Course Content
Accounting Fundamentals #1-org (Copy 1)

Management override

Access to assets

Substance over form

Conflicts of interest

Failure to anticipate certain risks

Collusion


Along with key success factors, there are a couple key threats to successful internal controls

Management Override: A well-designed control system, if set aside at management’s discretion, can be equivalent to no control in terms of risk.

Access to Assets: The best way to safeguard assets is to control access to them.

Substance over Form: Controls may appear to be well-designed and still lack substance.

Conflicts of Interest: When an employee’s loyalties are divided there is a distinct risk that the employee will chose a course of action detrimental to the organization.

Failure to Anticipate Certain Risks: Management may fail to anticipate certain risks, and thus fail to design and implement appropriate controls. Collusion: Two or more employees may agree to circumvent internal controls.