Efficacy of Social Media Utilization by Public Accounting Firms: Findings and Directions for Future Research

2014 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 5-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brenda Eschenbrenner ◽  
Fiona Fui-Hoon Nah ◽  
Venkata Rajasekhar Telaprolu
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Public Accounting ◽  
Accounting Firms ◽  
Business Objectives ◽  
Success Stories ◽  
Big 4 ◽  
Public Accounting Firms ◽  
Second Tier

ABSTRACT Social media presents a new platform for businesses to communicate and interact with others, both internally and externally. Social media may be utilized for activities such as sharing success stories and providing industry updates. Although a plethora of opportunities to achieve business objectives with social media usage exists, the efficacy of its use by public accounting firms is unclear. This article identifies the business objectives that Big 4 and second-tier firms are pursuing with social media. Primary business objectives being fulfilled by social media include Knowledge Sharing, Branding and Marketing, and Socialization and Onboarding. The findings suggest that Big 4 firms are pursuing Knowledge Sharing on Facebook™ and Twitter™ to a greater extent than second-tier firms, while second-tier firms pursue Socialization and Onboarding on Facebook and Branding and Marketing on Twitter to a greater extent than Big 4 firms. Suggestions for business opportunities and future research are also identified.

Enhancing Knowledge Sharing in Public Accounting Firms

2006 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 133-155 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra C. Vera-Mun˜oz ◽  
Joanna L. Ho ◽  
Chee W. Chow
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Professional Staff ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Audit Process ◽  
Public Accounting ◽  
Accounting Firms ◽  
Cpa Firms ◽  
Public Accounting Firms ◽  
Audit Team

The goal of this study is to advance understanding of factors that may enhance or hinder knowledge sharing in public accounting firms and, in the end, provide practical recommendations for the firms. Attention to this topic is warranted for two reasons. First, today's regulatory environment and new auditing standards have broadened and intensified pressures on CPA firms to enhance the quality, effectiveness, and efficiency of the audit process. Second, knowledge and expertise are unevenly distributed among the members of the audit team. Thus, knowledge sharing can help CPA firms in leveraging the skills, knowledge, and best practices of their professional staff. Against this background, CPA firms' ability to effectively deploy knowledgesharing activities is increasingly vital to their competitive advantage, including gaining tangible benefits in terms of time and cost reductions. We draw upon prior research in accounting, organizational learning, psychology, and knowledge management to examine the role of three factors–information technology, formal and informal interactions among auditors, and reward systems–in encouraging knowledge sharing. We develop recommendations for public accounting firms and suggest several directions for future research.

A Contemporary Analysis of Accounting Professionals' Work-Life Balance

2015 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-62 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steve Buchheit ◽  
Derek W. Dalton ◽  
Nancy L. Harp ◽  
Carl W. Hollingsworth
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Support ◽  
Work Life ◽  
Work Life Balance ◽  
Public Accounting ◽  
Important Distinction ◽  
Life Balance ◽  
Accounting Firms ◽  
Accounting Professionals ◽  
Big 4 ◽  
Public Accounting Firms

SYNOPSIS In recent years, work-life balance surpassed compensation as the most important job satisfaction factor among AICPA members (American Institute of Certified Public Accountants [AICPA] 2004). Despite the continued importance of this issue in the accounting profession (AICPA 2011), prior research has not examined work-life balance perceptions across different segments of the profession. We survey 1,063 practicing CPAs in order to assess the comparative work-life balance perceptions across (1) Big 4 versus smaller public accounting firms, (2) audit versus tax functions, and (3) public accounting versus industry work contexts. Consistent with predictions based on institutional logics theory, we find that work-family conflict and job burnout perceptions (our proxies for work-life balance) are highest in the Big 4. We are the first study to measure both support-for and viability-of traditional alternative work arrangements (AWAs), and we report an important distinction between these two constructs. Specifically, while CPAs across all public accounting firms (i.e., Big 4, national, regional, and local firms) report similar levels of organizational support-for AWAs, Big 4 professionals report significantly lower perceived viability-of AWAs (i.e., the ability to use AWAs and remain effective at one's job) compared to accounting professionals at smaller public accounting firms. Further, we find no differences between audit and tax professionals' perceptions across any of our work-life balance measures. We also document nuanced differences regarding work-life balance perceptions in public accounting versus industry. For example, contrary to conventional wisdom, work-life balance is not uniformly “better” in industry (e.g., burnout is actually lower in smaller public accounting firms compared to industry). Finally, we use open-ended responses from a follow-up survey to provide several recommendations for firms to improve their work-life balance efforts.

