■ Philosophy of auditing
The audit process is a well established and recognized control mechanism of the capital market economy. It is a process on which the users of financial reporting call and rely. However, little is known about the circumstances of its creation and the conditions necessary for its existence and continuing development. In 1961, Mautz and Sharf published The Philosophy of Auditing – a project whose origins can be traced back to 1930s. When Mautz and Sharaf wrote this monograph, auditing theory, unlike accounting theory, had received little attention. They outlined an extensive discussion on auditing philosophy, methodology of auditing and postulates of auditing. They also discussed the central areas in auditing such as evidence, due audit care, fair presentation, independence and ethical conduct.