Contract Management by Ramanathan, who was till recently the Finance member of the Telecom Commission, is a slim volume that nevertheless comprehensively deals with all aspects of contracting and outsourcing from conception to execution and arbitration. Written in an eminently readable style, unlike the dog-eared Government tomes called Manuals/Codes, the book has separate chapters devoted to the specific features and issues relating to different types of contracts: works contracts, consultancy contracts, turnkey contracts, development contracts and so on. Each chapter is well structured, lucidly sets out the need for adequate homework, explains the rules of the game, and illustrates the consequences of their infraction by examples taken from the Audit Reports of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India. The concluding chapter is addressed to the emerging areas of contracting in the context of withdrawal of Government from direct economic activity and stresses inter alia the need for establishment of credible regulators, which, as a World Bank Report had cautioned some years ago, run the risk of being highjacked by vested interests.
Each chapter contains a separate section which lists useful tips for the benefit of contractors, so that contracting results in a win-win situation for both the parties. The book should command a wide audience, among administrators, auditors and contractors alike. Illustration of consequences of infraction of the rules of the game, with the help of examples from Audit Reports, must be considered as a pioneering attempt to project the positive role of Government Audit in promoting the theory and practice of good governance, akin to that of post mortems in the development of medical science. This is a must read for anyone who is dealing with contracting, whether it is on the executive side or on the audit side.
Dharam Vir,
Deputy Comptroller & Auditor General of India
(Retd.)
Since China resumed its auditing system at the beginning of the 1980s, auditing in China, including government auditing, public auditing and internal auditing has achieved great development with rich experiences accumulated.
For many, China's audit system is unique from that of many other countries'. The Chinese SAI-CNAO, being a part of government auditing itself, also oversees the country's whole internal auditing system and monitors the work of public auditors. How does the whole auditing system work in China? What are the pros and cons of this system? Where will this system go in the future? This book based on audit theoretical studies and audit practices, introduces systematically the development of audit in China. The book was compiled by a compilation team headed by Mr. Li Jinhua, Auditor General of CNAO. Within the team are experienced auditors from the areas of government auditing, internal auditing, public auditing, researching, training and other related areas, familiar with every fact of the development in the field of auditing in China.
The book consists of introduction and chapters on audit theories, audit organizations, audit standards and audit approaches. Together these contents describe issues related to the establishment of a unique audit system with Chinese characteristics. They demonstrate the systems of audit theory, organizations, standards and approaches in a comprehensive manner by tracing the present to the history and comparing Chinese systems with their western counterparts. With these features, the book compilation team hopes to find possibilities to solve problems faced by Chinese auditors in a reasonable manner and arouse extensive attention among those engaged in audit theoretical research and audit practice and thereby further the discussion of some important issues.
For more information, contact: International Department, National Audit
Office of
China, 1 Beiluyuan, Zhanlan Road,
Xicheng, Beijing 100830, China
Fax:
86-10-6833 0958,
Tel: 86-10-6830 1407
In November 200, the Australian National Audit Office launched a book that had been commissioned to celebrate its centenary (1901-2001). From Accounting to Accountability traces the evolution of the Audit Office over the Twentieth century. It charts the major developments in audit reporting and practice and explores relations with key stakeholders.
Synopsis
The Australian national Audit Office remains a fundamental institution of public accountability in the Commonwealth of Australia. Established in 1902 to perform a relatively limited function, the Audit Office built on its initial role of verifying the public accounts and extended its mandate gradually improving the ways governments are held to account.
Successive Auditors General have strenuously fought for their independence from government and the bureaucracy, and also felt the need to defend their mandate at particular times. After some intense political struggles between the Executive, the Auditor-General and Parliament, the Auditor-General was declared an Independent Officer of the Parliament in 1997, to protect the independence of the Office and express a closer working relationship to the Parliament.
Authors: John Wanna,
Christine Ryan and Chew Ng