Journal of Corporate Accounting and Finance : Special Enron Report

"The Journal of Corporate Accounting and Finance - Special Enron Report" delves into such critical topics such as how to prevent future Enrons, the lessons learned from Enron, the state of internal auditing, forensic accounting, internal control systems, technology and auditing, audit best practices and audit committees.

Can We Prevent Future Enrons? (J. Edward Ketz) - Despite a rash of "underauditing" problems in recent years, the accounting profession has done little to stop their spread.

The latest result is another disaster: Enron. Why had the United States had such a plague of questionable accounting?

Exactly what went wrong with Enron? The author answers these questions and takes a sobering look 0at the implications - and what should be done.

Enron's Lessons: Rebuilding Internal Auditing Now! (Gordon Smith) - The Enron debate proves that outsourcing the internal audit department is a bad idea.

Now is the time to get rid of the outsourcing and strengthen your own internal auditing.

The author gives some valuable tips on making it stronger, smarter, and flexible.

Will Technology Defeat Your Auditor?(Paul Munter) - Enron is only the latest of a growing list of frauds that went undetected for years.

Even if your auditor is honest, the widespread use of technology makes it tougher for him to ding the crime - and make the bad guys do the time.

But what do you have a right to expect from you auditor?

This Is a Job for Superman: Calling in a Forensic Accountant (A.

Carr Conway Jr. and Robert W. Rouse) - Restatements of financial statements have become distressingly common in recent years.

These restatements have involved small public companies as well as large well known registrants.

A large accounting firm reported that there were 233 restatements in 2000, double the number in 1997.

Stop Fraud Cold with Powerful Internal Controls(Tommie Singleton) - Since the Enron debacle, companies are re examining their internal controls.

Sometimes managers see them as an obstacle. But it doesn't have to be that way. The author shows you how to build stronger internal controls that can enhance corporate objectives.

Internal Benchmarking: How to Be the Best - And Stay that Way(Rob Reider) - Is there a formula for success?

Some companies manage to succeed by dumb luck. Others use savvy business acumen and polished methods, yet fail miserably.

But you can discover your own success formula using internal benchmarking, says the author.

Here's how you do it. Audit Committees: How Good Are They? (F. Todd DeZoort, Dana R. Hermanson, Richard W. Houston) - Audit committees must bear some of the blame for recent corporate scandals.

Perhaps they were asleep at the switch. But how much financial expertise do audit committee members really have? And how often do they discuss materiality issues with auditors?

A national survey of 300 audit committee members provides some answers - and not all of them are comforting.