Portrait of Professor Robert Melville

Professor Robert Melville

Professor Emeritus

Bayes Business School, Faculty of Management

Contact

Visit Robert Melville

Room BR4076, Bunhill Row

Postal address

Bayes Business School
106 Bunhill Row
London
EC1Y 8TZ
United Kingdom

About

Overview

Rob Melville joined the business school in 1990, initially specialising in internal auditing. Before this he worked as a computer auditor and systems auditor in government, industry and financial services. In the early 1990s his research and teaching was extended to include corporate governance and CSR. Since then, his research has addressed the control and audit of information systems, control self assessment, the role of internal audit in strategic management (in particular through the use of the Balanced Scorecard), corporate governance, and corporate social responsibility. A member of the Chartered Institute of Internal Auditors since 1984, he has been actively involved in research projects, educational, environmental and publication issues in the UK and for the global Institute. He is a qualified member of the British Computer Society (MBCS), where he edited the journal of their information systems audit specialist group for five years and has been actively involved in international research projects and conferences.

In 2005-6 Rob was the group leader for Europe and Africa in a worldwide survey of internal auditing (the IIA Common Body of Knowledge, 2006), and a follow-up project in 2010-11. Other recent research projects include two Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs), the first of which resulted in successful submission of academic papers based on the work carried out.

For many years he mentored, supervised and examined PhD students from the UK, Europe (in particular from Italy where he has taught and enjoyed many research collaborations for many years), Asia and Africa.

Since retiring after 32 years as lecturer, senior lecturer and professor he has continued to be active in refereeing, PhD examinations and involvement with academic conferences.

Qualifications

  • MA (London), King's College London, London, United Kingdom, Sep 1980 – Sep 1981
  • BA (CNAA), University of East London, London, United Kingdom, Sep 1977 – Sep 1980
  • PhD, City, University of London, United Kingdom

Postgraduate training

  • Member of the Institute of Internal Auditors (CMIIA), Kingston University, Kingston, United Kingdom, Sep 1984 – Sep 1987

Memberships of professional organisations

  • Chartered Member, British Computer Society, Jul 1992 – present
  • Fellow and Member, Chartered Institute of Internal Auditors, Sep 1987 – present

Expertise

Primary topics

  • Corporate Governance
  • Corporate Social Responsibility
  • Internal Auditing

Research

My most important project was working with the Institute of Internal Auditors Research Foundation on the followup and detailed analysis of data from the periodic international Common Body of Knowledge survey of more than 120,000 practitioners. This has led to publications and conference papers.

Other research included a study of the role and nature of senior management in the not for profit sector.

In the last three years my focus has moved to collaborative projects with international partners. These include a study of ethical education in Malaysia, auditor change in Italy and corporate governance in Middle East North Africa.

Research topics

Internal auditing

Global survey of profession (continuing)

Corporate Governance

Auditor change in Italy

Corporate Governance

Teaching ethics in Malaysia

Corporate Social Responsibility

How organisations implement and develop CSR practices

Corporate Governance Codes

Postive and negative impacts of codes and guidance especially in the MENA region

Corporate Governance

Corporate governance and firm performance: empirical evidence from Italian companies

Research students

Ruth Massie

Attendance: Sep 2010 – Oct 2015, full-time

Thesis title: Non-financial performance measurement

Role: 1st Supervisor

Emmanuel Adegbite

Attendance: Oct 2006 – May 2010, full-time

Thesis title: Questioning the role of the UK government in corporate governance

Role: 2nd Supervisor

Publications

Books (2)

  1. Allegrini, M., D'Onza, G., Paape, L., Melville, R. and Sarens, G. (2008). ECIIA Common Body of Knowledge (CBOK) 2006. Brussels, Belgium: ECIIA.
  2. Melville, R. (1994). The academic viewpoint of the IIA-UK's strategy for the future.

