Professional skepticism

 is discussed in this article http://journalofaccountancy.com/News/20126953.htm
related to the PCAOB Staff Audit Practice Alert  #10 that was just issued.   The 16 page document discusses this issue, citing examples in current audits where it is especially relevant.    http://pcaobus.org/Standards/QandA/12-04-2012_SAPA_10.pdf

PCAOB board member expresses skepticism of

mandatory audit firm rotation.   Discusses the kind of data and analysis that would have to be done prior to making this decision and expresses these as hurdles.  This is one member on the Board's opinion only.   http://journalofaccountancy.com/News/20126956.htm

SEC files charges against

audit firms for failure to turn over reports on Chinese companies.  These are foreign offices of the big 4 and one other large firm.    http://accounting.smartpros.com/x74423.xml

Continuous Auditing

  Check out this 16 page assessment by the AICPA Assurance Services Executive Committee (ASEC) Emerging Assurance Technologies Task Force as it looks at the current state of Continuous Auditing  http://www.aicpa.org/InterestAreas/FRC/AssuranceAdvisoryServices/DownloadableDocuments/Whitepaper_Current-State-Continuous-Auditing-Monitoring.pdf 

Testing fraud IQ and data sets

in this Journal of Accountancy article.  http://www.journalofaccountancy.com/Issues/2012/Dec/20126200.htm

SEC Chairman Mary Schapiro stepping down

Elisse Walter to replace her.   Center for Audit Quality recognized Schapiro for her leadership during a period of turmoil in U.S. Capital Markets.  http://journalofaccountancy.com/News/20126902.htm

Study finds a woman on corporate board is

associated with greater integrity of financial reporting (fewer restatements).  Full study is reported in December 2012 issue of Accounting Horizons; this summary highlights some of the findings.   Authors surmise it to be attributed to independence issues

   http://www.accountingtoday.com/news/Women-Corporate-Boards-Encourage-Better-Financial-Reporting-64656-1.html