system and to analyze business processes, procedures, and activities. An important goal of the internal audit function is highlighting potential organizational weaknesses before they become costiy--or public--crises. As part of the process, internal auditors suggest solutions that management can implement to remediate control deficiencies----that is, internal auditors seek to evaluate the design and operational effectiveness of controls, as we Uas assess the extent to which managers coo have reasonable aSSUfOOCtheat tile organization's objectives will be achieved.
Effective audit functions typically report to top management and generally have direct communication with the audit committee of the board of directors. Although this communication and reporting structure may seem objective. auditors should not be perceived as being truly impartial. Because an unbiased perspective is so important in an audit function, auditors should perform assessments in areas where they do not have a vest ed interest and where they are insulated from tile consequences that might result from their findings. As such. an internal audit function that combines a direct reporting process to the audit committee or the full board of direc tors with an objective evaluation can offer an invaluable contribution to effective corporate oversight. In those instances where the work of internal auditors is credible and insightful, it can also be relied upon by tile organization's external auditors.