Let's make it a better world!

by James R. Hamilton of Jim Hamilton - Writer and International Consultant ( 15-Oct-2008 )

Let's make it a better world!  I want to make my contribution to making the world a better place in which to live.  In order to do this I want to understand it better in all its aspects, see how it has worked, is functioning now and how it could work better.  I want to share my ideas with others and also see what they have to offer in this regard.  I have traveled over most of the world in the past 40 years and have started writing down articles on the perspectives I have gained.  I have enjoyed watching the sterotypes (mostly negative) drop when I enter a country for the first time, and new, more positive impressions emerge, even in those countries which are the "poorest" in economic terms or where my expectations were the lowest.  I am now making an effort to put them down in writing and share them with others.I have made this journey to understand the world better in all its aspects:  how it has worked, is functioning now and how it could work better -- at two levels (1) micro as an operational auditor and (2) at the macro studying comparative, economic, social, cultural, and religious systems.  My strategy is to put some of these themes into articles to share with you and get your feedback, organize the material around the themes, add some case studies and produce some books.  Some for students and teachers and some for the general public.  This of course will take time, but the interaction should be beneficial to all of us who have similar interests along these lines.  Out of this process, I would like to see some practical methodologies and guidelines for comparative analysis emerge and be developed. Following are some of the areas at the macro level in which I want to share articles with you to read and comment on:  The professional mystique (WDE), parallel internal formal and informal organizational structures, the concept of perfection, empirical reasoning versus mythology, and comprehensive religious and social history. On the micro level following are some of the areas I will touching on in my writing:  Anti-Corruption, Forensic Auditing, Risk Analysis, Monitoring Expenditures and Revenues, Evaluation, Cost Savings, Outcomes, Accountability, Governance Reviews, Public Sector Financial Management Improvement Projects, Auditing for Effectiveness, Efficiency and Economy of Operations, Value for Money Audits, Public Sector Capacity Building, Internal Audit Training, External Audit Training, Operational Auditing, International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI), Supreme Audit Institutions, Institute of Internal Auditors Standards, Development of Audit Manuals and Guidelines, Comprehensive Auditing, and Legislative Oversight.