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Abstract:
This paper describes the work processes, procedures, and vendors that CPA firms can use to outsource tax compliance work overseas. The overseas outsourcing of tax compliance work can free accounting professionals' time to offer more lucrative client services, lessen the burden of hiring and staffing, save money, and speed the delivery of client returns. Concerns about overseas outsourcing include privacy and security risks, staff concerns about downsizing and changing roles, potential interruptions to outsourcing services, and compliance with ethical standards and applicable law. We conclude by anticipating, and encouraging, a "global village" of professional accounting services that includes the overseas outsourcing of tax services by U.S. CPA firms of all sizes.

Taxation services, overseas outsourcing, CPAs

Abstract:
How can CPAs help personal financial planning service (PFPS) clients develop functional (i.e., positive) financial attitudes and goals? How can accounting research and practice contribute to improving financial literacy? Research investigating individual differences convincingly demonstrates the deleterious effects of materialistic attitudes and goals on psychological well-being. But existing research offers few insights into the nature and consequences of "functional" financial attitudes and goals.

In four studies (aggregate n = 1,233), we investigate the behavior and well-being implications of three, inter-related "positive" financial attitudes (financial self-efficacy (FSE), financial autonomy (FA), and financial community and relatedness (FCR)) versus a "negative" financial attitude (i.e., materialism) investigated in previous research. In addition, we explore an alternative explanation for the frequent failure of incentives to motivate desired behavior. We find that positive financial attitudes (PFAs) positively correlate with financial knowledge, and, negatively correlate with materialistic financial attitudes. In addition, positive financial attitudes appear to have larger and more stable effects on financial behavior and psychological well-being than does materialism. Finally, responses to financial attitude measures do not appear to depend on instrument presentation order. We conclude by arguing for the importance of accounting research that articulates both the positive (i.e., affirming) and negative (i.e., deleterious) psychologies of money, and by affirming the value of programs (e.g., the AICPA's financial literacy initiative) that seek to improve financial attitudes and knowledge.

financial attitudes, well-being, financial knowledge, financial planning services

Abstract:
Understanding accounting stakeholders', including customers', perceptions of accountant's job performance and motivation is important to improving customer service, understanding the changing nature of accounting work, and, preparing accountants for professional practice. Herein, we compare the perceptions of three highly experienced groups of accounting stakeholders (i.e., 179 accountants, 286 customers, and 150 supervisors) of accountants' job performance and motivation at the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). We also test for the presence of leniency (i.e., over-estimates of self-performance) and extrinsic incentives (EI) (i.e., overestimates of extrinsic and underestimates of intrinsic motivation among customers and supervisors) biases in stakeholders' perceptions. We find no evidence of leniency bias among accountants, no evidence of extrinsic incentives bias among customers, and, little evidence of an extrinsic incentive bias among supervisors. However, accountants' models of their job performance include predictors (i.e., task prestige, extrinsic motivation) that are not significant in other stakeholders' models. In contrast to the prediction of an EI bias, customers perceive accountants as having lower extrinsic motivation than do the participating accountants. We conclude by discussing the limitations and implications of our results and of the increasing customer focus for accounting work.

Customers, accounting practice, job performance, motivation leniency bias, extrinsic incentives bias

Abstract:
Understanding online deception is critical to increasing participation in online markets. We use three conceptual frameworks (reputation formation dynamics, deception tactics, and bounded rationality) as lens for a case analysis of an online seller ("eBay_Deceiver") who traded for eight years despite abnormally high rates of negative feedback. Our triangulated analysis includes both archival (i.e., sales transactions, products, seller tactics, community (i.e., buyer) responses) and primary (e.g., buyer dialogues) data. Evidence suggests three phases (initial, sustained, endgame) of account activity. Consistent with an opportunistic endgame strategy, the percentage of negative feedback received, the frequency of product complaints, and the frequency of complaints per feedback posting are highest in phase 3. Analysis suggests that the focal seller employed multiple deception tactics (e.g., dazzling, red flagging, decoying, mimicking, and double-play), and sought to minimize the effort required by the deceptions. Analysis also indicates that buyers sometimes "embed" negative comments in positive feedback, perhaps to avoid retaliation. Limitations of the analysis include the single-case, forensic method; contributions include investigating the relevance of three frameworks for conceptualizing a long-term, opportunistic seller's tactics, and, the community's responses to these tactics.

Electronic markets and auctions, deception, electronic commerce, case studies, longitudinal research, Computer-mediated communication and collaboration

Abstract:
Existing research assumes but does not investigate accounting technology professionals' (ATPs) motivation. ATPs motivations matter because of the instability and ubiquity of accounting technologies, and, ATPs boundary spanning role between accounting artifacts and computing technologies. Positivist and critical theory research make strong assumptions about, but leave largely uninvestigated, ATPs motivations. Self-determination theory (SDT), which originates in humanistic psychology, offers an unexplored alternative theory of ATP motivation. SDT suggests a set of propositions for proactively engaging ATPs in self-motivated, socially meaningful activities that enhance ATPs well-being, and, for rethinking accounting education towards a more proactive role in attracting and engaging socially aware, ethically responsible ATPs.

Motivation, Accounting technology, Self-determination, accounting professionals

Abstract:
Using the principles of persona and shadow from Jungian psychology, the presentation describes how strong emotions expressed by reviewers in evaluating manuscripts may be examples of the projection of the reviewer's shadow onto the paper under review. According to principles of analytic psychology, awareness of one's shadow may lessen the likelihood and extent of its projection onto others (including onto authors and manuscripts under review).

Technology and resources used to create presentation: Camtasia 5.0, Powerpoint 2007, microphone, downloaded photos from internet.

academic reviews, reviewer education, persona, shadow, Jungian psychology

Abstract:
We investigate the value of graduate business education in learning tacit knowledge and achieving professional accounting success. Archival (n = 5,932) and survey (n = 2,941) data from managerial accountants employed at 2,525 North American companies in three industries (publishing, paper, and chemical) indicate that job performance evaluations (JPEs) of those who hold either a Masters of Accountancy (MAcc) or MBA degree are generally higher than non-master's (NM) degree accountants. We find some evidence that professionals with master's degrees, as compared to NM professionals, have higher levels of two forms of tacit managerial knowledge (TMK): self and others. The results also suggest that MAcc and MBA degrees contribute to success differentially throughout the professionals' careers. Specifically, a MAcc degree provides greater benefit than a MBA degree in the early and middle career years, while an MBA degree provides greater benefit than a MAcc degree in later career years. The results indicate that MAcc and MBA degrees contribute to success by increasing specific types of knowledge and enhancing ones' ability to learn.

Tacit knowledge, education, professional success, job performance

Abstract:
Herein, we present a brief case that follows the recommendations of previous accounting research (e.g., Dorocak and Purvis (1998); Crumbley, and Smith (2000); Stone (2001a, 2001b)) to "experiment" with the use of literature in accounting education. Specifically, this case introduces first-year or lower-division accounting students to an untrained user's experience with a pre-automated accounting information system. Cases and textbook analyses of accounting control systems are generally written "from the outside". That is, they analyze accounting control systems from the perspective of a detached, neutral accountant-outsider who uses the structures and language of accounting to identify the systems components and interrelationships (cf. (Evered and Louis 1981)). Shirley Jackson's 1941 short story - written "from the inside" of an accounting control system - is a "lived account" of her experience of the retail accounting system at Macy's Department Store during the 1940 Christmas rush season. Jackson's brief story also offers students insight into the history and evolution of accounting systems, and, into the commonality of and differences between users' experiences in the manual and automated eras. An attitudinal survey of 124 students in undergraduate accounting systems and controls classes suggests that students enjoyed and perceived that they learned from the case.

accounting education, narrative, accounting controls, accounting systems, case studies

Abstract:
In this paper, we explore the relationship among rank, knowledge, ability, experience, and success in managerial accounting practice. More specifically, we investigate the predictive validity of the Libby & Luft (L&L) model (1993) of the determinants of judgment performance. We implement and test the L & L model using structural equations applied to the performance evaluations of 2,941 practicing managerial accountants. Our results indicate rank-based differences in the determinants of success of staff-level versus senior and manager-level accountants. Specifically, technical managerial accounting knowledge, ability, and experience predict success for junior managerial accountants; industry knowledge, tacit managerial knowledge (TMK) and experience predict success for seniors; while, industry and TMK predict success for managers. The results generally support the validity of the L& L model in predicting the success of practicing managerial accountants.

Abstract:
Are there rank-based differences in the measured ability, and technical, industry, and tacit managerial knowledge of practicing managerial accountants? To explore this question, we measured the ability and knowledge of 2,941 practicing managerial accountants in three industries. Our results indicate that higher-ranking managerial accountants have: (1) higher levels of industry and tacit managerial knowledge, (2) lower levels of entry-level technical knowledge, and (3) no differences in ability, compared with lower ranking managerial accountants. Our research provides insights into the knowledge "stocks" in, and learning processes of, managerial accounting practice.

Abstract:
Proponents argue that structured audit methods increase auditor consensus. But little evidence exists exploring specifically why structured methods might increase consensus. We conduct a qualitative analysis of the inherent risk assessment methodologies of two firms: one using a structured inherent risk assessment method (SIRAM) and the other using an unstructured inherent risk assessment method (UIRAM). We test the hypotheses suggested by our qualitative data in a quasi-experiment with 22 auditors from a SIRAM and 28 auditors from a UIRAM firm. Participants made inherent risk judgments using a standardized response scale similar to that used by the participating SIRAM firm. The results provide some support for our contention that agreement on linguistic risk labels and effort expended in making risk judgments mediate the relationship between auditors' training and experience and risk judgment consensus. Specifically, we find some evidence that higher cue weight agreement among SIRAM firm auditors compared with UIRAM firm auditors results from higher agreement on linguistic response scale labels and lower effort expended in expressing risk judgments. We also find evidence indicating that higher consistency among SIRAM auditors partially results from the differences in effort expended by auditors in acquiring cues.

Abstract:
Through review and synthesis, we evaluate the extent to which existing auditing research supports the contention that audit firm and auditor industry concentration, specialization, experience, and knowledge improve client-relevant audit outcomes. We classify the twenty-three published auditing research studies that directly investigate these issues into two broad levels of analysis: [1] eighteen studies investigating audit firms, and [2] five studies investigating individual auditors. We summarize and critically evaluate the issues, methods, and insights in this research, and offer suggestions for improving its ability to opine on the issue we investigate. Our review suggests weak evidence supporting the arguments that: [1] audit firm industry concentration affects client-relevant outcomes [audit fees, audit quality]; and [2] individual auditor industry experience and industry specialization affect auditor industry knowledge, decision processes, and audit quality. We argue for future research directed towards identifying the: [1] synergies and costs of increasing audit firm and auditor industry specialization, and [2] interactions of functional and industry specialization. We also argue for an increased diversity of research methods in industry related auditing research.

Abstract:
Using archival and survey data on 2,941 practicing managerial accountants, we explore four questions related to the determinants of success in managerial accounting: (1) Are there differences in knowledge content and ability among managerial accountants at different ranks? (2) Are there differences in the variability of knowledge content and ability among managerial accountants at different ranks? (3) Are the determinants of success in managerial accounting consistent with the Libby & Luft (L&L) model? and (4) Are differing types of knowledge and levels of ability needed for success at different ranks in managerial accounting? We find: (1) higher levels of technical knowledge among juniors and higher levels of industry and tacit managerial knowledge (TMK) among managers, (2) lower variability in the technical knowledge, and higher variability in the industry knowledge, of juniors compared with seniors and managers, (3) general (though not unequivocal) support for the determinants of success identified in the L& L model, and, (4) that technical accounting knowledge predicts job performance evaluations for juniors while industry and tacit managerial knowledge (TMK) predict job performance evaluations for seniors and managers.

Our study is among the first large-sample field-based studies to link actual accounting job performance with measures of professional accountants' knowledge and ability. Our contributions include: (1) for the first time, measuring and assessing the job performance effects of ability, technical knowledge, industry knowledge, and the sub-components of tacit managerial knowledge among managerial accountants, and (2) examining the variability in ability and knowledge of managerial accountants across organizational levels.

Abstract:
Accounting practitioners and academics are reexamining the core skills that are taught in undergraduate accounting education. We report the results of two studies that investigate the relationships among knowledge, skill, self- efficacy, and computer anxiety in an accounting education setting. In the first study, some participants received both software-specific training and accounting systems knowledge (SSTASK), while others received only accounting systems knowledge (ASK). In the second study, all participants received accounting systems knowledge (ASK) for eight weeks, followed by eight weeks that combined software-specific training and accounting systems knowledge (SSTASK). The results of both studies suggest that: (1) SSTASK generates larger increases in certain types of accounting-related self-efficacy than ASK, (2) self-efficacy measures (e.g., spreadsheet, database, and computer self-efficacy) may be more relevant to accounting education than computer anxiety measures, and (3) measures of self-efficacy may be increasingly useful as diagnostic tools as accounting education places more emphasis on skills relative to knowledge. We conclude by arguing that recent educational reforms in accounting suggest a need to more clearly delineate the relationships among accounting instruction, knowledge, skill, self-efficacy, and anxiety.

Abstract:
Relatively little is known about how various decision aid design characteristics affect judgments in accounting and auditing. This article examines the effects of changing three response scale characteristics: representation (whether scales are labelled with numbers or words), fineness (whether scales are discrete or continuous), and user choice (whether decision makers are assigned to or choose the scale). Participants made inherent risk assessments for a hypothetical audit client using one of the four combinations that resulted from manipulating two levels of scale representation and two levels of scale fineness. Participants were assigned to one of these four combinations or allowed to select from among them. The results indicate that: (1) scale representation does not substantively affect judgment quality, (2) compared with discrete scales, continuous scales increase both judgment quality and the effort required to make risk assessments, and (3) compared with assigning participants to scales, allowing participants to select their own scales increases judgment quality and decreases cognitive effort.