Determinants of the External Audit Fee of UK Unquoted Companies — Some New Evidence

Abstract

In recent years there has been a growing debate, in the academic, professional and popular literature, on the audit ‘expectation gap’ and the role and independence of the auditor. As noted by Waller (1991): ‘Much of the criticism of auditors concerns an apparent lack of impartiality. Outsiders feel that independence is compromised… who knows what short cuts are taken by auditors keen to keep “well in” with management for the sake of winning profitable consultancy work to supplement the audit fee?’