A Theoretical Framework of the Relationship between Public Accounting Firms and Their Auditors

2005 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Dreike Almer ◽  
Julia L. Higgs ◽  
Karen L. Hooks
Keyword(s):  
Future Research ◽  
Public Accounting ◽  
Accounting Firms ◽  
The Public ◽  
Sociology Of Professions ◽  
Rich Description ◽  
Public Accounting Firms ◽  
Current Article ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Significant Attention

The behavior of auditors in the context of their employment by public accounting firms has received significant attention in the accounting literature. The current article extends this literature by providing a framework that identifies what auditing professionals contribute and receive as a result of their work efforts, as well as related influences. Using agency theory modified with fundamental ideas from the sociology of professions literature, we develop a model of the auditor-public accounting firm employment relationship. This framework is grounded in a timely, contextually rich description of the public accounting work environment, and the pressures and incentives faced by auditors. Propositions for future research are suggested that arise from understanding the auditor-firm relationship.

Materiality Guidance of the Major Public Accounting Firms

2014 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 3-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aasmund Eilifsen ◽  
William F. Messier
Keyword(s):  
Data Availability ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Public Accounting ◽  
Accounting Firms ◽  
Public Accounting Firms ◽  
Qualitative Factors ◽  
Research And Education ◽  
High Level ◽  
Implementation Of Standards

SUMMARY This paper examines the materiality guidance for eight of the largest U.S. public accounting firms. Knowledge of how materiality guidance is integrated into a firm's methodology is important for accounting and auditing researchers as well as for practitioners, regulators, and educators. Our results show a high level of consistency across the firms in terms of the quantitative benchmarks (e.g., income before taxes, total assets or revenues, and total equity) used to determine overall materiality, the related percentages applied to those benchmarks, the percentages applied to overall materiality for determining tolerable misstatement, and what constitutes a clearly trivial misstatement. We also find that the firms' guidance for evaluating detected misstatements, including qualitative factors and firm guidance for group audits, is consistent across firms. However, there are differences in how the firms consider the possibility of undetected misstatements when evaluating detected misstatements. The results of this study provide important insights into implementation of standards and valuable information for future research and education. Data Availability: The data used are proprietary to the firms and are not available for distribution.

The post-SOX comparative dynamics of public accounting firm efficiency

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ephraim Clark ◽  
Zhuo Qiao
Keyword(s):  
Market Competition ◽  
Public Accounting ◽  
Accounting Firms ◽  
Firm Efficiency ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Accounting Firm ◽  
Comparative Dynamics ◽  
Catching Up ◽  
Big 4 ◽  
Public Accounting Firms

Purpose This paper aims to analyze the differences in the efficiency of public accounting firms across both firms and countries in the post-Sarbanes-Oxley world. It also investigates the issues surrounding the dynamics of their efficiency gaps. Design/methodology/approach This study uses four-stage data envelopment analysis to estimate the efficiency of public accounting firms in the USA, the UK and Canada over the period 2008–2015. The ß- and σ- convergence tests are applied to analyze the dynamics of the efficiency gaps across firms and countries. Findings The results show that market competition in the accounting sector increases efficiency. Gross domestic product growth also increases it while inflation decreases it. The analytical results indicate that the lagging public accounting firms are catching up to the leading public accounting firms within the same country, within the Big 4 group and within the non-Big 4 group. They also show that the non-Big 4 groups are catching up to the Big 4 group and that the countries with less efficient accounting firms are catching up to the country with the more efficient accounting firms. Originality/value This study accounts explicitly for the effect of business environmental factors on public accounting firm efficiency. Furthermore, the research also adds to the literature by investigating the comparative dynamics of the efficiency gaps of public accounting firms.

An Investigation of Ethical Environments of CPAs: Public Accounting versus Industry

2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-56 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donna D. Bobek ◽  
Derek W. Dalton ◽  
Brian E. Daugherty ◽  
Amy M. Hageman ◽  
Robin R. Radtke
Keyword(s):  
Ethical Decision ◽  
Ethical Decision Making ◽  
Data Availability ◽  
Certified Public Accountants ◽  
Public Accounting ◽  
Accounting Firms ◽  
Research And Practice ◽  
Work Settings ◽  
Big 4 ◽  
Public Accounting Firms

ABSTRACT The purpose of this paper is to investigate certified public accountants' (CPAs) perceptions of their ethical environments. More specifically, we compare the perceptions of CPAs in (1) public accounting firms to those in industry, and (2) perceptions of CPAs at Big 4 public accounting firms to those at non-Big 4 firms. The ethical environment is one component of overall organizational culture and is important for encouraging ethical decision making. Based on responses from 904 CPAs, we find CPAs working at public accounting firms perceive their ethical environments as significantly stronger than CPAs in industry (and other nonpublic accounting work settings). Additionally, within public accounting, CPAs at Big 4 firms perceive their ethical environments as significantly stronger than those working at non-Big 4 accounting firms. Implications for research and practice are discussed. Data Availability: Please contact the authors.

