1、1本科毕业论文（设计）外文翻译外文作者CAMPBELLDAVIDR,CAMPBELLMARYV原文GUIDANCEFORSMALLERPUBLICCOMPANIESREPORTINGONINTERNALCONTROLSANOVERVIEWANDASSESSMENTOFTHECOSOEXPOSUREDRAFTSINCETHEPASSAGEOFTHESARBANESOXLEYACTOF2002SOX,THEREHASBEENANINCREASEDFOCUSONTHECONTROLENVIRONMENTOVERFINANCIALREPORTINGSOXSECTION404REQUIRESMANAGE
2、MENTTOEVALUATEINTERNALCONTROLSOVERFINANCIALREPORTINGANDREPORTONTHEIREFFECTIVENESSLARGEPUBLICCOMPANIESHAVEBEENUSINGTHECOMMITTEEOFSPONSORINGORGANIZATIONSCOSOFRAMEWORK,ISSUEDIN1992,TOASSESSTHEEFFECTIVENESSOFTHEIRCONTROLSHOWEVER,DUETOCONCERNSOVERTHECOSTANDCOMPLEXITYOFCOMPANIESFORSMALLERPUBLICCOMPANIESSP
3、C,THEDEADLINEFORTHESECOMPANIESNONACCELERATEDFILERSHASBEENEXTENDEDTOFISCALYEARSENDINGAFTERJULY2007ADDITIONALUNCERTAINTYREGARDINGTHETIMINGANDAPPLICABILITYOFSECTION404TOSPCSSURFACEDRECENTLYWHENANSECADVISORYPANELRECOMMENDEDEXEMPTINGASIGNIFICANTPROPORTIONOFTHESECOMPANIESFROMSECTION404COMPLIANCEBASEDUPONM
4、ARKETCAPITALIZATIONWHILESOMESPCSWILLWAITTOSEEWHATLEGISLATIONREQUIRESBEFORELOOKINGATINTERNALCONTROLS,OTHERSPCS,NOTFORPROFITS,ANDEDUCATIONALINSTITUTIONSAREMOVINGFORWARDEVENWITHOUTLEGISLATIVEREQUIREMENTSANDCANUSEADDITIONALGUIDANCEASARESULTOFTHEIMPLEMENTATIONCONCERNSFORSPCS，ANDTHEAPPROPRIATENESSOFITSFRA
5、MEWORK,COSOISSUEDANEXPOSUREDRAFTEDINOCTOBER2005INTENDEDTOPROVIDEIMPORTANTGUIDANCETOSPCSWHENASSESSINGTHEEFFECTIVENESSOFTHEIRINTERNALCONTROLSOVERFINANCIALREPORTINGANALYZINGRESPONSESTOTHEEDREVEALSACONCERNTHATONEOFTHEMOSTSIGNIFICANTISSUESFACINGSECTION404COMPLIANCEBYSPCS,COSTEFFECTIVEIMPLEMENTATION,HADNO
6、TBEENADDRESSEDANDTHATTHEEDLACKEDSPECIFICAPPLICABILITYTOTHESMALLESTOFSPCSTHISARTICLEPROVIDESANOVERVIEWOFTHEEDANDHIGHLIGHTSTHEMAJORCONCERNSRAISEDBY176RESPONDENTS,COVERINGBROADSPECTRUMOF2INTERESTEDPARTIES,INCLUDINGTHEAICPA,PCAOB,STATECPASOCIETIES,CPAFIRMS,THEFINANCIALEXECUTIVESINTERNATIONALFEI,THEINSTI
