Theoretical and Methodical Basis for Audit Activity Standardization

One of the problems of performing audit activity is development of methodology basis for the development of audit activity standards. This work proposes the principles of audit activity standardization divided into three groups: principles determining theoretic basis for audit activity standardization; principles determining the procedure for development of audit activity standards; principles determining the content of audit activity standards. The number of audit activity principles is expanded through adding such principles as principle of scientific approach, system approach, reflection, advanced development, rationality, coordination, independence, conformity to plan, feedback, innovative activity, publicity, timeliness, technology application, neutrality, and ability to check compliance with a standard. The conclusion was made that meeting the proposed principles will allow to improve the quality of services provided by auditing organizations and individual auditors. Methods applicable for audit activity standardization were considered. It was determined that practical methods and special standardization methods allow to fully meet all the proposed principles of audit activity standardization. Objects of audit activity standardization were identified: services provided by auditing organizations and individual auditors and processes of providing those services. The following groups of standards were proposed: standards of services, standards of providing services, and standards of infrastructure for providing services. An audit activity standard was defined. A system of indicators evaluating compliance with the principles of audit activity standardization was developed. Two types of evaluation were proposed: rapid evaluation of compliance with the principles of audit activity standardization in the form of testing and detailed evaluation of compliance with the principles of audit activity standardization. The two types of evaluation can serve as criteria for evaluation of the quality of audit activity standards. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2015.v6n4s4p26