Organizational Audit

An organizational audit is a method used to evaluate various areas within an organization that is considered vital to its functioning. This type of audit compares a business area’s current performance to the desired performance to meet business needs or goals.

An organizational audit may involve one or many tools to assess business areas or specific procedures. Despite using a checklist as opposed to a questionnaire, the method used to the compile information and later evaluate, should aim to gain insight to the specific topic as it relates to the designated business area, topic, or function. Noting the purpose of conducting an audit can help determine the most appropriate approach to discovering specific and relevant details that strengthen the quality of the audit.

Many organizational audits begin with identifying the organization’s vision or mission statement. Depending on the intent, the statement may apply to the entire organization or it may only apply to a specific unit of the organization.

After identifying the vision or mission, the statement can be defined. A clear definition is necessary to assess how the level of awareness (how accurate is the understanding of people within the organization). Determining the awareness of others helps to ensure there is one similar and accurate understanding of the organization’s goals that are most likely to influence behavior. With an accurate understanding, more expectations more are met and results better align with the organization’s mission.

See the image below to view the compared results one provider gives to illustrate an organization’s strengths and weakness as it relates to crucial business components (domains).

References

Organization Comparisons [Digital Image] Retrieved April 12, 2019 from
https://www.i4cp.com/solutions/organizational-effectiveness

Johnstone, K. M., Gramling, A. A., & Rittenberg, L. E. (2016). Auditing: A risk-based approach to conducting a quality audit. Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning.