在美上市公司内部控制重大缺陷认定、披露及对我国企业的借鉴

Material weakness Identification and Disclosure by Firms Listed in U.S.and its Enlightenment to China's Firms

本文研究了《萨班斯—奥克斯利法案》执行初期在美国上市的公司财务报告内部控制重大缺陷的认定及披露。研究发现,许多重大缺陷是根据内部控制审计准则指出的表明公司内部控制可能存在重大缺陷的重要迹象来认定的;其他的则通过重大缺陷的定义来认定。披露的内部控制重大缺陷涉及到COSO《内部控制—整合框架》五要素的几乎所有内容,以及资产负债表和利润表的几乎所有项目。仅有部分公司披露导致交易或账户层面重大缺陷的企业层面内部控制重大缺陷,同时,仅有部分公司披露受账户或交易层面内部控制重大缺陷影响的所有账户。本文最后分析了在美上市公司重大缺陷认定及披露对我国上市公司执行《企业内部控制基本规范》及其配套指引的借鉴。

This paper investigates the internal control material weakness identification, disclosure by firms listed in U.S. during the early implementation of＂Sarbanes - Oxley Act＂, and finds that many material weaknesses were identified through the strong indicators that a material weakness in internal control over financial reporting exists, others were identified through the definition of material weakness. The disclosed material weaknesses relate to almost all components of COSO Internal Control-Integrated Framework, and almost all balance sheet and income statement items. This paper also finds that only part of the sample firms disclosed the company-level material weakness which caused those account balances or transaction -level process material weaknesses, while only part of the sample firms disclosed all balance sheet and income statement items affected by the identical account balance or transaction -level process material weakness. Finally, this paper analyses the enlightenment of material weakness identification, disclosure by firms listed in U.S. to China＇s listed firms to implement Basic Standard of Internal Control for Enterprises and its guidelines .