7、TUTEOFMANAGEMENTACCOUNTANTSIMA,ANDVARIOUSTRADEASSOCIATIONSEXPOSUREDRAFTOVERVIEWANISSUETHATCONCERNEDMANYRESPONDENTSWASTHATCOSODIDNOTDEFINEASMALLBUSINESSINDISCRETEQUANTITATIVETERMSINSTEAD,THEEDSDEFINITIONWASBROAD,BECAUSETHEGUIDANCEWASINTENDEDFORPRIVATECOMPANIESANDNOTFORPROFITSTHATMAYWISHTOSTRENGTHENTH
8、EIRCONTROLSOVERFINANCIALREPORTING,ASWELLASFORSPCSTOMEETTHISBROADEROBJECTIVE,THEDEFINITIONOFSMALLWASBASEDONQUALITATIVECHARACTERISTICSSUCHASSIMPLEPRODUCTLINESANDPROCESSINGREQUIREMENTSASMALLGROUPOFOWNERSWHOMANAGETHEBUSINESSAWIDERSPANOFMANAGEMENTCONTROLAVARIABLECOSTBASISFORTHEACQUISITIONOFSERVICESOPERAT
9、INGSIZEDEFINEDGEOGRAPHICBOUNDARIESTHEEDNOTEDTHEFOLLOWINGSPECIALCHALLENGESTHATSMALLBUSINESSESFACEREGARDINGINTERNALCONTROLSADEQUATESEGREGATIONOFDUTIESINCREASEDOPPORTUNITYFORMANAGEMENTOVERRIDEOFCONTROLSATTRACTINGANADEQUATEPOOLOFINDEPENDENTOUTSIDEPARTIESTOSERVEONTHEBOARDOBTAININGADEQUATEINTERNALACCOUNTI
10、NGRESOURCESCONTROLSOVERINFORMATIONTECHNOLOGYTHEEDADDRESSEDOTHERIMPLEMENTATIONDIFFERENCESBETWEENLARGEANDSMALLCOMPANIES,INCLUDINGHOWSMALLBUSINESSESMAYNEEDTOFOCUSMOREATTENTIONONMONITORINGACTIONSASOPPOSEDTOSTIPULATINGSPECIFICCONTROLACTIVITIES,WHICHWOULDREQUIREMOREFORMALDOCUMENTATIONTHEEDALSOSTRESSEDTHEI
11、MPORTANCEOFA“RISKLENS“THROUGHWHICHTOVIEWTHECOMPANYSCONTROLENVIRONMENTTHISLASTPOINTISESPECIALLYIMPORTANT,BECAUSEACCELERATEDFILERS,MOSTOFWHOMONLYRECENTLYADOPTEDARISKBASEDAPPROACH,HAVEFOUNDTHISTOBEANEFFECTIVEWAYOFREDUCINGCOSTSAND3ENSURINGVALUEDELIVEREDFOREACHDOLLARSPENTWHILEMOSTRESPONDENTSAGREEDTHATTHE
12、EDADDRESSEDKEYISSUESANDADDEDVALUEINMANYAREASOFSOXIMPLEMENTATION,VARIOUSSTAKEHOLDERSRAISEDSIGNIFICANTISSUESTHEVASTMAJORITYOFRESPONDENTSSERIOUSLYQUESTIONEDTHEABILITYOFSPCSTOACHIEVESUBSTANTIALCOSTREDUCTIONTHROUGHTHEGUIDANCEPROVIDEDTHEYSTATEDTHATTHEDELICATEBALANCEBETWEENFORMALANDINFORMALCONTROLSEXISTING
13、INSPCSWASNOTADEQUATELYRECOGNIZEDANDTHATMANYOFTHEEXAMPLESPROVIDEDWERENOTREALISTICFORMOSTSMALLANDMEDIUMSIZEDSPCSSUGGESTEDSOLUTIONSTOIMPROVETHEOVERALLGUIDANCEFROMASMALLBUSINESSPERSPECTIVEINCLUDEDTHEFOLLOWINGDEFININGSPCSINANINTERNALCONTROLCONTEXTORBASEDONAFACTORSUCHASMARKETCAPITALIZATIONPROVIDINGGUIDANC
14、EONMEASURINGTHEEFFECTIVENESSOFTHE“TONEATTHETOP“OFSPCSFOCUSINGONTHEDEVELOPMENTOFATOPDOWNAPPROACHTOINTERNALCONTROLSTHATWOULDPROVIDEANILLUSTRATEDPROJECTPLANFORTHEEVALUATIONANDDOCUMENTATIONOFINTERNALCONTROLSFORSPCSFOCUSINGONRISKSUNIQUETOSMALLCOMPANIESANDHOWPROFESSIONALJUDGMENTMUSTBEAPPLIEDTOINDIVIDUALCO
15、MPANYCIRCUMSTANCESWHENDESIGNINGINTERNALCONTROLSEG,SPECIFICCHALLENGESRELATEDTOSEGREGATIONOFDUTIES,FINANCIALREPORTINGEXPERTISE,INDEPENDENCEOFBOARDMEMBERS,RISKOFMANAGEMENTOVERRIDEEXPANDINGTHEEMPHASISONTHEUNIQUEITRISKSFACINGSPCSTHISLASTITEM,THEUNIQUEITISSUESFACEDBYSPCSWASRAISEDBYMANYRESPONDENTSCONCERNSI
16、NCLUDEDTHEINABILITYTOSEPARATEITCONTROLSWITHINMANYSPCENVIRONMENTSTHEUSEOFSTANDARDIZEDSOFTWAREPACKAGESBYMANYSPCS,WITHALACKOFDOCUMENTATIONFORMODIFICATIONSTHENEEDFORITINVOLVEMENTINTHESOXPROCESSINTHEPLANNINGSTAGESFORTESTINGCONTROLSOVERFINANCIALREPORTINGANDTHEOVERALLLACKOFITEXPERTISEWITHINMANYSPCSAMONGRES
17、PONDENTSSUGGESTEDSOLUTIONSWERETHEINCLUSIONOFINCREASEDGUIDANCEONTHEDEVELOPMENTOFAPPROPRIATECRITERIAFORASSESSINGITINANSPCENVIRONMENT,ANDTHEINCLUSIONONSPCBOARDSOFINDIVIDUALSWITHITEXPERTISEWHOUNDERSTANDITANDRELATEDCONTROLSBUILDINGONTHEORIGINALFRAMEWORK4THE1992COSOFRAMEWORKINCLUDEDTHEFOLLOWINGCOMPONENTSC
18、ONTROLENVIRONMENTTHECOREOFANYBUSINESSISITSPEOPLETHEIRINDIVIDUALATTRIBUTES,INCLUDINGINTEGRITY,ETHICALVALUES,ANDCOMPETENCEANDTHEENVIRONMENTINWHICHTHEYOPERATETHEYARETHEENGINETHATDRIVESTHEENTITY,ANDTHEFOUNDATIONONWHICHEVERYTHINGRESTSRISKASSESSMENTTHEENTITYMUSTBEAWAREOFANDDEALWITHTHERISKSITFACESITMUSTSET
19、OBJECTIVES,INTEGRATEDWITHSALES,PRODUCTION,MARKETING,FINANCIAL,ANDOTHERACTIVITIES,SOTHATTHEORGANIZATIONISOPERATINGINCONCERTITALSOMUSTESTABLISHMECHANISMSTOIDENTIFY,ANALYZE,ANDMANAGETHERELATEDRISKSCONTROLACTIVITIESTHEENTITYMUSTESTABLISHANDIMPLEMENTCONTROLPOLICIESANDPROCEDURESTOENSURETHATTHEACTIONSIDENT
20、IFIEDBYMANAGEMENTASNECESSARYTOADDRESSRISKSTOACHIEVINGTHEENTITYSOBJECTIVESAREEFFECTIVELYCARRIEDOUTINFORMATIONANDCOMMUNICATIONSURROUNDINGTHECONTROLACTIVITIESARETHEINFORMATIONANDCOMMUNICATIONSYSTEMSTHESEENABLEANENTITYTOCAPTUREANDEXCHANGETHEINFORMATIONNEEDEDTOCONDUCT,MANAGE,ANDCONTROLITSOPERATIONSMONITO
21、RINGTHEENTIREPROCESSMUSTBEMONITORED,ANDMODIFICATIONSMADEASNECESSARYINTHISWAY,THESYSTEMCANREACTDYNAMICALLY,CHANGINGASCONDITIONSWARRANTTHEEDEMPHASIZEDTHATTHEORIGINALFRAMEWORKCOMPONENTSCONTINUEDTOBETHEFOUNDATIONFORASSESSINGCONTROLSBYALLENTITIESHOWEVER,ANEWAREAOF“ROLESANDRESPONSIBILITIES,“HIGHLIGHTINGTH
22、EIMPORTANCEOFMANAGEMENT,THEBOARD,ANDTHEENTIRESTAFFINESTABLISHINGAHIGHQUALITYINTERNALCONTROLFRAMEWORKFORTHEENTERPRISE,WASUNIQUEFORSPCSANDDESERVEDSPECIALEMPHASISMANYRESPONDENTSBELIEVEDTHATTHISADDITIONALGUIDANCEONLYCOMPLEMENTEDCOMPONENTSOFTHEORIGINALFRAMEWORKANDTHATTHESEADDITIONSCOULDHAVEBEENEASILYINTE
23、GRATEDWITHINTHE“INFORMATIONANDCOMMUNICATION“OR“MONITORING“COMPONENTSOFTHE1992FRAMEWORKTHUS,WHILESTATINGTHATTHEORIGINALFRAMEWORKHADNOTBEENMODIFIED,THESPECIFICADDITIONOFA“ROLESANDRESPONSIBILITIES“COMPONENTLEDREADERSTOSENSETHATTHEFRAMEWORKHADBEENREWORKEDANDTHATTHISMATERIALSHOULDBEINTEGRATEDINTOTHECOMPO
24、NENTSOFTHEEXISTING1992FRAMEWORK5NEWUNDERLYINGPRINCIPLESTHEMAJORNEWGUIDANCEFEATUREDINTHEEDWASTHEINCLUSIONOF26PRINCIPLESTHATREPRESENTEDTHE“FUNDAMENTALCONCEPTSASSOCIATEDWITHEACHINTERNALCONTROLCOMPONENT“WITHINTHEORIGINALFRAMEWORKTHATWEREINTENDEDTOGUIDEACOMPANYINASSESSINGWHETHERITHASESTABLISHEDEFFECTIVEC
25、ONTROLSOVERFINANCIALREPORTINGMANYRESPONDENTSVIEWEDTHESENEWPRINCIPLESASEFFECTIVELYDEFININGTHECOMPONENTSOFAGOODSYSTEMOFINTERNALCONTROLSSOMETHINGTHATCOMPANIESANDTHEIRAUDITORSMAYUSEASACHECKLISTDURINGTHEDOCUMENTINGANDTESTINGOFCONTROLEFFECTIVENESS,RATHERTHANGUIDELINESTHATWOULDREQUIREINDIVIDUALIZEDSPCINTER
