Πάντειο Πανεπιστήμιο Κοινωνικών και Πολιτικών Επιστημών
Περίληψη:
Η παρούσα διπλωματική εργασία εκπονείται στα πλαίσια του μεταπτυχιακού προγράμματος «Ελεγκτική και Φορολογία» του τμήματος Δημόσιας Διοίκησης και πραγματεύεται το φαινόμενο της απάτης στις οικονομικές καταστάσεις. Στο πλαίσια του θέματος θα αναλύσουμε μέσω βιβλιογραφικής ανασκόπησης την παραποίηση των οικονομικών καταστάσεων καθώς και την σημασία που έχει αποκτήσει τα τελευταία χρόνια η έγκαιρη πρόβλεψη και η κατά το δυνατόν πληρέστερη καταπολέμηση της στην συνέχιση των δραστηριοτήτων και στην βιωσιμότητα των επιχειρήσεων τόσο στο Ευρωπαϊκό όσο και στο παγκόσμιο πάλκο. Έναυσμα για την επιλογή του συγκεκριμένου θέματος αποτέλεσαν τα πρόσφατα οικονομικά σκάνδαλα που έλαβαν χώρα στην Ελλάδα. Μία παραδοχή, η οποία χαρακτηρίζει ιδιαίτερα την εποχή μας σύμφωνα με τον Ian Griffiths (1981) είναι ότι «η Δημιουργική Λογιστική είναι το μεγαλύτερο κόλπο μετά τον Δούρειο Ίππο». Αναλυτικά, στο πρώτο σκέλος της εργασίας, παρατίθεται το εννοιολογικό πλαίσιο της απάτης προσπαθώντας μέσα από την υπάρχουσα θεωρία να οριοθετήσουμε σωστά τον ορισμό της, τις προϋποθέσεις ώστε να υπάρξει το φαινόμενο της απάτης, με χαρακτηριστική αναφορά να γίνεται στο «Τρίγωνο της Απάτης» καθώς και σε ποιες μορφές μπορεί να εμφανιστεί με κύρια και σημαντικότερη στα πλαίσια της εργασίας μας την περίπτωση της παραποίησης των οικονομικών καταστάσεων. Παράλληλα, γίνεται εκτενής αναφορά στις πρακτικές και στα λογιστικά τεχνάσματα που μπορεί να ακολουθήσει μία εταιρεία όταν έχει σκοπό να παραπλανήσει τους άμεσα ενδιαφερόμενους επί των οικονομικών καταστάσεών της με ιδιαίτερη μνεία να γίνεται στην «Δημιουργική Λογιστική». Στην συνέχεια, παρατίθεται το κανονιστικό πλαίσιο που διέπει τον έλεγχο επί των οικονομικών καταστάσεων και πιο συγκεκριμένα τα Διεθνή Πρότυπα Ελέγχου με ιδιαίτερη έμφαση να δίνεται στα Δ.Π.Ε. 240, 315, 700 και 550, τον νόμο του Sarbanes Oxley, καθώς επίσης και στο ρόλο που διαδραματίζει ο ελεγκτής στην πρόληψη και στον εντοπισμό της απάτης. Ένα σημαντικό κεφάλαιο ακόμα αποτελεί η εταιρική διακυβέρνηση και ο εσωτερικός έλεγχος, τα οποία μελετώνται και αναλύονται στα πλαίσια που σχετίζονται με φαινόμενα απάτης. Συγκεκριμένα, δίδεται έμφαση στην διαφοροποίηση του φύλου καθώς και στον ρόλο των ανεξάρτητων μελών στην παραποίηση των οικονομικών καταστάσεων. Οι παραπάνω παραδοχές πραγματοποιούνται ώστε να δημιουργηθεί το κατάλληλο υπόβαθρο για τον αναγνώστη και αφού τον εισαγάγουμε στην έννοια της απάτης, στην συνέχεια να προχωρήσουμε στην ειδικότερη ανάλυση τριών ερευνών που εξετάζουν την πρόβλεψη της απάτης στις οικονομικές καταστάσεις, οι οποίες επιλέχθηκαν έπειτα από την μελέτη τριάντα και πλέον επιστημονικών ερευνών από την διεθνή και εγχώρια βιβλιογραφία. Στις έρευνες που επιλέχτηκαν εξετάζεται η εφαρμογή ενός μοντέλου πρόβλεψης της απάτης, σε καθεμία αντίστοιχα. Συγκεκριμένα, τα μοντέλα αυτά είναι: 1. Μοντέλο πρόβλεψης της απάτης με την χρήση χρηματοοικονομικών δεικτών 2. Μοντέλο πρόβλεψης της απάτης βάσει διαφοροποίησης του φύλου 3. Μοντέλο πρόβλεψης της απάτης κατά Beneish Για τα παραπάνω μοντέλα αποτυπώνεται μία θεωρητική προσέγγιση, η μεθοδολογία έρευνας και τα αποτελέσματα βάση των οποίων κρίναμε ότι ξεχώρισαν και ήταν σημαντικά στην διεθνή βιβλιογραφία στην συνεχή προσπάθεια για την πρόληψη της απάτης στις οικονομικές καταστάσεις. Στόχος της ανάλυσης των μοντέλων αυτών είναι η κατανόηση και κυρίως η αποσαφήνιση των μεταβλητών εκείνων που διαδραματίζουν καίριο ρόλο στην πρόβλεψη και κατά συνέπεια στον εντοπισμό της απάτης. Συνεπώς, σύμφωνα με την ανασκόπηση που διενεργήσαμε στην εγχώρια και διεθνή βιβλιογραφία οδηγούμαστε στο συμπέρασμα ότι η πρόβλεψη της απάτης απαιτεί την εξέταση πολλών παραγόντων είτε ποιοτικών είτε ποσοτικών. Πολλοί ερευνητές προσπάθησαν να προσεγγίσουν το φαινόμενο της οικονομικής απάτης σε θεωρητικό επίπεδο. Η ραγδαία εξέλιξη της αγοράς χρήζει όμως την υιοθέτηση πιο δραστικών μέτρων ώστε οι μέτοχοι καθώς και οι άμεσοι ενδιαφερόμενοι μίας οντότητας να μην παραπλανώνται. Οι Ορκωτοί Ελεγκτές μέσω ποικίλων ελεγκτικών διαδικασιών τείνουν να εντοπίζουν την ύπαρξη απάτης σε κάποιες περιπτώσεις. Ωστόσο, λόγω του όγκου των πληροφοριών ο δειγματοληπτικός έλεγχος δεν αποφέρει σε ένα πλήθος συναλλαγών την απόλυτη διασφάλιση, αλλά μία εύλογη διασφάλιση ότι οι χρηματοοικονομικές καταστάσεις έχουν καταρτιστεί ορθά και με σαφήνεια.
Abstract:
This master thesis is being developed within the framework of the postgraduate program "Auditing and Taxation" of the Department of Public Administration of Panteion University and deals with the phenomenon of fraud in the financial statements. We will analyze through bibliographic review the falsification of the financial statements as well as the importance of the timely anticipation in order to assure the continuation of activities and the sustainability of businesses both in Europe and worldwide. The recent economic scandals that took place in Greece were the starting point for this dissertation. An admission that characterizes our era, according to Ian Griffiths (1981), is that "Creative Accounting is the biggest trick after the Trojan Horse." In the first part of the thesis, the conceptual framework of fraud is presented, trying to define its meaning, the preconditions for the phenomenon of fraud, with a reference to the "Triangle of Fraud" as well as in what forms may appear with the main and most important in our work the case of falsification of the financial statements. At the same time, there is an extensive reference to the practices and accounting tricks that a company can follow when it is intended to mislead those directly concerned about its financial situation with particular reference to "Creative Accounting". Next, the regulatory framework governing the audit of the financial statements, and in particular the International Auditing Standards, with more emphasis given on the ISA 240, ISA 315, ISA 700 and ISA 550, the Sarbanes Oxley Act, as well as the role played by the auditor in preventing and detecting fraud. Another important chapter is corporate governance and internal audit, which are studied and analyzed in frames related to fraud phenomena. In particular, emphasis is placed on gender diversity and the role of independent members in falsifying financial statements. The above assumptions are made to create the appropriate background for the reader and after introducing him into the concept of fraud, then proceed to the specific analysis of three papers that examine the prediction of fraud in the financial statements, which were selected between more than thirty scientific researches from international and domestic literature. In the selected papers, the application of a fraud prediction model is examined, respectively. Specifically, these models are: 1. Financial Ratios of Fraudulent and Non Fraudulent Entities 2. Gender Diversity Model 3. Beneish Model We approached the theoretical background, the research methodology and the results of each one of the above models. The aim of the analysis of these models is to understand and, above all, to clarify those variables that play a key role in predicting and thus identifying fraud. Consequently, according to the review we conducted in the domestic and international literature, we conclude that the prediction of fraud requires the consideration of many factors, either qualitative or quantitative. Many researchers have attempted to approach the phenomenon of financial fraud on a theoretical level. The rapid development of the market, however, requires the adoption of more active measures so that shareholders and direct stakeholders of an entity are not misled. Certified auditors, through a variety of audit procedures, tend to detect fraud in some cases. However, due to the volume of information, sampling does not result in a large number of transactions, but a reasonable assurance that the financial statements have been properly and clearly prepared.This master thesis is being developed within the framework of the postgraduate program "Auditing and Taxation" of the Department of Public Administration of Panteion University and deals with the phenomenon of fraud in the financial statements. We will analyze through bibliographic review the falsification of the financial statements as well as the importance of the timely anticipation in order to assure the continuation of activities and the sustainability of businesses both in Europe and worldwide. The recent economic scandals that took place in Greece were the starting point for this dissertation. An admission that characterizes our era, according to Ian Griffiths (1981), is that "Creative Accounting is the biggest trick after the Trojan Horse." In the first part of the thesis, the conceptual framework of fraud is presented, trying to define its meaning, the preconditions for the phenomenon of fraud, with a reference to the "Triangle of Fraud" as well as in what forms may appear with the main and most important in our work the case of falsification of the financial statements. At the same time, there is an extensive reference to the practices and accounting tricks that a company can follow when it is intended to mislead those directly concerned about its financial situation with particular reference to "Creative Accounting". Next, the regulatory framework governing the audit of the financial statements, and in particular the International