Revisorns oberoende : En kvalitativ studie om vilka hot mot revisorns oberoende som identifieras samt var gränsen går för en yrkesmässig relation gentemot en vänskaplig kundrelation mellan revisor och kund

Sammanfattning: Accounting is a significant area within business finance and aims to provide an overall picture of the company's financial position. The independence of the auditor can also be considered as part of a larger discussion about the role of companies in society and their responsibilities towards stakeholders. Ensuring that the auditor's independence is maintained can help create a more sustainable and ethical business climate that benefits both the company and society as a whole. Setting a clear boundary between the professional role and the private life has always been a challenge for people. There are a number of challenges to auditor independence, including increased competition in the marketplace, increased complexity in companies operations, and increased pressure from company management to maximize profits and share prices. The purpose of this study is to investigate how the auditors secures their independent role and identify threats that may endanger the auditor's independence. Furthermore, the study will examine where the line is drawn for a professional or friendship relationship between accountant and client. The empirical material was collected using a qualitative research method based on semi-structured interviews with authorized accountants. According to the results of the conducted study, it is found that accountants prefer independence over client relationships, but on the other hand, had chosen profitable clients over independence. The significant threats to auditor independence are considered to be financial incentives, such as conflicts of interest or the pressure to maintain client relationships. Threats to auditor independence can arise from a range of factors, including financial incentives, personal relationships and familiarity with clients.