An empirical investigation of personal characteristics significantly affecting employment offers from international accounting firms to accounting graduates

University of Arkansas, Fayetteville

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Theses and Dissertations

5-1983

An Empirical Investigation of Personal
Characteristics Significantly Affecting Employment
Offers from International Accounting Firms to
Accounting Graduates
John M. Alvis
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville

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AN EMPIRICAL INVESTIGATION OF PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS
SIGNIFICANTLY AFFECTING EMPLOYMENT OFFERS
FROM INTERNATIONAL ACCOUNTING FIRMS
TO ACCOUNTING GRADUATES


AN EMPIRICAL INVESTIGATION OF PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS
SIGNIFICANTLY AFFECTING EMPLOYMENT OFFERS

FROM INTERNATIONAL ACCOUNTING FIRMS
TO ACCOUNTING GRADUATES

A dissertation submitted in partial
fulfillment of the requirements for
the degree of Doctor of Philosophy

By

JOHN M. ALVIS, B.S., M. A.
Jacksonville State University, 1969
University of Alabama, 1974

May, 1983
The University of Arkansas

- ii -


ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
My sincere thanks to Professor Doris M.
of my thesis committee,

Her cheerful

for

Thomas W.
be

Jones,

friends

in

one would

Professors James P.

consider normal

Modisette and

both on my thesis committee, have proved to
addition to

Indeed these

endeavor.

chairwoman

her encouragement and advice .

help exceeded what

under any circumstances.

Cook,

tireless

three

supporters

professionals are

of

this

special

people.

To my late Father,

I give

thanks for teaching me to see

humor in all of life; to my Mother,
to my brothers and

to excel;

friends;

to my wife Gail,

to my sons,

for giving me the desire

sister,

for being such loyal

for showing me love and patience;

Johnny and Allen,

for giving me purpose.

- iv -


CONTENTS

Chapter
1.

page

INTRODUCTION

........................................................................................................

1

NATURE OF THE PROBLEM........................................................................... 3
The Faculty’s Perspective ........................... .....
3
The Recruiter's Perspective ................................. ...
4
The Student's Perspective...........
6
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY.......................................................... 7
HYPOTHESES TO BE TESTED................................
10
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ........................................................................... 11
JUSTIFICATION OF THE STUDY.................................................... 14
LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY......................................................... 16
PLAN OF THE STUDY......................................................................... 18
2.

THE CHARACTERISTICS UNDER REVIEW

.

.....................................

.

19

THE INTERVIEWING PROCESS ................................................................. 19
The Campus Interview

................................................................. 21
The Office Visit
...... ............................................ 23
LITERATURE RELATING TO CHARACTERISTICS FOR STUDY . 25
Business Viewpoint.....................................
26
Opinions of Students
.....................................................................27
Opinions of Accounting Firm Recruiters
.... 29
The Seaton and White Study ............................................... 29
The Murdock Summary
............31
SELECTING THE CHARACTERISTICS FOR STUDY
..... 31
The Initial Survey
................................. ....... 32
The Follow-Up Survey
.............33
Review of Candidate Evaluation Forms
..... 36
An Example of Candidate Ratings ........ 41
Survey of Student Recruitment Files ........................... 41
PREPARATION OF QUESTIONNAIRE ...................................................... 43
Personal Data .......... ................................. 44
Activities
..... ................................. ......45
Academic Data...........................................................
46
Overall Courses

................................. .......47
Accounting Courses ................................................................. 47
English
............................ ..... ................................. 48
Other Data . ........... . . . . . 48
Self Evaluation ............................................................ ....49
Profile Data
...........................................................................................51
SUMMARY................................................................................................................ 51

v


3.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

..................................................................................

53

THE TYPE OF STUDY.......................................................................................53
SPECIFIC RESEARCH OBJECTIVES ....................................................... 55
Objectives 1 and 2
. . ......................................... .....55
Objectives 3, 4, and 5
..56
Objective 6..................58
Objective 7...........................
..58

Objective 8 ....................... .............59
A General Profile of Successful Applicants
. . 59
STATISTICAL TECHNIQUES ....................................................................... 60
Discriminant Analysis .. ............................................. ..61
Major Stages of Discriminant Analysis
... 65
Sample Division
..............66
Unstandardized and Standardized Models ... 68
Classification Matrices
... ....................... ..69
Probability of Group Membership
............................ 71
Multiple Regression ........................................................................ 71
Chi-Square Tests
....................................................................... .72
DEPENDENT AND INDEPENDENT VARIABLES
................................. 75
THE DATA COLLECTION PROCEDURES...................................................... 79
Selection of the Universities.................................................83
The Sample Selection
.................................................................. 83
SUMMARY.................................................................................................................. 86

4.

RESULTS

AND INTERPRETATION OF RESEARCH

.................................

