnormal accruals, this relationship is contingent on whether firms outsource their internal audit activities and/or whether they are politically linked. In estimations excluding outsourcing and political connections observations, this paper shows that the association between internal audit quality and abnormal accruals is negative and in particular internal audit organisational independence, financial focus audit activities and investment are associated with lower income-increasing (opportunistic) abnormal accruals. Next, when this paper interact board quality with internal audit quality, this paper finds although the lower ordered variables board quality and internal audit quality coefficients are negatively related to abnormal accruals, the interaction variable between these two variables is positively associated with abnormal accruals, indicating the possibility of a substitution relationship between board quality and internal audit quality. Research limitations/implications Their findings show that certain internal audit attributes play an important role in the financial reporting process and thus these findings are expected to inform the Institute of Internal Auditors and other regulatory bodies on the role of internal audit (being an important internal governance mechanism) in financial reporting, which in turn can assist in market/regulatory reforms/changes and inform the revised Malaysian Code of Corporate Governance. Originality/value This paper extends prior internal auditing literature by examining the relationship between internal audit quality and financial reporting quality in the context of a developing country, namely Malaysia, and whether the board of directors moderate the examined association

What do we know about the attitudes, experiences and needs of Black and minority ethnic carers of people with dementia in the United Kingdom? A systematic review of empirical research findings

This paper reviews recent literature on the experiences, attitudes and needs of caring for someone with dementia in Black and minority ethnic communities in the United Kingdom. Eight articles, which investigated carer experiences from Black and minority ethnic communities when caring for someone with dementia, were critically appraised. All eight studies used a qualitative methodology. The review identified several themes and issues across the qualitative studies. These included memory loss being viewed as a normal process of ageing, care being perceived as an extension of an existing responsibility, a poor understanding of what support services provide, the influence of migration, the impact of stigma and increased female responsibility. Methodological limitations of the research literature studies are also highlighted and clinically relevant implications are discussed, alongside recommendations for future research in this area

Evaluation of casing variables for cultivation of Agaricusbisporus strain U3 in Punjab, India

Casing is an important step during cultivation of button mushroom. It promotes a shift of vegetative mycelium to form pinheads leading to mature basidiocarps. Therefore, An experiment was planned at Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana in which farm yard manure (FYM), biogas slurry (BS), burnt rice husk (BRH), spent compost (SC), coir pith (CP) and sandy soil (SS) were used in six combinations to evaluate their impact on yield of Agaricusbisporus strain U3. Casing mixtures were analyzed for the moisture, water holding capacity (WHC), bulk density, pH, electrical conductivity (EC) and mineral analysis. The moisture content of casing mixtures ranged between 33 to 56.3% with maximum in FYM+CP (1:1) and FYM+BS (1:1) which results in more water holding capacity with 160% and 100% for FYM+CP (1:1) and FYM+BS (1:1) respectively. The bulk density of different casing mixtures ranged between 33.3 to 83.3% and maximum for FYM+BS as well as the control FYM+SS (4:1). No significant variation in pH of casing mixture was observed while EC was significantly higher in FYM+BS (1:1) with 1.7 mmhos cm-1. Microbial count of different casing mixtures was between 3.0-5.7×105 which was statistically non-significant with respect to casing mixtures. A mixture of FYM+BRH (1:1) gave maximum yield of 15.1 kg with heavy fruit bodies. Number of fruiting bodies in casing mixture FYM+BRH (1:1) were 31.4, 26.4, 148.1,31.4 and 8.1 percent higher over FYM+CP (1:1), FYM+SC (1:1), FYM+BS (1:1), FYM and FYM+SS (4:1,control), respectively. The casing mixture FYM+BRH (1:1) with higher number of fruiting bodies with maximum fruiting bodies weight was the best alternate in mushroom growing industry

Cervicothoracic spinal cord and pontomedullary injury secondary to high-voltage electrocution: a case report

INTRODUCTION: High-voltage electrical injuries are uncommonly reported and may predispose to both immediate and delayed neurologic complications. CASE PRESENTATION: We report the case of a 43-year-old Caucasian man who experienced a high-voltage electrocution injury resulting in ischemic myelopathy and secondary paraparesis. CONCLUSION: High-voltage electrocution injuries are a serious problem with potential for both immediate and delayed neurologic sequelae. The existing literature regarding effective treatment of neurologic complications is limited. Long-term follow-up and multidisciplinary management of these patients is required