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TOWARDS A CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK FOR GOVERNMENT AUDITING
Author(s) -
Hardman D.J.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
accounting and finance
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.645
H-Index - 49
eISSN - 1467-629X
pISSN - 0810-5391
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-629x.1991.tb00251.x
Subject(s) - audit , mandate , accounting , accountability , context (archaeology) , agency (philosophy) , government (linguistics) , business , legislature , conceptual framework , operational auditing , internal audit , function (biology) , public relations , political science , sociology , joint audit , law , social science , linguistics , philosophy , evolutionary biology , biology , paleontology
This article attempts to contribute to a conceptual framework for government auditing by using agency concepts in government and public finance for the examination of underlying theoretical and practical issues. Three models of government auditing are formulated: sole monitoring, dual monitoring and commercial monitoring. The main assumptions of these constructs are examined and their operations assessed in the context of international co‐operation and dialogue among government auditing institutions. Problems relating to auditing accountability, audit mandate and auditor independence are identified and discussed. Despite some differences in these areas, there is a global tendency for the government auditing function to transcend the traditional parameters of financial attestation and legislative compliance in order to espouse broader notions implicit in the various gradations of comprehensive auditing.