MAIN TOPICS

The main topics of ICA2008 are as below: 

1. Audit, a process for value addition  
        •        Value addition in audit process
        •        How to perform a value-added focused audit 
        •        Reducing compliance costs through improving audit outcomes 

2. Audit in different situations

        •       Auditing service sector vs. manufacturing
        •       Auditing small firms vs. big organizations
        •       Auditing governmental organizations vs. private companies 
        •       Product audit, process audit & system audit
        •      Auditing in different cultures (social & or organizational cultures) 
 

3. Customer satisfaction in audit process
         •       Definition of customer in audit process
         •       Measuring customer satisfaction in audits
         •       Requirements versus preferences in auditee satisfaction
         •       Important factors for achieving satisfaction of auditee
         •       How to measure and increase satisfaction of auditee 
   

4. Management system auditors vs. financial auditors
        •       Management system auditing vs. financial auditing, similarities and differences 
        •       The wide gap in remuneration between financial and management system auditors,
                 reasons and solutions

5. Audit complications in special cases
       •       How to audit a batch process effectively
       •       How to audit a multi-site company effectively
       •       How to audit a holding company effectively
       •       How to audit effectively the top management related processes
       •       How to audit the procurement & supply chain processes effectively 
 

6. Internal audits, a neglected requirement
       •       Internal audits, necessities & expectations
       •       Internal audit, business essential or a pointless hindrance?
       •       How to train & use internal auditors effectively 
       •       How to perform internal audits effectively
       •       Outsourcing the internal audits, advantages and disadvantages
       •       How to evaluate the effectiveness of performed internal audits 
 

7. Certification and Accreditation in the global marketplace
       •       The cross frontier policy in accreditation
       •       Using certification to build a better economy
       •       The main challenges and opportunities in globalizing certification programs
       •       Certification and accreditation in the non-profit and for-profit sectors
       •       The role of IAF and AB’s in the future of systems certification and global recognition
       •       Hearing the customers’ voice. Making certification relevant to the end users and
               providing confidence for them
       •       Accelerating National Accreditation, an important requirement for
               re-building market confidence
       •       Introducing a cross-frontier based accreditation infrastructure
       •       The main threats facing management systems certification 
 

8. The role of consultants in audit process (and success of an audit)
        •       The role of consultants in the certification process and value-added audits
        •       How to manage the dominant and conflicting role of consultants in the certification process
        •       How to maintain the balance between auditor’s and consultant’s contribution
        •       Auditing vs. consultancy, how can auditors avoid acting as consultants during audits
        •       The role of consultants in internal audits
        •       Setting standards for management internal audits performed by consultants

9. Best Practices and case studies in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd party audits
       •       Risk-based auditing
       •       Integrated management systems auditing
       •       Electronic-based management systems auditing
       •       Knowledge-based organizations auditing