Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) Part 1: Business Acumen — Question 85

A chief audit executive (CAE) conducts a quality assessment at the conclusion of an audit. Which of the following would mostly likely indicate to the CAE that the engagement team lacked some of the knowledge, skills, and competencies required to successfully perform the engagement?

Answer options

• A. Auditors separated the audit steps based on their individual competencies to ensure the steps were completed adequately.
• B. The audit engagement exceeded the budgeted timeline by two months due to turnover on the audit team.
• C. Auditors requested the operational management's verification and confirmation of audit documentation.
• D. Auditors provided only high-level recommendations.

Correct answer: D

Explanation

The correct answer is D because providing only high-level recommendations suggests that the auditors may not have fully understood the complexities of the audit or lacked the necessary skills to give detailed insights. Option A implies effective delegation based on competencies, option B indicates issues with team stability but not necessarily a lack of skills, and option C shows a proactive approach to validation rather than a deficiency in competencies.