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Expectation Gap: the Story of the Auditor's Necessary and Impossible Mission

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  • Alain BURLAUD

    (Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers, France)

  • Maria NICULESCU

    (Centre for Advanced Sustainability Studies, Romania)

Abstract

The expectation gap, the gap between what the public expects from auditors and what auditors can deliver, is a key issue. This gap can call into question the trust necessary for contemporary societies to function. After providing a historical overview to help understand the issues and the development of the "expectation gap" concept, the article shows the mechanisms by which auditors are subjected to contradictory or incompatible pressures and paradoxical injunctions that can lead to such gaps. It then describes the ways and means of reducing the expectation gap: essentially, guaranteeing the independence of auditors and extending the tasks entrusted to them so that they can better contribute to defending the public interest. In this second area, the case of sustainability auditing is special, given its great complexity, the great diversity of stakeholders and their expectations, and the ability of a new profession, "sustainability auditor", to respond, which is "bubbling up". These reflections are based on historical and documentary research, dealing with international standards, European law and its impact on French and Romanian accounting law, as well as secondary analysis of various reports and official documents.

Suggested Citation

  • Alain BURLAUD & Maria NICULESCU, 2024. "Expectation Gap: the Story of the Auditor's Necessary and Impossible Mission," The Audit Financiar journal, Chamber of Financial Auditors of Romania, vol. 22(176), pages 695-723, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:aud:audfin:v:22:y:2024:i:176:p:695
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Quick, Reiner, 2020. "The Audit Expectation Gap: A Review of the Academic Literature," Publications of Darmstadt Technical University, Institute for Business Studies (BWL) 124768, Darmstadt Technical University, Department of Business Administration, Economics and Law, Institute for Business Studies (BWL).
    2. Paul Olojede & Olayinka Erin & Osariemen Asiriuwa & Momoh Usman, 2020. "Audit expectation gap: an empirical analysis," Future Business Journal, Springer, vol. 6(1), pages 1-12, December.
    3. Alain Burlaud & Maria Niculescu, 2016. "Accounting standards that appeal to the professional judgment: a threat or an opportunity for the accounting profession," Post-Print halshs-02145494, HAL.
    4. Alain Burlaud & Maria Niculescu, 2015. "Non financial information: a European perspective [Informaţia non-financiară: o perspectivă europeană]," Post-Print halshs-02145469, HAL.
    5. Alain Burlaud & Maria Niculescu, 2016. "Accounting standards that appeal to the professional judgment: a threat or an opportunity for the accounting profession [Un drept contabil care face appel la raţionamentul profesional: o ameninţare," Post-Print halshs-02145487, HAL.
    6. Aluthgama Guruge Deepal & Ariyarathna Jayamaha, 2022. "Audit expectation gap: a comprehensive literature review," Asian Journal of Accounting Research, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 7(3), pages 308-319, April.
    7. Alain Burlaud & Bernard Colasse, 2011. "International Accounting Standardisation: Is Politics Back?," Accounting in Europe, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 8(1), pages 23-47, June.
    8. Alain Burlaud & Maria Niculescu, 2015. "Non financial information: a European perspective," Post-Print halshs-02145461, HAL.
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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • M42 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Accounting - - - Auditing
    • M48 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Accounting - - - Government Policy and Regulation
    • N01 - Economic History - - General - - - Development of the Discipline: Historiographical; Sources and Methods

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