26、PRETATIONINADDITION,MANYRESPONDENTSTHOUGHTTHATAPPLYINGTHESE26PRINCIPLESWOULDBETIMECONSUMINGANDWOULDNOTSIMPLIFYTHEFRAMEWORKSIMPLEMENTATIONFORSPCSRESPONDENTSTOTHEEDSUGGESTEDTHEFOLLOWINGSOLUTIONSEMPHASIZINGTHAT,ALTHOUGHTHEPRINCIPLESMAYBEHELPFUL,THEYDONOTREPLACETHEORIGINALFRAMEWORK,THEYMAYNOTBEPRESENTIN
27、ALLCASES,THEYARENOTEQUALLYIMPORTANT,ANDTHEYSHOULDNOTBEVIEWEDASAROADMAPTOEFFECTIVEINTERNALCONTROLSTHEPRINCIPLESCONTAINREDUNDANCIESTHATSHOULDBEADDRESSEDTHROUGHCONSOLIDATIONEGCONSOLIDATINGPRINCIPLES1,3,AND17ANDCOMBINING6,24,25,AND26THEEXHIBITLISTSALL26PRINCIPLES,ALONGWITHTHEFRAMEWORKCOMPONENTTOWHICHEAC
28、HONERELATESNOTICETHEADDITIONOFTHE“ROLESANDRESPONSIBILITIES“COMPONENTTOTHEORIGINALFRAMEWORKEXHIBITCOSOFRAMEWORKCOMPONENTSANDRELATEDPRINCIPLESCOMPONENTPRINCIPLECONTROLENVIRONMENT1、INTEGRITYANDETHICALVALUESSOUNDINTEGRITYANDETHICALVALUES,PARTICULARLYOFTOPMANAGEMENT,AREDEVELOPEDANDSETTHESTANDARDOFCONDUCT
29、FORFINANCIALREPORTING2、IMPORTANCEOFBOARDOFDIRECTORSTHEBOARDOFDIRECTORSUNDERSTANDSANDEXERCISESOVERSIGHTRESPONSIBILITYRELATEDTOFINANCIALREPORTINGANDRELATEDINTERNALCONTROL63、MANAGEMENTSPHILOSOPHYANDOPERATINGSTYLEMANAGEMENTSPHILOSOPHYANDOPERATINGSTYLESUPPORTACHIEVINGEFFECTIVEINTERNALCONTROLOVERFINANCIAL
30、REPORTING4、ORGANIZATIONALSTRUCTURETHECOMPANYSORGANIZATIONALSTRUCTURESUPPORTSEFFECTIVEINTERNALCONTROLOVERFINANCIALREPORTING5、COMMITMENTTOFINANCIALREPORTINGCOMPETENCIESTHECOMPANYRETAINSINDIVIDUALSCOMPETENTINFINANCIALREPORTINGANDRELATEDOVERSIGHTROLES6、AUTHORITYANDRESPONSIBILITYMANAGEMENTANDEMPLOYEESARE
31、ASSIGNEDAPPROPRIATELEVELSOFAUTHORITYANDRESPONSIBILITYTOFACILITATEEFFECTIVEINTERNALCONTROLOVERFINANCIALREPORTING7、HUMANRESOURCESHUMANRESOURCEPOLICIESANDPRACTICESAREDESIGNEDANDIMPLEMENTEDTOFACILITATEEFFECTIVEINTERNALCONTROLOVERFINANCIALREPORTINGRISKASSESSMENT8、IMPORTANCEOFFINANCIALREPORTINGOBJECTIVESA
