Internal Auditing and Consulting Practice: A Comparison between UK/Ireland and Italy

Changes to the definition of internal auditing have increased the scope of internal audit by explicitly including consulting activities. Yet, despite recognition and clarification of the consulting role for internal audit, little subsequent research has been undertaken. Hence, we aim in this article to provide a comparison of the nature, extent and consequences of the definitional change on internal audit consulting activities undertaken by a sample of IIA members in the UK/Ireland and Italy. A comparison of the results of the two self-completion questionnaire surveys reveals a significant rise in the levels and scope of activities in consulting in both countries but this has been greater in the UK/Ireland. While there are similarities between the countries, more UK/Ireland members are involved in change management and project management, while a majority of Italian members are involved in model design and implementation. In both countries, internal auditors are experiencing both benefits and drawbacks.