Learning objectives
a. Knowledge and understanding: in the first part of the course students learn corporate governance issues, with particular reference to the bodies, functions, and the way through which the control is developed over the enterprises operations (and in particular inside groups, listed and unlisted companies).
In the second part of the course students know auditing issues, with particular reference to the different approaches to ” contents controls” and “legitimacy controls” attributed to the statutory auditors and to the “external” auditors.
b. Applying knowledge and understanding: students will be able to interpret the most important analysis models for corporate governance systems adopted by the enterprises, as well as to understand the key issues related to the design and operation of internal control systems. In addition, students will be able to interpret and apply the most common audit techniques.
c. Making judgments: students will be able to successfully solve the logical interpretation of corporate governance systems and the definition of the auditing procedures.
d. Communication skills: at the end of the course, students will acquire the ability to analyze problems (problem solving skills), the interpersonal skills and the communication skills in written and oral form and with
different stakeholders. The acquisition of communication skills is achieved through the participation to case studies as well as through the presentation of the results of individual work or group work on items or
business cases presented by the professor.
e. Ability to learn: the course aims to support students learning through a correct approach to individual study and through the discussion with professor and colleagues of business cases.
Prerequisites
no
Course unit content
The course is composed by two parts.
The first part of the course will cover the following topics:
- corporate governance systems, with particular attention to the relations between ownership, management board and auditors;
- functions and responsibilities of the board of statutory auditors (“Collegio Sindacale”) and external auditors (“Revisori legali”);
- accounting, legal and management control;
- indipendence of auditors and rules of behaviour;
- the internal control system;
- disclosure of economic and financial informations;
- issues related to corporate governance system and the related parties transactions and the rules of the Decree Law 231/2001.
The second part of the course deals with specific matters relating to financial auditing. The internal control system. Risks in the auditing process. Financial statements auditing. Methods for ensuring and grading the reliability of economic and financial informations.
Full programme
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Bibliography
FELLEGARA A.M. (a cura di), Governo, controllo e informazione societaria nei gruppi aziendali, McGraw-Hill, Milano, 2009.
MARCHI L., Principi di revisione contabile. Un approccio per cicli operativi, Giuffrè, Milano, 2005.
Consiglio Nazionale dei Dottori Commercialisti e degli Esperti Contabili, Principi di revisione.
Borsa Italiana, Comitato per la Corporate Governance, Codice di Autodisciplina, 2018.
Materiale messo a disposizione dal docente sulla piattaforma “elly”.
Teaching methods
Lectures, Group work, seminars and case study.
Assessment methods and criteria
The assessment of the learning ability will be done with an written exam, through which students will be required to answer to open-ended questions. The written test will allow for each student to test the knowledge, the ability to apply knowledge, the ability to communicate appropriately and the independence of judgment. In particular, the ability to work in a team will be assessed through the evaluation of the workgroup developed during the course, concerning the issues developed in the first part of the course. It is planned an interim exam (written test and oral dissertation) concerning the argument developed in the first part of the course.
The assessment of learning skills will be carried out with a written exam lasting 1 hour and 30 minutes, through which the student will be required to process the knowledge acquired through the answer to “open” questions.
There are 4 “open” questions, each one having the same weight in the overall evaluation in 30/30; two questions will focus on the topics covered in the first Module (first part of the exam), two questions will focus on the topics covered in the second Module (second part of the exam).
The two parts will be evaluated in 30/30; the final mark will be the average of the mark obtained in the two parts.
A sufficient evaluation is needed in both parts of the exam.
This method of verifying learning will make it possible to ascertain the knowledge acquired and the ability to apply this knowledge, as well as the ability to communicate with appropriate technical language and express judgments in an autonomous form on the subjects being assessed.
Moreover, the ability to work in a group will be ascertained through the supervision, by the teacher, of the group work elaborated during the course, with particular reference to what was dealt with in the first module.
The group work will be differently developed in consideration of the number of participating students, but will provide the assignment of 0, 1 or 2 points (depending on the results obtained) to be added to the final evaluation acquired by supporting the final written test.
The student will have to demonstrate that he/she has understood, and be able to apply, the fundamental concepts of each subject dealt with.
The use of texts during the performance of this written test is not permitted. The results will be communicated to the students through the information system used in this regard by the Department of Economic and Business Sciences.
Moreover, the verification of learning can consider the sustaining of an ongoing test, during the course, concerning the topics of the first Module. In this case, the test will last 45 minutes, and will consist of 2 open questions, with the same weight, and the result will be expressed in 30/30. In this case, the results will be visible within the "elly" portal within two weeks of carrying out the test in progress.
The score obtained in this way can be added (on average) to the score obtained in the performance of the only test concerning the second Module (also expressed in thirtieths) to be necessarily supported in the winter session, and not for more than once.
Otherwise, the proof must be supported in its "whole" version as previously described.
Other information
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2030 agenda goals for sustainable development
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