32、PRECONDITIONTORISKASSESSMENTISTHEESTABLISHMENTOFOBJECTIVESFORRELIABLEFINANCIALREPORTING9、IDENTIFICATIONANDANALYSISOFFINANCIALREPORTINGRISKSTHECOMPANYIDENTIFIESANDANALYZESRISKSTOTHEACHIEVEMENTOFFINANCIALREPORTINGOBJECTIVESASABASISFORDETERMININGHOWTHERISKSSHOULDBEMANAGED10、ASSESSMENTOFFRAUDRISKTHEPOTE
33、NTIALFORMATERIALMISSTATEMENTDUETOFRAUDISEXPLICITLYCONSIDEREDINASSESSINGRISKSTOTHEACHIEVEMENTOFFINANCIALREPORTINGOBJECTIVESCONTROLACTIVITIES11、ELEMENTSOFACONTROLACTIVITYPOLICIESANDPROCEDURESTHATENABLEMANAGEMENTDIRECTIVESTOBECARRIEDOUTAREESTABLISHEDANDCOMMUNICATEDTHROUGHOUTTHECOMPANY,ATALLLEVELSANDACR
34、OSSALLFUNCTIONS712、CONTROLACTIVITIESLINKEDTORISKASSESSMENTACTIONSARETAKENTOADDRESSRISKSTOTHEACHIEVEMENTOFFINANCIALREPORTINGOBJECTIVES13、SELECTIONANDDEVELOPMENTOFCONTROLACTIVITIESCONTROLACTIVITIESARESELECTEDANDDEVELOPEDCONSIDERINGTHEIRCOSTANDTHEIRPOTENTIALEFFECTIVENESSINMITIGATINGRISKSTOTHEACHIEVEMEN
35、TOFFINANCIALREPORTINGOBJECTIVES14、INFORMATIONTECHNOLOGYINFORMATIONTECHNOLOGYCONTROLS,WHEREAPPLICABLE,AREDESIGNEDANDIMPLEMENTEDTOSUPPORTACHIEVEMENTOFFINANCIALREPORTINGOBJECTIVESINFORMATIONANDCOMMUNICATION15、INFORMATIONNEEDSINFORMATIONISIDENTIFIED,CAPTURED,ANDUSEDATALLLEVELSOFACOMPANYTOSUPPORTTHEACHIE
36、VEMENTOFFINANCIALREPORTINGOBJECTIVES16、INFORMATIONCONTROLINFORMATIONRELEVANTTOFINANCIALREPORTINGISIDENTIFIED,CAPTURED,PROCESSED,ANDDISTRIBUTEDWITHINTHEPARAMETERSESTABLISHEDBYTHECOMPANYSCONTROLPROCESSESTOSUPPORTTHEACHIEVEMENTOFFINANCIALREPORTINGOBJECTIVES17、MANAGEMENTCOMMUNICATIONALLPERSONNEL,PARTICU
37、LARLYTHOSEINROLESAFFECTINGFINANCIALREPORTING,RECEIVEACLEARMESSAGEFROMTOPMANAGEMENTTHATBOTHINTERNALCONTROLOVERFINANCIALREPORTINGANDINDIVIDUALCONTROLRESPONSIBILITIESMUSTBETAKENSERIOUSLY18、UPSTREAMCOMMUNICATIONCOMPANYPERSONNELHAVEANEFFECTIVEANDNONRETRIBUTIVEMETHODTOCOMMUNICATESIGNIFICANTINFORMATIONUPST
38、REAMINACOMPANY,19、BOARDCOMMUNICATIONCOMMUNICATIONEXISTSBETWEENMANAGEMENTANDTHEBOARDOFDIRECTORSSOTHATBOTHHAVERELEVANTINFORMATIONTOFULFILLTHEIRROLESWITHRESPECTTOGOVERNANCEANDFINANCIALREPORTINGOBJECTIVES,20、COMMUNICATIONWITHOUTSIDEPARTIESMATTERSAFFECTINGTHE8ACHIEVEMENTOFFINANCIALREPORTINGOBJECTIVESAREC
39、OMMUNICATEDWITHOUTSIDEPARTIESMONITORING21、ONGOINGMONITORINGONGOINGMONITORINGPROCESSESENABLEMANAGEMENTTODETERMINEWHETHERINTERNALCONTROLOVERFINANCIALREPORTINGISPRESENTANDFUNCTIONING22、SEPARATEEVALUATIONSSEPARATEEVALUATIONSOFALLFIVEINTERNALCONTROLCOMPONENTSENABLEMANAGEMENTTODETERMINETHEEFFECTIVENESSOFI
40、NTERNALCONTROLOVERFINANCIALREPORTING23、REPORTINGDEFICIENCIESINTERNALCONTROLDEFICIENCIESAREIDENTIFIEDANDCOMMUNICATEDINATIMELYMANNERTOTHOSEPARTIESRESPONSIBLEFORTAKINGCORRECTIVEACTION,ANDTOMANAGEMENTANDTHEBOARDASAPPROPRIATEROLESANDRESPONSIBILITIES24、MANAGEMENTROLESMANAGEMENTEXERCISESRESPONSIBILITYANDOW
41、NERSHIPFORINTERNALCONTROLOVERFINANCIALREPORTING25、BOARDANDAUDITCOMMITTEESTHEBOARDOFDIRECTORSPERFORMSITSOVERSIGHTRESPONSIBILITIESRELATINGTOTHEACHIEVEMENTOFEFFECTIVEINTERNALCONTROLOVERFINANCIALREPORTING,26、OTHERPERSONNELALLCOMPANYSTAFFACCEPTRESPONSIBILITYFORACTIONSTHATDIRECTLYORINDIRECTLYIMPACTFINANCI
42、ALREPORTINGSOURCECAMPBELLDAVIDR，CAMPBELLMARYVGUIDANCEFORSMALLERPUBLICCOMPANIESREPORTINGONINTERNALCONTROLSJTHECPAJOURNAL，2006，（9）22259译文较小型上市公司财务报告内部控制指南COSO征求意见稿的概述和评价自2002年颁布了萨班斯奥克斯利法案（SOX法案），财务报告的控制环境日益得到重视。萨班斯法案第404条，要求管理层对财务报告进行评估和报告内部控制的有效性。大型上市公司已经使用了COSO在1992年发表的内部控制框架来评估其控制的有效性。然而，由于考虑到较小型上市
43、公司对成本的关注和公司的复杂性，对这些公司的最后期限已延长至2007年7月以后的财政年度。当美国证券交易委员会咨询小组建议，基于其市场总值，对萨班斯法案第404条款提出的要求，相当大比例的较小型公司应给予豁免时，较小型上市公司有关第404条款的时间安排和适用性等更多的不确定性接踵而来。一些较小型上市公司在考虑内部控制之前将等待看看内部控制有什么法律规定，然而，一些较小型非盈利机构或教育机构在没有法律规定和更多的指导时但也正努力着手进行内部控制。由于考虑到较小型上市公司的执行力问题和对框架的适应性，2005年10月，COSO发布了题为小规模上市公司财务报告内部控制报告指南的征求意见稿，目的是在较
44、小型上市公司评估其对财务报告内部控制有效性时提供重要的指南。征求意见稿回馈分析揭示了一个值得关注的问题是较小型上市公司在遵守第404条面临的最重要的问题之一是成本效益原则的实施还没有得到解决，而且征求意见稿缺乏对最小型公司专门的适用性。本文提供了征求意见稿的概述，并着重介绍了176位涉及有关各方包括美国注册会计师协会、国家注册会计师协会、会计师事务所、国际财务执行官、管理会计师协会以及各种行业协会的受访者所关注的事项。征求意见稿概述一个许多受访者关注的问题是COSO并未作出一个数量条件来界定小规模公司，相反，COSO对小规模公司的界定范围是宽泛的。因为该指南针对的是期望通过财务报告来加强其控制
45、的较小型公司，其范围更大。为了满足更大范围的存在，较小型企业是基于以下定性的特点而言的101、简单的产品线和加工要求，2、由小数的业主进行管理，3、来自最高层广泛的管理控制，4、对可获得资源成本的不确定性，5、经营规模有限性，6、空间有限性。征求意见稿注意到小型公司关于内部控制方面遇到的以下特殊挑战1、获得足够的资源以实现充分的权责分离，2、管理层凌驾于控制之上的可能性很大，3、吸引足够的外部独立董事以有效地服务于董事会，4、获得具有足够的会计和财务报告方面经验和技能的人员，5、对计算机信息系统的适当控制。征求意见稿针对大公司和小公司之间的其他实施的差异，包括小公司可能需要重点关注监测行为，而
46、不需要用更多的正式文件来规定具体的控制活动。征求意见稿还强调指出风险关注对于查看该公司的控制环境的重要性。最后这一点尤为重要，因为其中大部分公司只是在最近接受了这项基于风险的控制方法，而且他们发现这是一个降低成本和确保所花费的每一分钱价值的有效途径。虽然大多数受访者一致认为，征求意见稿处理了萨班斯法案实施的关键问题并在许多领域存在价值，但各有关方面还是提出了大量的问题。绝大多数的受访者严重质疑较小型公司通过提供的指南实现大幅降低成本的能力。他们说，较小型公司对正式和非正式控制的微妙平衡并没有得到充分的认识，而且提供的许多例子并不适合大多数较小型公司的现实。从一个小公司的角度来提高总体指导的建议
47、方案包括下列各项1、在内部控制方面基于某一因素对小型公司进行界定，如资本市值，2、提供关于衡量小型公司内部控制有效性的指导，3、关注于自上而下的方式发展，这将为小型公司内部控制评价和内部控制文件制定提供一个可行的项目计划，4、对小型公司要关注其独特的风险领域，而且在内部控制设计时必须运用专业判断考虑每一个别公司环境情况的不同（例如，关于职责分工，财务报告的专业11性，董事会成员的独立性，管理层凌驾风险等具体挑战），5、扩大对所面临IT风险的重视。在最后一条中，许多受访者提出小型公司面对独特的IT控制问题。问题包括在现有小型公司环境下并不具备在充分独立下进行IT控制；在运用其它标准化的软件时缺乏
48、对其适用性作出修改的知识；IT规划阶段需要依据萨班斯法案对财务报告进行检测控制；小型公司缺乏整体的IT专业知识。受访者建议的解决方案是小型公司列入更多的评估IT控制适当性的的标准来作为指导，而且在董事会引入同时懂得IT技术和内部控制的专家个人。原有框架的基础1992年COSO框架包括以下内容1、控制环境。所有业务活动的核心是人员他们的个人特性，包括诚信，道德价值观和胜任能力以及他们开展经营所处的环境。他们是推动主体发展的引擎，也是所有事情赖以存在的基础。2、风险评估。企业必须了解和应对它所面临的风险，它必须设定目标，整合销售、生产、营销、财务和其他活动，以便使组织协调一致地运行。还必须建立识别
49、、分析和管理相关风险的机制。3、控制活动。必须确立和执行控制政策和程序，以帮助确保那些管理层确定的处置风险以实现主体目标的必要活动得以有效地实施。4、信息与沟通。围绕在这些活动周围的是信息与沟通系统。它们使主体的员工能够获得和交换那些执行、管理和控制其经营活动所需的信息。5、监控。必须对整个过程进行监控，并在必要时作出修改。这样，该体系才能作出动态反应，随着情况的需要而变化。征求意见稿强调，原有框架依然是所有主体评估控制的基础，强调管理层、董事会和全体员工对建立一个高品质内部控制框架的的重要性是其新扮演的角色责任，这对小型公司而言是十分特殊的，因而值得给予特别的重视。许多受访者认为，征求意见稿只是对原有框架内容进行了补充，它可以很轻松地整合到1992年框架的信息与沟通和监控的内容中去。新的基本原则新指南的主要特色是在原有框架基础上列示26条解释内部控制基本概念的12原则，目的是评估财务报告是否建立了有效控制。许多受访者认为这些新原则是有效地定义良好的内部控制制度的组件，公司和审计师可在记录和测试内部控制有效性的过程中运用这些原则来进行核对，它并不是仅仅提供给较小型公司的，它们适用于任何规模的公司。此外，许多受访者认为，实施这26条原则将会是费时的，它不会简化较小型公司对框架的实施。征求意见稿回应者建议以下解决方案1、需要强调的是，虽然原则可能是有用的，但它们并没有