88

HYPOTHESIS 1....................................................................................................... 90
The 0.001 and 0.010 Significance Levels .... 92
The 0.050 Significance Level
............................................. 97
The 0. 100 Significance Level
........
100
HYPOTHESIS 2 . ........................................................................................... 101
HYPOTHESIS 3......................................
105
The 0.001 and 0.010 Significance Levels ...
108
The 0.050 Level of Significance .................................
110
The 0.100 Level of Significance .......
113
HYPOTHESIS 4............................................................
115
Comparison of Models
. .........................................
118
Functions and Variables for Hypothesis 4
. .
120
HYPOTHESIS 5.....................................................................................................125

HYPOTHESIS 6..............................................................................................
126
Tests of Significance...........................................
129
Variables for Hypothesis 6
129
HYPOTHESIS 7..............................................................................................
132
The Primary Reason
... ....................... .....
133
The Secondary Reasons ............
135
HYPOTHESIS 8............................................................
137
CHARACTERISTICS AND VIEWPOINTS . .......................................
139
The Successful and Unsuccessful Student ...
139
The Successful Male and Female Student
...
145
SUMMARY................................................................................................................149

- vi -


5.

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS.............................................................................. 154

SUMMARY
.............. ...........................
CONCLUSIONS
.....................................................................
Hypothesis 1..........................................................................
Hypothesis 2 ................................................... ......
Hypothesis 3 ................................................... ......
Hypothesis 4 ................
Hypothesis 5 ........ ........................ ...
Hypothesis 6
Hypothesis 7..............................................
Hypothesis 8.........................
Profile ...... ............................................ ....
Comparison to Other Studies ...........................................
Limitations ...........................................................................
IMPLICATIONS................................................................................
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH
......

Appendix

154
158
158
159
160
162
164
164
165

166
166
167
169
169
173
page

A.

CORRESPONDENCE

B.

QUESTIONNAIRE................................

188

C.

EXPANDED STATISTICAL DISCUSSION ..........

192

DISCRIMINANT ANALYSIS
..... ......................................
Assumptions of Discriminant Analysis
....
Problem Areas ........ ......................................
Nonnormality ............................ .........

Multicollinearity
............
Unequal Dispersion Matrices
.......
MULTIPLE REGRESSION
.......................................................................

192
195
195
195
197
197
199

D.

.....................................................

EXPANDED USE OF DISCRIMINANT MODELS .

176

......................................... 202

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY .......................................................................................

- vii -

205

LIST OF TABLES

Table

page

1.

Factors in Obtaining Employment

2.

Importance of Factors as Viewed by Students

3.

Characteristics Sought in New Employees by CPA Firms 30

4.

Characteristics Considered by Recruiters - Southwest
Region
....... ...................... .........33

5.

Characteristics Considered by Recruiters - Midwest
Region..........................

-...............................35

6.

Probable Grouping of Other Characteristics .....

7.

Information from Coopers & Lybrand Candidate
Evaluation Form................................

8.

Communication Skills Described on Candidate
Evaluation Forms
.................................................. ......38

9.

Leadership Qualities Described on Candidate
Evaluation Forms
..... .......................................................

10.

Personal Qualities Described on Candidate Evaluation
Forms .... .. .
...........................................................................39

11.

Motivation as Described on Candidate Evaluation
Forms ......................40

12.

Technical Qualities Described on Candidate
Evaluation Forms
. ...............40

13.

Hypotheses and

14.

Analysis of Responses from

15.

Unstandardized Discriminant Functions for Hypothesis
1...........................
91

16.

Standardized Discriminant Functions Derived for
Hypothesis 1
.... ...................... .........92

..................................................

Research Methodology

....

28

36

...37

39

........87

the Southwest Region

- viii -

27

.

.

90


17.

Classification Matrix for Hypothesis
0.010

1:

0.001 and

18.

Classification Matrix for Hypothesis

1:

0.050

99

19.

Classification Matrix for Hypothesis

1:

0.100

101

20.

Discriminant Function for Hypothesis 2:

0.100

103

21.

Unstandardized Discriminant Functions for Hypothesis
106
3

22.

Standardized Discriminant Functions for Hypothesis
3

107

23.

Classification Matrix for Hypothesis 3:
0.010

0.001

109

24.

Classification Matrix for Hypothesis 3:

0.050

113

25.

Classification Matrix for Hypothesis 3:

0.100

115

26.

Unstandardized Discriminant Functions for Hypothesis

4

117

27.

Standardized Discriminant Functions for Hypothesis
4

117

28.

Classification
0.010

29.

Classification Matrix for Hypothesis 4;
0.100

30.

Supply and Public Accounting Demand for Graduates

127

31.

Standardized Coefficients and Other Data for
Hypothesis 6

129

32.

Primary Reasons for Selecting Accounting as a
Career

134

33.

Second Most Important Reasons for Selecting
Accounting

136

34.

Third Most Important Reasons for Selecting
Accounting

137

35.

Chi-Square Test of Homogeneity

138

36.

Selected Characteristics of All Candidates

140

37.

Selected Viewpoints of All Candidates

143

Matrix for Hypothesis 4:

ix

0.001

and

and

0.050 and

95

121

124


38•

Selected Characteristics of Successful Candidates

146

39.

Selected Viewpoints of Successful Candidates ...

148

40.

Breakdown, of Employment Offers by Areas of Entry .

149

41.

Probability of Group Membership

203

............................................

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure

page

1.