Conference papers and proceedings (17)

  1. Melville, W.R. and Merendino, A. (2015). Corporate governance and firm performance. Empirical evidence of Italian companies. BAM2015 Conference 8-10 September, University of Portsmouth, UK.
  2. Melville, W.R. and Othman, Z. (2015). People and governance: Supporting the four pillars of corporate governance. 13th European Academic Conference on Internal Audit and Corporate Governance 15-17 April, Cass Business School, London, UK.
  3. Palmer, P., Melville, W.R., Massie, R. and Jung, T. (2014). Taking stock: a critical examination of board governance in the UK’s top-500 nonprofits. 11th International Conference of the International Society for Third Sector Research (ISTR) 22-25 July, Muenster, Germany.
  4. Travers, T. and Melville, R. (2011). Shari'ah Governance Systems: An International Comparative Study Of Islamic Financial Institutions. 1st Organisational Governance Conference 15-16 September, Centre for Research into Organisational Governance, De Montfort University, Leceister UK.
  5. Hodgson, T., Kriteman, D. and Melville, R. (2011). The Importance of Good Governance and Corporate Governance to the Government Investment Vehicles of the United Arab Emirates. 1st Organisational Governance Conference 15-16 September, Centre for Research into Organisational Governance,, De Montfort University, Leceister UK.
  6. Jaichandani, K., Teckchandani, N. and Melville, R. (2011). Where Corporate Governance and better firm performance meet. 9th European Conference on Internal Audit and Corporate Governance 13-15 April, Cass Business School, London, UK.
  7. Melville, R. (2011). The Responsible Society. 3rd International Conference on Governance Fraud Ethics and Social Responsibility (in English) Nevsehir University, Cappadocia, Turkey.
  8. Habib, , Rebelo, R., Rebelo, R., S, , Melville, and R, (2010). Developing Guidance for Corporate Governance in Islamic Financial Services. 8th European Conference on Internal Audit and Corporate Governance Greece.
  9. Palmer, P. and Melville, R. (2009). Putting practice into theory: an evaluation of strategic change in the Third Sector. 1st Journal of Management and Governance Conference (Official Journal of Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale AIDEA) 8-10 October, Venice, Italy.
  10. Melville, R. (2004). Control Self Assessment: Implementation and Effectiveness. 2nd ECIIA Academic Conference Cass, London.
  11. Melville, R. (2002). Control and Strategy. 1st ECIIA Academic Conference Prague.
  12. Melville, R. (1999). Integrity in Information Systems: a new definition. IFIP 11.5 Conference Amsterdam.
  13. Melville, R. (1999). Audit Automation, Chair and Facilitator.
  14. Melville, R. (1997). Audit Automation, Chair and Facilitator.
  15. Melville, R. (1996). Irish District of the Institute of Internal Auditors. Bunratty, County Clare.
  16. Melville, R. (1995). Developing the Skills of an Effective Internal Audit Department. London.
  17. Melville, R. (1995). IFIP International Conference. Capetown, South Africa.

Journal articles (21)

  1. Martino, P., D’Onza, G. and Melville, R. (2021). The Relationship Between CAE Leadership and the IAF’s Involvement in Corporate Governance. Journal of Accounting, Auditing & Finance, 36(2), pp. 430–448. doi:10.1177/0148558x19867539.

    [publisher’s website]

  2. Merendino, A. and Melville, R. (2019). The board of directors and firm performance: empirical evidence from listed companies. Corporate Governance: The International Journal of Business in Society, 19(3), pp. 508–551. doi:10.1108/cg-06-2018-0211.

    [publisher’s website]

  3. Othman, Z. and Melville, R. (2016). People centric governance model: Conceptualizing the pillars of significance. Qualitative Report, 21(10), pp. 1960–1978.
  4. D'Onza, G., Selim, G.M., Melville, R. and Allegrini, M. (2015). A Study on Internal Auditor Perceptions of the Function Ability to Add Value. International Journal of Auditing, 19(3), pp. 182–194. doi:10.1111/ijau.12048.

    [publisher’s website]

  5. McCourt, C. (2012). Editorial. Anthropology in Action, 19(1), pp. 1–1. doi:10.3167/aia.2012.190101.

    [publisher’s website]

  6. Sarens, G., Allegrini, M., D'Onza, G. and Melville, R. (2011). Are internal auditing practices related to the age of the internal audit function?: Exploratory evidence and directions for future research. Managerial Auditing Journal, 26(1), pp. 51–64. doi:10.1108/02686901111090835.
  7. Allegrini, M., Melville, R., Paape, L. and Selim, G. (2009). Special issue on "internal audit and corporate governance": Introduction. Journal of Management and Governance, 13(1-2), pp. 1–3. doi:10.1007/s10997-008-9068-3.
  8. Allegrini, M., D'Onza, G., Paape, L., Melville, R. and Sarens, G. (2006). The European literature review on internal auditing. Managerial Auditing Journal, 21(8), pp. 845–853. doi:10.1108/02686900610703787.
  9. Sodhi, M., Holtham, C.W. and Melville, R. (2006). Designing student teams. OR/MS Today, 33(1), pp. 46–51.
  10. Holtham, C.W., Melville, R.R. and Sodhi, M.S. (2006). Designing student groupwork in management education: Widening the palette of options. Journal of Management Education, 30(6), pp. 809–817. doi:10.1177/1052562906287967.
  11. Melville, R. (2003). The Contribution Internal Auditors Make to Strategic Management. International Journal of Auditing, 7(3), pp. 209–222. doi:10.1046/j.1099-1123.2003.00071.x.