Auditing Standards, with more emphasis given on the ISA 240, ISA 315, ISA 700 and ISA 550, the Sarbanes Oxley Act, as well as the role played by the auditor in preventing and detecting fraud. Another important chapter is corporate governance and internal audit, which are studied and analyzed in frames related to fraud phenomena. In particular, emphasis is placed on gender diversity and the role of independent members in falsifying financial statements. The above assumptions are made to create the appropriate background for the reader and after introducing him into the concept of fraud, then proceed to the specific analysis of three papers that examine the prediction of fraud in the financial statements, which were selected between more than thirty scientific researches from international and domestic literature. In the selected papers, the application of a fraud prediction model is examined, respectively. Specifically, these models are: 1. Financial Ratios of Fraudulent and Non Fraudulent Entities 2. Gender Diversity Model 3. Beneish Model We approached the theoretical background, the research methodology and the results of each one of the above models. The aim of the analysis of these models is to understand and, above all, to clarify those variables that play a key role in predicting and thus identifying fraud. Consequently, according to the review we conducted in the domestic and international literature, we conclude that the prediction of fraud requires the consideration of many factors, either qualitative or quantitative. Many researchers have attempted to approach the phenomenon of financial fraud on a theoretical level. The rapid development of the market, however, requires the adoption of more active measures so that shareholders and direct stakeholders of an entity are not misled. Certified auditors, through a variety of audit procedures, tend to detect fraud in some cases. However, due to the volume of information, sampling does not result in a large number of transactions, but a reasonable assurance that the financial statements have been properly and clearly prepared.This master thesis is being developed within the framework of the postgraduate program "Auditing and Taxation" of the Department of Public Administration of Panteion University and deals with the phenomenon of fraud in the financial statements. We will analyze through bibliographic review the falsification of the financial statements as well as the importance of the timely anticipation in order to assure the continuation of activities and the sustainability of businesses both in Europe and worldwide. The recent economic scandals that took place in Greece were the starting point for this dissertation. An admission that characterizes our era, according to Ian Griffiths (1981), is that "Creative Accounting is the biggest trick after the Trojan Horse." In the first part of the thesis, the conceptual framework of fraud is presented, trying to define its meaning, the preconditions for the phenomenon of fraud, with a reference to the "Triangle of Fraud" as well as in what forms may appear with the main and most important in our work the case of falsification of the financial statements. At the same time, there is an extensive reference to the practices and accounting tricks that a company can follow when it is intended to mislead those directly concerned about its financial situation with particular reference to "Creative Accounting". Next, the regulatory framework governing the audit of the financial statements, and in particular the International Auditing Standards, with more emphasis given on the ISA 240, ISA 315, ISA 700 and ISA 550, the Sarbanes Oxley Act, as well as the role played by the auditor in preventing and detecting fraud. Another important chapter is corporate governance and internal audit, which are studied and analyzed in frames related to fraud phenomena. In particular, emphasis is placed on gender diversity and the role of independent members in falsifying financial statements. The above assumptions are made to create the appropriate background for the reader and after introducing him into the concept of fraud, then proceed to the specific analysis of three papers that examine the prediction of fraud in the financial statements, which were selected between more than thirty scientific researches from international and domestic literature. In the selected papers, the application of a fraud prediction model is examined, respectively. Specifically, these models are: 1. Financial Ratios of Fraudulent and Non Fraudulent Entities 2. Gender Diversity Model 3. Beneish Model We approached the theoretical background, the research methodology