Behind the SEC's recent mandate sits not another hefty compliance challenge, but perhaps one of the biggest accounting breakthroughs in years.

Sarbanes-Oxley was a wake-up call, but few companies had the time to get methodical about spreadsheet risk management. Now they’re coming back to the problem with robust methodologies and new software tools.

The Open Compliance and Ethics Group (OCEG) has released an updated version of its GRC Capability Model, aka the Red Book. The Phoenix, Ariz.-based nonprofit describes the document as “a comprehensive guide for anyone implementing and managing a GRC system or some aspect of that system, including those involved in compliance, training, hotlines and investigations.” Business Finance talked with OCEG’s CEO, Scott Mitchell, about the Red Book’s view of the GRC universe.

Governments are increasingly relying on indirect taxes to fill their coffers, adding to the strain on U.S.-based companies' compliance systems.

If the SEC mandates international financial reporting standards (IFRS), many U.S. companies will need, for a while at least, to be bilingual in IFRS and U.S. GAAP, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers. And the time to start learning the new grammar is now.

Is there any escape from the cycle of late nights staring at spreadsheets and enormous changes at the last minute? A report from Deloitte suggests some first steps.

Harvard Business School professor Malcolm S. Salter's new book Innovation Corrupted: The Origins and Legacy of Enron's Collapse carefully details the external layers of corruption that empowered the company's leadership to become actively involved in what he calls "gaming the system."

Propelled by the subprime meltdown and the credit crunch, shareholder lawsuits are on track to hit highs not seen since the aftermath of the dot-com boom.

What works and what doesn't? Certified fraud examiners weigh in.