Efrim Boritz

Professor; Director, University of Waterloo Centre for Information Integrity and Information Systems Assurance; Ontario Chartered Professional Accountants Chair in Accounting; Approved Doctoral Dissertation Supervisor

Assurance, Information Systems

Office: Hagey Hall 289H

Picture of Efrim Boritz

Phone: 519-888-4567 x45774

Email: jeboritz@uwaterloo.ca

Curriculum Vitae (PDF)

Education and certifications

  • BA (York University)
  • MBA (York University)
  • PhD (Minnesota)
  • Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA)
  • Chartered Accountant (CA)
  • Fellow, Chartered Professional Accountants (FCPA)
  • Fellow, Chartered Accountants (FCA)
  • Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA)

Brief biography

My work involves investigating areas of professional practice in external auditing and internal auditing which rely on the exercise of professional judgment. My research aims at identifying factors affecting judgment processes and systematic determinants of judgment quality. I am particularly interested in judgement enhancement through decision aids and decision support systems.

Selected publications (last 5 years)

  • Tim Bauer, J. Efrim Boritz, Alec Cram, Krista Fiolleau, Bradley Pomeroy, Adam Vitalis, Pei Wang. Cataloguing the Market for Assurance Services. Auditing: A Journal of Practice & Theory. 43 (3) 2024: 49–75

  • Adam Vitalis, J. Efrim Boritz, and Laura Simeoni. Internal Audit Competencies. International Journal of Auditing. 28 (3) 2024: 458-484.

  • J. Efrim Boritz and Lev M. Timoshenko, Novice Auditors and Audits of Fair Values: Knowledge and Skill Requirements. Accounting Perspectives. 23 (1) 2024: 39-77.

  • J. Efrim Boritz and Theophanis C. Stratopoulos, JIS Workshop on the Impact of AI on the Accounting Profession: Views from Industry Leaders and AIS Researchers. Journal of Information Systems. 37 (3) 2023: 1-9.

  • Boritz, J.E., Artificial Intelligence Technologies with Implications for Assurance Services, ThinkTWENTY20 16 (Spring) 2023: 21-28.
  • Boritz, J.E. and Theophanis C. Stratopoulos, JIS Workshop on Data Value Creation Research: Views from Industry Leaders and AIS Researchers. Journal of Information Systems 37 (1) 2023: 1–6.

  • Boritz, J.E., J. Ge, University of Waterloo and K. E. Patterson, WU Vienna University of Economics and Business. Factors Affecting Employees’ Susceptibility to Cyber Attacks.  Journal of Information Systems 36 (3) 2022: 27-60.

  • Boritz, J.E. and Lev M. Timoshenko, University of Calgary. How Do Auditors Assess Key Inputs in a Discounted Cash Flow Model of Goodwill? Behavioral Research in Accounting 34 (2) 2022: 19-47.

  • Hayes, L., University of Guelph and J.E. Boritz. Classifying Restatements: An Application of Machine Learning and Textual Analysis Journal of Information Systems 35 (3) 2021: 107–131.

  • Boritz, J.E., N. Kochetova, St. Mary's University, L. Robinson, University of Waterloo and C. Wong, Wilfrid Laurier University. Auditors’ and Specialists’ Views about the Use of Specialists during an Audit. Behavioral Research in Accounting 32 (2) 2020: 15–40.

  • Boritz, J.E., L. Hayes, University of Guelph and L. Timoshenko, University of Calgary. How Understandable are SOX 404 Reports? International Journal of Accounting Information Systems 39 (December) 2020: 1-22. 

  • He Li, Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, China, Won No, Rutgers University and J.E. Boritz, University of Waterloo. Are External Auditors Concerned about Cyber Incidents? Evidence from Audit Fees. Auditing: A Journal of Practice and Theory 39 (1) 2020: 151-171.

  • Boritz, J.E. and Won No, Rutgers University. How Significant are the Differences in Financial Data Provided by Key Data Sources? A Comparison of XBRL, Compustat, Yahoo! Finance, and Google Finance.  Journal of Information Systems 34 (3) 2020: 47–75.

Working papers

Under review at journal

  • How Do Valuation Specialists Contribute to the Quality of Goodwill Impairment Audits? with Lev Timoshenko, University of Calgary. Under review.

  • Internal Auditors’ Perceptions of Emerging Assurance Technologies. Under review.