and the results of each one of the above models. The aim of the analysis of these models is to understand and, above all, to clarify those variables that play a key role in predicting and thus identifying fraud. Consequently, according to the review we conducted in the domestic and international literature, we conclude that the prediction of fraud requires the consideration of many factors, either qualitative or quantitative. Many researchers have attempted to approach the phenomenon of financial fraud on a theoretical level. The rapid development of the market, however, requires the adoption of more active measures so that shareholders and direct stakeholders of an entity are not misled. Certified auditors, through a variety of audit procedures, tend to detect fraud in some cases. However, due to the volume of information, sampling does not result in a large number of transactions, but a reasonable assurance that the financial statements have been properly and clearly prepared.This master thesis is being developed within the framework of the postgraduate program "Auditing and Taxation" of the Department of Public Administration of Panteion University and deals with the phenomenon of fraud in the financial statements. We will analyze through bibliographic review the falsification of the financial statements as well as the importance of the timely anticipation in order to assure the continuation of activities and the sustainability of businesses both in Europe and worldwide. The recent economic scandals that took place in Greece were the starting point for this dissertation. An admission that characterizes our era, according to Ian Griffiths (1981), is that "Creative Accounting is the biggest trick after the Trojan Horse." In the first part of the thesis, the conceptual framework of fraud is presented, trying to define its meaning, the preconditions for the phenomenon of fraud, with a reference to the "Triangle of Fraud" as well as in what forms may appear with the main and most important in our work the case of falsification of the financial statements. At the same time, there is an extensive reference to the practices and accounting tricks that a company can follow when it is intended to mislead those directly concerned about its financial situation with particular reference to "Creative Accounting". Next, the regulatory framework governing the audit of the financial statements, and in particular the International Auditing Standards, with more emphasis given on the ISA 240, ISA 315, ISA 700 and ISA 550, the Sarbanes Oxley Act, as well as the role played by the auditor in preventing and detecting fraud. Another important chapter is corporate governance and internal audit, which are studied and analyzed in frames related to fraud phenomena. In particular, emphasis is placed on gender diversity and the role of independent members in falsifying financial statements. The above assumptions are made to create the appropriate background for the reader and after introducing him into the concept of fraud, then proceed to the specific analysis of three papers that examine the prediction of fraud in the financial statements, which were selected between more than thirty scientific researches from international and domestic literature. In the selected papers, the application of a fraud prediction model is examined, respectively. Specifically, these models are: 1. Financial Ratios of Fraudulent and Non Fraudulent Entities 2. Gender Diversity Model 3. Beneish Model We approached the theoretical background, the research methodology and the results of each one of the above models. The aim of the analysis of these models is to understand and, above all, to clarify those variables that play a key role in predicting and thus identifying fraud. Consequently, according to the review we conducted in the domestic and international literature, we conclude that the prediction of fraud requires the consideration of many factors, either qualitative or quantitative. Many researchers have attempted to approach the phenomenon of financial fraud on a theoretical level. The rapid development of the market, however, requires the adoption of more active measures so that shareholders and direct stakeholders of an entity are not misled. Certified auditors, through a variety of audit procedures, tend to detect fraud in some cases. However, due to the volume of information, sampling does not result in a large number of transactions, but a reasonable assurance that the financial statements have been properly and clearly prepared.
Περιγραφή:
Διπλωματική εργασία - Πάντειο Πανεπιστήμιο. Τμήμα Δημόσιας Διοίκησης, ΠΜΣ, κατεύθυνση Ελεγκτική και Φορολογία, 2019
