Conceptual Trends in Internal Audit

The evolution of the economic environment amidst multidimensional changes, i.e. development, globalisation, economic crises, pandemics, stakeholder interest in credible, relevant and transparent information, has led to continuous changes in the framework for doing business. These changes have generated for entities operating in a globalised economic environment business opportunities, significant profits, financial downturns, but also exposure to diverse and complex risks and therefore proactive risk management. From this perspective, internal audit has gradually, over time, become the key actor supporting the entity in achieving its objectives, adding value as well as corporate governance. In this context, the objective of the research is to identify the internal audit trend and related conceptual connotations. The research approach includes a literature review of the Web of Science from Clarivate Analytics. The research involves a systematic analysis on internal auditing, conducted through a quantitative research methodology. The research sample includes 29 articles extracted from the Web of Science Core Collection database, covering the publication period 2005-2024. The sample was established after several stages of keyword filtering. This analysis focuses on identifying author affiliations, content of papers, research methods used, and citations and references to highlight significant trends and changes in the field of internal audit. The results demonstrate a concrete and consistent interest in the field of internal audit, highlighting the identification and analysis of significant trends and changes in internal audit practices and roles over time. In addition, it highlights a trend towards a more holistic approach to internal audit that goes beyond its traditional assurance role and extends to providing strategic advice and support to organisations. The research will thus contribute to the identification of future research directions and to a deeper understanding of the role and importance of internal audit in today's economic environment.