Perceptions of Robotic Process Automation in Big 4 Public Accounting Firms: Do Firm Leaders and Lower-Level Employees Agree?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lauren A. Cooper ◽  
D. Kip Holderness ◽  
Trevor L. Sorensen ◽  
David A. Wood
Keyword(s):  
Work Experience ◽  
Positive Influence ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Process Automation ◽  
Public Accounting ◽  
Accounting Firms ◽  
The Public ◽  
Robotic Process Automation ◽  
Big 4 ◽  
Recent Innovation

The use of Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is a recent innovation in the public accounting industry, and the Big 4 firms are at the forefront of its implementation. This paper examines how the adoption and use of RPA is affecting the perceived work experience of firm leaders and lower-level employees at Big 4 accounting firms. We interview 14 RPA leaders, survey 139 lower-level employees, and compare and contrast their responses. We find that the two groups generally agree that RPA is having a positive influence on the profession. Both groups believe that RPA is positively changing the work employees perform and improving employee career prospects. However, while firm leaders believe RPA will improve work satisfaction, lower-level employees report no such improvements. Our insights provide direction for the accounting profession as it increases the use of RPA and for future research studies examining related issues.

Developmental mentoring, affective organizational commitment, and knowledge sharing in public accounting firms

2018 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 142-161 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary B. Curtis ◽  
Eileen Z. Taylor
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Commitment ◽  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Social Exchange ◽  
Social Exchange Theory ◽  
Reciprocal Relationship ◽  
Affective Organizational Commitment ◽  
Public Accounting ◽  
Accounting Firms ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Public Accounting Firms

Purpose This study aims to examine how public accounting firms can use developmental mentoring to increase knowledge sharing (KS) among employees directly and indirectly through affective organizational commitment. Design/methodology/approach This study uses a survey of public accounting professionals to elicit participants’ demographics and their perceptions of KS, mentoring relationships and organizational commitment in their workplace. Findings The findings support that two categories of challenges found in developmental mentoring, demonstrating dedication and resilience and career goal and risk orientation, are directly associated with increased KS and they, along with a third, measuring up to mentor’s standards, indirectly influence KS through their positive effect on organizational commitment. Applying social exchange theory, these challenges contribute to a reciprocal relationship between the protégé and mentor, which builds the relationship between the protégé and organization. Practical implications This study provides information about developmental mentoring that human resource professionals and managers in public accounting firms can use to address two persistent challenges facing them: increasing employees’ organizational commitment and encouraging employees to share their knowledge with others at work. Originality/value This study examines the concept of developmental mentoring, adopting three categories of mentoring challenges and applying them in the context of public accounting to examine their effect on KS.

Turnover in public accounting firms: a literature review

2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 294-321 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hossein Nouri ◽  
Robert James Parker
Keyword(s):  
Audit Quality ◽  
Role Theory ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Extensive Literature ◽  
Public Accounting ◽  
Accounting Firms ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Public Accounting Firms

Purpose This paper reviews and synthesizes the extensive literature that investigates turnover in public accounting firms. Design/methodology/approach This paper initially identifies turnover studies by searching two commonly used business databases, ABI and Business Source. Subsequently, references in these studies are examined. Over 100 published studies of accounting firms are identified. Findings Prior turnover studies can be classified by the underlying theory: psychological attachment; role theory; mentoring; and organizational justice. Using these theories, prior research has examined a wide variety of issues such as the role of gender in turnover. Practical implications Turnover is a significant and long-term problem in accounting firms. Practitioners and researchers have long noted that firms lose the costs of training employees who leave the firm. Recently, many in the auditing field have recognized that employee turnover may reduce audit quality. This paper summarizes prior turnover research, which may provide guidance to future researchers and managers of accounting firms. Originality/value This study fills a void in the accounting literature, which is missing a comprehensive and up to date review of prior studies of turnover in accounting firms. Opportunities for future research are also explored. While much has been learned, some theoretical and methodological issues remain unresolved.

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