  • Business Model Descriptions, with Louise Hayes. Presented at the AAA Annual Conference, August 2016; International Symposium on Accounting Information Systems in Valencia, Spain, May 8-9, 2017; AAA Mid-Year Meeting, Orlando, January24-25, 2020. Being revised for resubmission. 

Conference presentations in preparation for journal submission

  • ⁠CFO Credentials, Corporate Performance and Reporting Quality: A Canadian Perspective, with Louise Hayes University of Guelph, 2023. World Banking and Finance Conference, Vilnius, December 13-15, 2023; Audit & Assurance Conference, Dublin May 8, 2024; AAA Annual Meeting, Washington, D.C. August 12, 2024. Being revised for submission.
  • Neuro-Physiological Measures of Professional Skepticism. With Katharine Elizabeth Patterson, University of Waterloo, Kristian Rotaru, Monash University, Carla Wilkin, Monash University. Manuscript October. 2018. Presented at the AAA Annual Conference, Aug 12-14, 2019 in San Francisco. Under revision.
  • Neuro-Cognitive Measures of Professional Skepticism With Katharine Elizabeth Patterson, University of Waterloo, Kristian Rotaru, Monash University, Carla Wilkin, Monash University. Manuscript August. 2018. Presented at the Southern Ontario Behavioural Decision Research Conference May 3, 2019 in Waterloo; and the EAA Annual Conference May 29-31, 2019 in Paphos, Cyprus. Under revision.

  • How Reliable are the Hurtt Professional Skepticism Scale and Rotter Interpersonal Trust Scale for Audit Experimental Research? With Katharine Elizabeth Patterson, University of Waterloo, Kristian Rotaru, Monash University, Carla Wilkin, Monash University. Manuscript August. 2017. Presented at the AAA Auditing Section mid-year meeting, Portland, OR Jan 12-13, 2018; EAA Annual Conference, Milan, May 31-June1, 2018; CAAA Annual Conference Calgary, June 14-17; AAA Annual Conference August 5-8. 2018. Under revision.

  • Do Differences in CFO Background Matter to Financial Statement Quality? An Application of Machine Learning and Textual Analytics, with Louise Hayes University of Guelph, January 2017. EAA Annual Conference, Milan, May 31-June 1, 2018. Being revised for submission.
  • CPA Familiarity with Emerging Technologies and Tools, with Tim Bauer, Krista Fiolleau, Bradley Pomeroy, Adam Vitalis. Submitted to AAA mid-year meeting of Auditing sections. Submitted to AAA mid-year meeting of AIS/SET sections.

Other works in progress

  • Developing New Assurance Services with Tim Bauer, Alec Cram, Krista Fiolleau, Bradley Pomeroy, Adam Vitalis. Being prepared for conference submission.

  • Audit Analytics and Anomalies with Adam Vitalis and Gregory Shields. Data being gathered.

  • Management Use of Valuation Specialists with Lev Timoshenko. Data being gathered.

Current projects

Editor/Associate Editor etc.

  • Co-Senior Editor, Journal of Information Systems, 2020-2022
  • Editor-in-Chief, Managerial Auditing Journal (Emerald), 2016-2018

  • Associate Editor, Journal of Emerging Technologies in Accounting, 2014-present

  • Editor-in-Chief, Accounting Perspectives, 2006-2010

Editorial boards

  • Journal of Information Systems, 2013-present
  • Accounting Horizons, 2009-present
  • Current Issues in Auditing, 2007-present
  • International Journal of Accounting Information Systems, 2000-present
  • Issues in Accounting Education, 2005-2007
  • Contemporary Accounting Research, 1990-2010
  • Auditing: A Journal of Practice & Theory, 1983-2000

Awards

  • Canadian Accounting Hall of Fame, 2023
  • Haim Falk Award for Distinguished Contribution to Accounting Thought, 2018
  • Lifetime Volunteer Award Nominee, CPA Canada, 2016
  • Outstanding Educator Award, Strategic and Emerging Technologies (SET) section of the American Accounting Association, 2015
  • Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario (FCPA), 2013
  • Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, 2012
  • Bill Swirsky Innovation Award, Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants, 2010
  • Best Paper award (with Won G. No) at the World Congress on Privacy, Security, Trust and the Management of EBusiness, 2009
  • Best Paper award (with Jee-Hae Lim), presented at the AAA Mid-Year Meeting of the IS Section, 2008
  • George Baxter Distinguished Service Award, Canadian Academic Accounting Association, 2009
  • L.S. Rosen Outstanding Educator Award, Canadian Academic Accounting Association, 2006
  • Ontario Chartered Accountants’ Chair in Accounting, 2002
  • Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario Award of Outstanding Merit, 1999
  • Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario (FCA), 1988

Funding (last 5 years)

  • ICPAO, "CFO Competencies for CPAs" with Louise Hayes, University of Guelph, 2021-2022, $ 17,500.

  • CAAA, "CFO Competencies for CPAs" with Louise Hayes, University of Guelph, 2021-2022, $ 8,000.  

  • CPA Canada, "Assurance Solutions and Services: Current and Future Opportunities," with members of the Assurance and Information Systems Areas in the School of Accountiing and Finance, UW, 2020-2021, $40,000.    

  • CPA Canada, Internal Audit Competencies for CPAs, with Adam Vitalis and Laura Simeoni, 2020-2021, $30,000.

  • CPA Alberta Education Foundation, Knowledge and Skill Requirement for Audits of Fair Values, with Lev Timoshenko, University of Calgary, 2019-2021, $ 20,000. 

  • Social Science and Humanities Research Council, "The Role of External Valuation Specialists in Determining Fair Values in Corporate Reports", with Lev Timoshenko, University of Calgary, 2016-2024, $103,865.

  • Social Science and Humanities Research Council, "Integrated Reporting", with with Leslie Berger and Carolyn McTavish, 2014-2015, $8,000.
  • Social Science and Humanities Research Council, "XBRL", with Jee-Hae Lim, 2013-2014, $8,000.
  • CAAA/SAP, "The Quality of Interactive (XBRL) Data", with Won No, 2013-2014, $6,700.
  • Social Science and Humanities Research Council, "Consequences of Internal Control Weaknesses", with Jee-Hae Lim, 2010-2014, $76,000.

Professional service (last 5 years)

  • Member, Task Force on Cyber Security Assurance, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, 2015-present

  • Member, Task Force on Trust Services/Information Integrity, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, 2008-present

  • Member, AAA Publication Committee, 2021-2023

  • Member, Nominating Committee for the Director of the Canadian Accounting Hall of Fame, 2023

  • Member, AAA Notable Contribution to Accounting Literature Committee, 2021-2022

  • Member, Assurance Innovation Committee, Canadian Institute of Chartered Professional Accountants, 2016-2020

  • Member, Study Group on Information Integrity, Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants, 2007-2019

  • Chair, Nominating Committee for the Director of the Canadian Accounting Hall of Fame, 2019

  • Member, IT Competency Map Revision Task Force, Chartered Professional Accountants Canada, 2016-2019

  • Member, Task Force on Data Analytics, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, 2015-2018

  • Member, AP Editor Search Committee, Canadian Academic Accounting Association, 2015-2016

Consulting (last 5 years)

  • Law firm, Expert in lawsuit involving a company in the financial sector to opine on relevant
    governance, internal control and auditing matters, 2020-2023.

  • Law firm, Expert in class action certification process involving lawsuit against a company in the cannabis sector to opine on relevant
    governance, internal control and reporting matters, 2020-2021.

  • Law firm, Expert in class action certification process involving lawsuit against a company in the cannabis sector and its auditor to opine on relevant auditing matters, 2020.

  • Law firm, Expert in class action certification process involving lawsuit against a company in the gaming sector to opine on relevant governance, internal control and reporting matters, 2017-2018.

  • Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, Postsecondary Education Quality Assessment Board (PEQAB)
    – Review of Humber College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning Honours Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting), 2017.

  • Siskinds LLP, Expert in class action lawsuit involving an auditor of a securities dealer to opine on relevant auditing matters, 2015-2017.

  • Shared Services Canada, Member of Independent Departmental Audit and Evaluation Committee, 2012-2016.

  • University of Toronto, Review of Proposal for Master’s program in Forensic Accounting, 2016.

  • Law firm, Expert in class action suit involving a company in the resources sector to opine on relevant accounting and auditing matters, 2015.

Courses taught (last 5 years)

  • ACC 622 - Master's Level E-Business/E-Commerce
  • ACC 690 - Master's Level International Topics in Assurance (Virtual International Collaborative for Education)
  • ACC 690 - Master's Level Professional judgment
  • ACC 750 - PhD Seminar in Auditing Research
Links
Contact information: Efrim Boritz