Enterprise risk management

Part 1

Describe the internal control principle of “Risk Assessment” as presented in COSO’s 2013 Framework, SOX 2002 Sections 404 & 302, and PCAOB’s AS 5.

Compare the internal control effectiveness of the Internal Control-Integrated Framework issued by COSO, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, Section 404 “Internal Control over Financial Reporting Requirements”, and PCAOB’s AS 5 “an Audit of Internal Control over Financial Reporting that is integrating with an Audit of Financial Statements.”

Part 2

Read the article “Sarbanes-Oxley and Public Reporting on Internal Control: Hasty Reaction or Delayed Action?”. Do you agree with the authors that the COSO 1992 Framework and SOX 2002 Section 404 succeeded in changing the ways companies thought of internal controls over risk assessment? Why or why not?

Requirements: 2 Pages

Please separate the two parts.1PAGE EACH

Answer preview

The COSO, SOX Section 404, and PCAOB’s AS 5 have demonstrated equal effectiveness in providing internal control structure and procedures needed for financial reporting. According to Lawson et al. (2017), the SOX law, in general, emphasizes organizations use the COSO framework for conducting internal controls to achieve the required standards for risk assessments and auditing. This also aligns with the PCAOB’s AS 5, whereby the standardized procedure helps identify the highest risks in financial information. However, a significant difference is that the COSO offers a framework for the organizational managers to use when creating their control environment (Lawson et al., 2017). On the other hand, the SOX 404, which acts as a compliance program, requires managers to sign off on the designed internal controls based on their financial reporting (Leech, 2003). Further, the PCAOB’s AS 5, compared to the COSO, SOX Section 404, acts as a prompt warning system for spotting the highest risks in financial reports (Goelzer, 2008).

[798 Words]

Enterprise risk management

Variable Interest Annuities

Variable Interest Annuities (VIE’s) have gained wide attention due to the company Enron. Based on this weeks reading and weekly lecture:

Explain what VIE’s are and what part did VIE’s play in the collapse of Enron?

Does the Walt Disney Company have any VIE’s? Who are they, where are they located and how does the company account for the VIE’s?

Review the following company VIE’s and comment on the accounting application of the entity:

oGeneral Electric

oConAgra Foods

oTime Warner

oAllegheny Energy

Part 2

Explain the concept of non-controlling interest.

Research examples from corporate financial statements and notes and provide specific examples of non-controlling interest.

Requirements: 2 Pages

Answer preview

General Electric has numerous subsidiaries, including GE Aviation, GE Healthcare, DE addictive, and others. The Company consolidates its income, losses, and assets on its financial statements. Time Warner is a US Company that is owned by AT&T. The Company has various subsidiaries, including Warner Bros, HBO, and Pictures. The Company’s revenues, losses, assets, and obligations are consolidated in AT&T’s financial information. Allegheny Energy is a USD company that offers electric services in some parts of the USA. The Company merged with FirstEnergy company in 2010. ConAgra Foods specializes in packaging food products, and it is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. It has various VIEs, including Pinnacle Food, ConAgra Food Lamb Weston, KAG Tech, Bernoulli, and others. Its subsidiaries’ income and losses are consolidated in its financial income.

[696 Words]

Variable Interest Annuities