Kabbage: A Fresh Approach to Understanding Fundamental Auditing Concepts and the Effects of Disruptive Technology

Disruptive technology, new business ventures, and increased availability of data are quickly changing traditional financial reporting and assurance processes. As a result, prospective auditors not only need to understand fundamental auditing concepts, but also need to anticipate the influence that disruptive technology will have on the profession. The following case study provides a lens through which prospective auditors can view the coming changes to the profession by asking them to consider how the online lending company, Kabbage, is currently disrupting the lending industry for non-traditional and small businesses. Students contemplate several fundamental auditing concepts such as audit evidence, financial statement assertions, and analytical procedures while also acquiring insight into the effects that new and disruptive technology will have on the profession. The intention is to encourage students to embrace coming changes and become lifetime learners

Cash: never leave home with it?

In London, consumer transactions were as plentiful as the eight million people who lived there. While cash was considered “king” in retail, cash payments dropped by 15% across the UK in 2017, and debit and credit cards became the predominant payment method (Kollewe, 2018). Cash represented only 40% of customer payments and was expected to drop to 21% by 2026 (Lyons et al., 2018). This was likely driven by contactless payments whereby consumers preferred the speed and ease of being able to “tap and go.” As businesses were charged fees to accept credit card payments, many expected that small businesses would insist on cash for small transactions. Instead, some banished cash completely. Insights from two London businesses helped explain why some were dropping cash and completely embracing cards