This book addresses issues and challenges of performance measurement in the maintenance function. It presents a proposal of indicators with a framework that classifies and sorts regarding functional and hierarchical aspects. The book has been developed with different aspects of traditional literature, i.e. several frameworks (or natural groupings) like BSC Balanced Scorecard, Multicriteria framework, Neely Prism and adaptation of these frameworks. Hierarchies for the use of indicators and benchmark values are provided to allow quantification, comparison and emission of recommendations.
Audits provide essential accountability and transparency over government programs. Given the current challenges facing governments and their programs, the oversight provided through auditing is more critical than ever. Government auditing provides the objective analysis and information needed to make the decisions necessary to help create a better future. The professional standards presented in this 2018 revision of Government Auditing Standards (known as the Yellow Book) provide a framework for performing high-quality audit work with competence, integrity, objectivity, and independence to provide accountability and to help improve government operations and services. These standards, commonly referred to as generally accepted government auditing standards (GAGAS), provide the foundation for government auditors to lead by example in the areas of independence, transparency, accountability, and quality through the audit process. This revision contains major changes from, and supersedes, the 2011 revision.
This book offers a comprehensive, up-to-date presentation of the tasks and challenges facing internal audit. It presents the Audit Roadmap, the process model of internal auditing developed at SAP® which describes all stages of an audit. Coverage provides information on issues such as the identification of audit fields, the annual audit planning, the organization and execution of audits as well as reporting and follow-up. The handbook also discusses management-related subjects. Separate chapters are dedicated to special topics like IT or SOX audits.
Successful content strategy projects start with a thorough assessment of the current state of all content assets: their quantity, type, and quality. Beginning with a data-rich content inventory and layering in a qualitative assessment, the audit process allows content owners and business stakeholders to make informed decisions. Content Audits and Inventories, by veteran content strategist Paula Land, shows you how to begin with an inventory, scope and plan an audit, evaluate content against business and user goals, and move forward with a set of useful, actionable insights. This practical, tactic-filled handbook walks you through setting up and running an inventory using an automated tool, setting the stage for a successful audit. Specific audit tactics addressed include auditing for content quality, performance, global considerations, and legal and regulatory issues. You will also learn how to do a competitive audit and incorporate personas into an audit. Tips on presenting audit results to stakeholders will help you deliver effective strategies.
'It is time, 15 years on from the coining of the "Audit Explosion", to re-appraise the growth of new forms of auditing. As we move into what might be called "Auditing in Austerity" this book gives us that overview. An extremely well-informed team of authors has been assembled to deliver a comparative analysis that successfully mixes "insider" and "outsider" perspectives. This should be required reading, not just for auditors and their academic hangers-on, but for the wider audience of those interested in contemporary developments in democratic accountability and policymaking.' – Christopher Pollitt, Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium 'This book fills an important gap in the market. At a time when governments around the world face the largest deficits in decades, there is a strong need to reduce public expenditures whilst ensuring greater value for money from public services. This book addresses these concerns and many more. Each of the chapter authors is a senior practitioner and/or an academic who specialises in performance auditing and accountability in modern complex democracies. They explore the nature of the concepts which underlie current practice; set out a variety of institutional structures and processes, and identify the limits of both theory and practice. These make this a book of considerable significance and one which makes an important contribution to our understanding of the democratic process. This is not a narrowly-focused book only of interest to those who specialise in performance auditing. Given the richness of its analysis and the fine-grained understanding of institutions and processes, it has much to say to students of public administration, management and policy analysis. I am confident that this will rapidly become the standard reference for those who are interested in performance auditing.' – Peter M. Jackson AcSS, University of Leicester, UK 'What a good read. Insightful and challenging. It is likely to incite a lot of discussion on the wide-ranging views from the very well-informed and qualified contributors, not least from those who actually have to implement the findings and recommendations of performance audit reports. The focus is rightly on accountability for performance not only in achieving government program objectives in an economic, efficient and effective manner, but also on the audit institutions themselves. It should be welcomed by the public sector and particularly by the parliamentary institutions concerned with achieving accountability for government performance.' – Pat Barrett AO, Australian National University and former Australian Auditor-General (1995–2005) 'This book is a much welcome tonic for public administration. It is one of the few books that explicitly focus on how audit institutions carry out their performance auditing responsibilities. While auditors will likely read this, the authors have geared the book to a broader readership, including public managers who are often the subject of performance audits.' – From the foreword by Paul Posner, George Mason University, US This state-of-the-art book examines the development of performance audit, drawing on the experience in a number of different countries, including the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, the Netherlands, and Belgium. The expert contributors identify the trajectory of performance audit, examine how it is conducted and consider what it is contributing to effective government. They conclude that, in the face of new challenges, performance auditors should focus both on their core responsibilities to ensure accountability, and continue to develop more insightful and sophisticated approaches to enable them to assess the growing complexity of the delivery of public services. By doing so, they can continue to play a valuable role in democratic accountability. Providing an up-to-date overview and discussion of performance audit, this highly topical book will appeal to all those working within audit, academics working in the fields of public management and public administration, as well practitioners in and close to state audit institutions. Members of Parliament, evaluators, internal auditors, researchers, policy analysts and consultants will also find this book invaluable.
The value of the ASQ Certified Quality Auditor Handbook, Fifth Edition, is clear. It is designed to help new auditors gain an understanding of the field and prepare for the ASQ CQA exam. In addition, experienced auditors can refer to it as a helpful reference; audit managers and quality managers can rely on it for guiding their auditing programs; and trainers and educators can use it for teaching fundamentals. This in-depth overview of quality auditing represents auditing practices for internal and external applications. It provides practical guidance for both system and process auditors as well. Many current topics have been expanded to reflect changes in auditing practices since 2012, with guidance from the recent 2017 update of ISO 19011. In addition, readers will find example audit situations, stories, and review comments to enhance their understanding of the field. Topics covered include the common elements of all types of system and process audits (quality, environmental, safety, and health): Auditing fundamentals, including types of quality audits, purpose and scope of auditing, terms and definitions, roles and responsibilities of participants, and professional conduct The audit process, from preparation and planning, to performance and reporting, to follow-up and closure Auditor competencies, including resource management, conflict resolution, communication, interviewing, and team dynamics Audit program management and business applications, including staffing, training and development, program evaluation, organizational risk management, and best practices Quality tools and techniques, including problem-solving tools, process improvement techniques, basic statistics, verification, and validation "This book is an encyclopedia of all major bodies of information a new or experienced quality auditor would need. It covers both the qualitative and the quantitative, which is a strength. I can't think of a quality auditor that would not find this work helpful." Kim H. Pries, CRE, CQE, CSQE, CSSBB, CMQ/OE, CQA "This handbook will be helpful to those who are new to auditing or require more in-depth knowledge of the implementation of an audit program. Boxed examples or scenarios provide some of the practical challenges encountered during auditing." Govind Ramu, ASQ Fellow, Co-Author ASQ SSGB Handbook, Author ASQ CSSYB Handbook Lance B. Coleman, Sr. has over 25 years of leadership experience in the areas of quality engineering, Lean implementation, quality, and risk management in the Medical Device, Aerospace, and other regulated industries. He has presented, trained, and consulted throughout the United States and abroad. Lance is currently a Director of Quality for IDEX Health and Science, LLC, in Oak Harbor, Washington.
Policymakers and program managers are continually seeking ways to improve accountability in achieving an entity's mission. A key factor in improving accountability in achieving an entity's mission is to implement an effective internal control system. An effective internal control system helps an entity adapt to shifting environments, evolving demands, changing risks, and new priorities. As programs change and entities strive to improve operational processes and implement new technology, management continually evaluates its internal control system so that it is effective and updated when necessary. Section 3512 (c) and (d) of Title 31 of the United States Code (commonly known as the Federal Managers' Financial Integrity Act (FMFIA)) requires the Comptroller General to issue standards for internal control in the federal government.
