AUDITING STANDARDS, STATEMENTS AND GUIDANCE


INTRODUCTION (AUDITING STANDARDS, STATEMENTS AND GUIDANCE)

  • The past decade has been one of unprecedented change in the global economy and capital markets. Key aspects of the current business environment include a globalized, highly competitive, expanding economy; explosive growth in the development and use of technology; dramatic increases in new economy service- and technology-based businesses with predominantly intangible assets; unparalleled expansion in the number of public entities; large increases in the number of individuals who directly or indirectly own equity securities; and unprecedented growth in the market value of those securities.
  • The expanded use of technology in both the operating and financial systems of companies also has significantly affected the audit environment, forcing audit firms to recruit, train and deploy a large number of information technology specialists to support their audit efforts. It also has caused firms to reconsider their audit methods and techniques in an effort to harness technology to improve audit efficiency and effectiveness.
  • In the changing environment, it is obvious that a professional accountant should to adhere to standards and procedures laid down by the professional accountancy bodies of which he is a member while discharging his duties in a responsible manner. In this direction, the role of a professional accounting body is to lay down such standards and procedures with the aim of providing guidance to members.
  • The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) has been formulating auditing and accounting standards for the guidance of its members on its own volition in the larger interests of the society. In this chapter, we provide an overview of auditing standards and guidance notes issued by the Institute from time to time.
  • Though these standards and guidance notes have been dealt at appropriate places, the main purpose is to acquaint and inculcate appreciation on the part of students in a focused manner as to significance of the standards in their day to day auditing activities. Towards the end of the Chapter, the clarification issued by the Council of the Institute is also included, which would go a long way in understanding as well as significance to the mandatory status of “Statements” and “Standards".

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