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The study investigates the structure of audit fees in an emerging economy, Jordan.

The following regression model will be tested: ADFEES = f (SIZE, AUST, COMP, INDS, PROF, RISK, YEND, TLAG). The model is tested by running a cross‐sectional linear ordinary least squares (OLS) regression of the audit fees on corporate size, the status of the audit firm, the degree of corporate complexity, profitability, risk, corporate accounting year end and the lag between the audit report and the end of the accounting year.

The results of the analysis revealed that corporate size, status of the audit firm, industry type, degree of corporate complexity and risk are the main determinants of audit fees. However, variables such as corporate profitability, corporate accounting year‐end (YEND) and time lag between YEND and the audit report date appeared to be insignificant determinants of audit fees.

In order to generalize the outcome of the study, the same study needs to be conducted over a long period of time (five years). Other variables such as the market share of the audit firm and the economic conditions of the country need to be included in the regression model in future research.

The outcome of the study can be used by audit firms to determine audit fees. Companies' management can also use the results of the study to predict the amount of audit fees that they will pay.

A common perception is that, as investors in hedge funds are afforded a lesser level of legal and regulatory protections than investors in regulated products, there is a deficiency in the degree of transparency and disclosure afforded to them. This paper examines from a largely UK perspective whether that is, in practice, the case.

The past year has seen a flurry of activity from the major international regulators around issues with a common theme: conflicts of interest. The Financial Services Authority (FSA), the UK regulator, is no exception. On the sell side, the FSA has consulted twice in 2003 directly on conflicts of interest in the context of investment research and the issuance of securities, as well as making new rules in this area. On the buy side, the FSA shocked the fund management industry with its proposals to limit goods and services that can be bought with commissions and to limit the costs to customers’ funds of acquiring bundled and “softed” services, as well as less explicitly attempting to address conflicts in this area. The issues thrown up by these proposals are considered in this article.

To discuss the new UCITS V Directive, recently agreed upon by the European Parliament and Council, which will include safeguards to protect client assets in the event of a depositary’s insolvency and also address remuneration practices that are thought to encourage excessive risk-taking.

Summarizes UCITS-V, discusses whether the new remuneration rules are sound, addresses the concern that the UCITS V remuneration restrictions could make it difficult for USA-affiliated advisers and managers to manage UCITS, summarizes next steps and further procedures.

From an institutional point of view, deferred remuneration systems will require credit institutions, as well as investment firms and custodians, to ensure sound and sustainable business models that also protect the public. This will be accomplished in part by establishing incentives and compliance systems that foster a risk-aware approach and an awareness by employees that they will profit only if the fund investors or the relevant credit institutions do. UCITS offering materials will need to be evaluated to see if current advisory structures can be maintained while retaining the desired business profile of the fund.

Practical explanation by experienced lawyers.

This study aims to examine the underlying determinants that may influence external audit fees paid by Emirati nonfinancial companies listed on Dubai Financial Market (DFM).

Data used in this study are mainly collected from the 2011 annual reports and corporate governance reports published by the Emirati nonfinancial companies listed on DFM. Backward regression analysis is used to measure the impact of a set of company characteristics on Emirati non-financial listed firm’s audit delays.

The findings pointed to a significant and positive association between audit fees and each of corporate size and audit committee independence variables. A significant and negative relationship has been detected between external audit fees and business complexity. The findings also revealed that audit fees are not significantly associated with company’s profitability, risk, industry type, status of audit firm and audit report lag.

The paper helps in expanding limited existing literature about the determinants of audit fees in the Arab and Middle East countries generally and in the UAE context particularly. No prior attempt had been made to investigate the determinants of audit fees paid by Emirati firms listed on DFM because the disclosure of audit fees services provided by external auditors only became effective after April 30, 2010. The findings of the study may be generalized to other Arab countries, particularly neighboring Gulf Cooperation Council states, that have a similar socio-cultural environment.

The stand‐out works this year are a number of comprehensive general discographies. Before reviewing them in detail in Part Two, I would like to single out three of them here for special attention.

The main objective of this study is to investigate factors influencing the amount of external audit fees in Kuwait. Of particular interest is the examination of the potential effect of the client size, client complexity, client risk, and the size of the audit firm on external audit fees.

An audit fee model is used to examine the effect of audit client size, client complexity, client risk, and the size of the audit firm on the amount of audit fees for a sample of audit engagements performed in the Kuwaiti audit market.

The study's results indicate that the amount of external audit fees is significantly influenced by the audit client size, liquidity ratio, and profitability ratio. The results, however, do not provide evidence of a significant relation between audit fees and the number of audit locations, or the size of the audit firm.

This study is original since it is the first to empirically investigate factors influencing the pricing of audit services in Kuwait.

This experimental study investigates the connotative (measured) meaning of the concept “auditor independence” within three audit engagement case contexts, including two acknowledged in the literature to represent significant potential threats to independence. The study’s research design utilises the measurement of meaning (semantic differential) framework originally proposed by Osgood et al. (1957). Findings indicate that research participants considered the concept of independence within a two factor cognitive structure comprising “emphasis” and “variability” dimensions. Participants’ connotations of independence varied along both these dimensions in response to the alternative experimental case scenarios. In addition, participants’ perceptions of the auditor’s independence in the three cases were systematically associated with the identified connotative meaning dimensions.

Physical activity is increasingly recognised as critical to improving physical and mental health (MH). Understanding the education and training requirements of exercise professionals will support better integration of these emerging MH professionals within the multidisciplinary MH team. The purpose of this study was to determine the exposure to, knowledge and attitudes of final year exercise physiology students towards people with mental illness (MI).

Student exposure to and knowledge and attitudes of people living with MH were assessed via a 24-item online questionnaire.

In total, n = 63 out of 78 eligible students participated (81%). Of the participants, 81% (n = 51) showed a favourable attitude towards people with MI and 68% (n = 43) of participants had good knowledge of topics relating to MI. Significant correlations existed between the total score for attitude and any exposure to MH issues and having undertaken placement as part of university training and knowledge and total scores. Further training and education are needed to better equip exercise physiology graduates to work with people with MI.

This is the first study to examine the attitudes and knowledge of exercise physiology students towards people living with MI and their association with exposure to MI. Given the growing number of exercise professionals being integrated into multidisciplinary MH teams, this study may help to direct the delivery of associated training and education services.