This book reflects the scientific work which is based on Dries’ passion for the ISAs. It provides answers to questions, including:

• Are ISAs optimal auditing standards from a theoretical audit quality perspective?
• What is the advantage of principles-based over rules-based standards, and in what respect may such standards contribute to audit quality?
• In what way is the potential impact of auditing standards on audit quality contingent on the applicable institutional context?
• In what way is the legitimacy of auditing standardsetters under pressure?
• What may be the influence on standard-setting and regulation in general of a desire amongst policymakers for zero-tolerance in terms of residual risk?
• How does a researcher define and measure audit quality from a scientific perspective?
• In what respect is “compliance” different from “quality”?

Next to scientific arguments, this book is a unique attempt to providing empirical results related to audit reports issued in practice from 2004 to 2009:

• Which parties contribute towards compliance with ISA reporting standards: de-jure auditing standard-setters (IAASB, national auditing standards) or de-facto auditing standard-setters (Big-N auditing networks)?
• Are audit reports standardised from an individual criterion point of view?
• Is the text of audit reports harmonised at the international level, as we would expect from an ISA perspective?

This book is highly recommended for policymakers, standard-setters and academics around the globe who are interested in auditing standard-setting.