No abstract

This paper investigates the Selection-Socialization Theory (SST) and its related Inverted-U Phenomenon (IUP) in the moral reasoning of Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) in industry and public practice. This is an extension of the literature that has primarily focused on CPAs in public practice and has reported mixed results. We do not find significant differences in moral reasoning (as measured by the P-score of the Defining Issues Test) between various professional ranks of practicing accountants. This result suggests an absence of SST or IUP in promotions of CPAs to higher ranks in industry or public practice. Investigation of control variables indicates that gender and ethical training do not have significant effects on the P-score. However, as expected, CPAs with graduate degrees have higher P-scores than those with only an undergraduate degree, and politically moderate or liberal CPAs score higher than conservatives.

No abstract

PurposeCongruence of personal values to organizational (the profession) values affects job performance, job satisfaction and ethical behavior. The purpose of this paper is to answer two research questions: (1) what are the personal ethical values of today's leaders in the US accounting profession and (2) are these personal ethical values congruent with the profession's ethical code?Design/methodology/approachThis study uses a survey approach to determine the personal values of US-certified public accounting leaders. The personal values of the Certified Public Accountants (CPA) leaders were measured using the Rokeach Value Survey instrument.FindingsFindings show that for each highly prioritized personal value, there is one or more parallel with the profession's values, as represented by the US American Institute of CPAs ethics code.Research limitations/implicationsThis study was limited by the time period used. Future studies could include other time periods. This study could be used as a starting point for longitudinal studies to determine if personal values of professional accountants change over time.Practical implicationsThis paper offers a fresh understanding of the relationship of accountants' personal values to professional values.Social implicationsThis paper provides insights into the person–organization (P–O) fit of US accountants within their profession.Originality/valueThis paper examines the P–O fit of accounting leaders, that is, the congruence of personal values and organizational values. The P–O fit contributes to job performance and job satisfaction.

No abstract