INTELLECTUAL CAPITAL AUDIT: CONCEPTION, GOALS AND REAL POSSIBILITIES

Abstract

The main objectives of this paper are to research the background of the formation of intellectual capital audit conception, to define its meaning and to assess the possibilities as well as expedience of its application within the intellectual capital theory and the internal and external audit practice of organization. Common points between the targets of the intellectual capital measurement and the traditional internal and external audit are analyzed in this paper. Analysis of scientific literature and methods of analogy and generalization are used in this research. The main findings of research are based on the systematic scientific literature review and the experience of business practice. In the first part of research the background of the formation of intellectual capital audit conception is analyzed, the main theories influencing it are determined, common points between these theories are analyzed and predominant meaning of intellectual capital audit conception is explained. Intellectual capital audit techniques as well as intellectual capital measurement methods with the “audit” concept are analyzed in the second part of this paper. Intellectual capital audit solutions within business practice and the audit of public intellectual capital reports are analyzed here as well. At the end of this paper the internal and external audit alternatives of intellectual capital are analyzed and their development perspectives are projected.