    [publisher’s website]

  12. Melville, R. (1999). Control Self Assessment in the 1990s: The UK Perspective. International Journal of Auditing, 3(3), pp. 191–206. doi:10.1111/1099-1123.00059.

    [publisher’s website]

  13. Lavine, M.K., Moyes, G.D. and Melville, W.R. (1997). Implementation Issues For SAP R/3 Accounting Software. Review of Business Information Systems (RBIS), 1(4), pp. 81–94. doi:10.19030/rbis.v1i4.5512.

    [publisher’s website]

  14. Melville, R. (1995). Network and Communications Security. Journal of Financial Crime, 3(2), pp. 163–168. doi:10.1108/eb025699.

    [publisher’s website]

  15. EDGAR, D. (1995). Editorial. Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics, 15. doi:10.1016/0275-5408(95)90026-8.

    [publisher’s website]

  16. EDGAR, D. (1995). CLINICAL OPTOMETRY UPDATE. OPHTHALMIC AND PHYSIOLOGICAL OPTICS, 15. doi:10.1016/0275-5408(95)90026-8.
  17. Melville, R. and Spence, C. (1994). Document Image Processing. Internal Auditing, 16(6), pp. 11–14.
  18. Melville, R. (1994). When Satisfaction Means Quality. Internal Auditing, 16(7/8), pp. 12–13.
  19. Melville, R. (1994). Integrity in Information Systems. Computers and Security, 13(4).
  20. Melville, R. (1992). From Literacy to Fluency. Internal Auditing, 14(7/8), pp. 10–12.
  21. Melville, R. (1992). The Future and Computer Audit. British Computer Society Bulletin (Now called IT-NOW), March.

Reports (9)

  1. Selim, G., Melville, W.R., D'Onza, G., Pelligrini, M. and Kotoupis, A. (2014). Internal Audit Around the World: A Perspective on Global Regions. Altamonte Springs, Florida: Institute of Internal Auditors Research Foundation. ISBN 978-0-89413-888-1.
  2. Allegrini, M., D'Onza, G., Melville, R., Sarens, G. and Selim, G. (2011). The IIA’s Global Internal Audit Survey: What's Next for Internal Auditing? USA: The Institute of Internal Auditors Research Foundation (IIARF).
  3. Burnaby, P.A., Abdolmohammadi, M.J., Hass, S., Melville, R. and others, (2007). A Global Summary of the Common Body of Knowledge (CBOK) 2006. Altamonte Springs, Florida.
  4. Melville, R. and Hafen, M. (2000). Control Models and Control Self Assessment: Results of a Survey of the IIA CSA Center. Kluwer Academic Publishers.
  5. Melville, R. (1997). Re-engineering Audit. London: City University London.
  6. Melville, R. (1995). Systems Theory. IIA.
  7. Melville, R. (1995). The Corporate Perspective. IIA.
  8. Melville, R. (1994). Computers and the Law. IIA.
  9. Melville, R. (1992). Principles of Internal Audit. IIA.

Education

Course Directorship

- 2002 - 2005, MSc Management, Director
- 2007 - 2010, MSc Management, Director

Subject/Academic Leadership

Internal Auditing; subject leader of Corporate Governance group.

Professional activities

Editorial activity (4)

  1. Accounting and Business Review, Referee, 2013 – present.
  2. Social Responsibility Journal, Member of Editorial Board, 2012 – present.
  3. Journal of Management and Governance, Referee, 2008 – present.
  4. The Internal Auditor, Member of Editorial Board, 1996 – 2011.

Events/conferences (21)

  1. 17th European Internal Auditing and Corporate Governance Conference. (Conference) Sorbonne, Paris (2019). Organising Committee.
    Paper: The board of directors and firm performance: empirical evidence from listed companies
    Author: Alessandro Merendino
    Co-authors: Rob Melville
  2. BAM 2017. (Conference) Warwick, UK (2017). Session/Day Chair.
    Paper: Corporate Governance and Institution Building in a Fragile State: leadership, guidance, and practice in Palestine
    Author: Melville, R
  3. 15th European Academic Conference on Internal Audit and Corporate Governance. (Conference) Athens (2017). Review Panel.
    Paper: Corporate Governance and Institution Building in a Fragile State: leadership, guidance, and practice in Palestine
    Author: Melville, R
  4. British Academy of Management annual conference. (Conference) Portsmouth, UK (2015).
    Paper: Corporate governance and firm performance. Empirical evidence of Italian companies
    Author: Melville R
    Co-authors: Merendino, A
  5. 13th European Academic Conference on Internal Audit and Corporate Governance. (Conference) London (2015).
    Paper: People and governance: Supporting the four pillars of corporate governance
    Author: Othman Z
    Co-authors: Melville, R
  6. 11th International Conference of the International Society for Third Sector Research (ISTR). (Conference) Muenster, Germany (2014).
    Paper: Taking stock: a critical examination of board governance in the UK’s top-500 nonprofits
    Author: Palmer P
    Co-authors: Melville, R; Massie R; Jung, T
  7. The Centre for Research into Organisational Governance. (Conference) De Montfort University, Leceister UK (2011).
    Paper: The Importance of Good Governance and Corporate Governance to the Government Investment Vehicles of the United Arab Emirates
    Author: Hodgson, Tom; Kriteman, D
    Co-authors: Melville, R
  8. 9th European Conference on Internal Audit and Corporate Governance. (Conference) London, UK (2011).
    Paper: Where Corporate Governance and better firm performance meet,
    Author: Jaichandani,K; Teckchandani, N
    Co-authors: Melville,R
  9. 3rd International Conference on Governance Fraud Ethics and Social Responsibility (in English). (Conference) Nevsehir University, Capadochia, Turkey (2011). Invited speaker.
    Paper: The Responsible Society
    Author: Melville R
  10. The Centre for Research into Organisational Governance. (Conference) De Montfort University, Leceister UK (2011).
    Paper: Shari’ah Governance Systems: An International Comparative Study Of Islamic Financial Institutions
    Author: Travers T
    Co-authors: Melville, R
  11. 8th European Conference on Internal Audit and Corporate Governance. (Conference) Greece (2010).
    Paper: Developing Guidance for Corporate Governance in Islamic Financial Services
    Author: Habib, Rafeeck Rebelo, Rogaciano Rebelo, S
    Co-authors: Melville, R
  12. Journal of Management and Governance Conference. (Conference) Venice, Italy (2009). Invited speaker.
    Paper: Putting practice into theory: an evaluation of strategic change in the Third Sector
    Author: Palmer P
    Co-authors: Melville
  13. 2nd ECIIA Academic Conference. (Conference) Cass, London (2004).
    Paper: Control Self Assessment: Implementation and Effectiveness
  14. European Academic Conference on Internal Audit and Corporate Governance, Various (4/2002-4/2015). (Conference) (2002). Chair and Organising Committee.
  15. 1st ECIIA Academic Conference. (Conference) Prague (2002).
    Paper: Control and Strategy
  16. Audit Automation, Chair and Facilitator. (1999).
  17. IFIP 11.5. (Conference) Amsterdam (1999).
    Paper: Integrity in Information Systems: a new definition
  18. (1997).
    Paper: Audit Automation, Chair and Facilitator
  19. Bunratty, County Clare (1996).
    Paper: Irish District of the Institute of Internal Auditors
  20. IFIP International. (Conference) Capetown, South Africa (1995).
  21. London (1995).
    Paper: Developing the Skills of an Effective Internal Audit Department

Media appearances (7)

  1. Focus on good governance. (2011) www.khaleejtimes.com (website).
  2. Strictly Boardroom. (2011) Inside Housing.
  3. Regulations benefit Islamic institutions. (2011) www.zawya.com (website).
  4. Budding Entrepreneurs' Business Education Basics. (2010) www.businessweek.com (website).
  5. Outlook: less bleak? (2009) Financial Times (newspaper).
  6. After work, head back to classroom. (2009) www.thenational.newspaperdirect.com (website).
  7. Knowledge Transfer Partnership transforms charitable organisation. (2007) www.innovations-report.de (website).