Interview Relationships..........................

2.

The Campus Interview

3.

Two-Group Discriminant Analysis ...........62

3

................20

-

X

-


Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION

students

accounting

Many

with

employment

an

the

firms to be superior to that

local accounting firms.

Some of

experience.

in-house training

accounting

public

firm

accounting

international

valuable professional

consider

view

offered

by

as

a

these students
international

available at many regional and

Many of

these students are of

the

opinion that an exposure to the variety and the magnitude of

operations of the international clientele is,

in itself,

an

educational experience without egual.
While some accounting students are desirous of employment
with an international firm because of its financial rewards,

many are

These latter

and the
or,

psychological rewards

interested in the

rewards include such

with an

prestige of employment

perhaps,

things as

as well.

the enjoyment

international firm

the opportunity for service to the accounting

profession ultimately at the

national and the international

level.

Other

accounting students

are

with an international firm because

-

1 -

attracted to

employment

of the continuing demand


for qualified, entry-level personnel.1 They view this demand

as an indication of job security and mobility in a period of
time when unemployment is a national problem.

students seek

this experience with the

if the employment

and their

them

to

does not prove to
firm,

they

The

employment rather easily.

Some of these

understanding that,

be mutually satisfying

will

be able

to

change

conventional wisdom is that

large public accounting firm to a

it is easier to go from a

smaller public accounting firm or industry than vice versa.

many

Whatever the reasons,

seek

employment with

accounting students actively

international public

the

accounting

firms.
This

seeking

chapter discusses

the

nature

employment

an

international

of the

objectives

tested,

the

limitations,

with

study

research

at hand,

the

methodology,

of the

problem

firm,

hypotheses to
the

of
the

be

justification,

and the plan of the study.

1 James
H.
MacNeill
and Mary
McInnes,
The

Supply
of
Accounting Graduates and the
Demand for Public Accounting
Recruits:
1979,
American Institute of
Certified Public
Accountants (New York: 1979), p. 21.

- 2 -


NATURE OF THE PROBLEM
Several
students

relationships

engage

in

the

1.

Figure

1:

into

pursuit

firm.

international accounting

are shown in Figure

come

of

The

play

as

employment

accounting
with

an

typical relationships

Interview Relationships

The Faculty’s Perspective
Students occasionally ask accounting

information

and advice

international firms.

pertaining to

Frequently the

- 3 -

faculty members for
employment with

questions center

the
on


these

what

accounting firms

public

entry-level employees.

identify the

to

recruiters

for

international

the most

for

in

faculty members are asked

characteristics which

if not

important,

That is,

looking

are

are

accounting
important,

viewed by

the

to

be

firms
when

considering

undergraduate accounting students.
Similarly,

concerning

students,

recommendations.

the

point

members

can

to

even

Faculty

recommendations or information that is
many cases.

from the faculty

recruiters request opinions

The responses by

of

specific
only

offer

general in nature in

faculty members may be based

on their observations and outdated experiences from personal
accounting and/or

educational backgrounds which may

not be

relevant in a changing employment market.
faculty is required

A certain amount of generalization by

because
nature

the questions
and

the

time

are

themselves

devoted

usually general

advising

to

conferring with recruiters is necessarily
were

a

research

accounting faculty

effort designed

to

members would be

explore
able to

and

students

limited.

in

If there

this

area,

offer better,

more-timely advice to students and recruiters.

The Recruiter’s Perspective

Each

of

the

international

accounting

basically similar characteristics and

employees,

and each

firm

follows

- 4 -

firms

desires

qualifications in new
similar approaches

to


attract qualified entry-level applicants.

The decision to

consider further a particular applicant generally rests with
the

representing his accounting

individual campus recruiter

firm.

interested in

recruiter is

The

making a

decision

which is best for his firm.

No one
decide

can anticipate

in

all

since the

cases

individual matter.

perfectly what

process

will
is

an

for recruiters

to reach opposite decisions

It is always possible that an

involving the same applicant.

might

decision

always possible

It is

from different accounting firms

individual recruiter

a recruiter

offer

an average

employment to

entry-level applicant when his firm is experiencing a period

of growth,

and demand for new professional staff is strong.

same recruiter

might

choose not to offer employment to the same applicant,

if for

Under

different circumstances,

overhiring

example

the

occurred

had

in

a

previous

period.

some firms may choose

to hire an exceptionally

qualified applicant whether or not

a current need exists in

Conversely,

the firm.

compete with one another

All accounting firms

in

excess of

one-fourth

students.2 Accounting firms

money

in their

efforts to

2 MacNeill and Mclnnes,
20-21.

of

all undergraduate
spend a great deal

attract qualified

to employ

accounting

of time and

applicants.3

Supply of Accounting Graduates,

pp.

3 For
example,
Robert
Pivik,
the
National Partner
for
Firmwide Planning and Development
with Deloitte Haskins &
Sells,
stated,
"Recruiting
is costly in terms
of time.

- 5 -


While

these costly

study in

this area might

serve as a

for those firms that wish

and thus the cost,

seem necessary,

recruiting efforts

a

fundamental reference

to reduce the qualitative aspect,

of professional staff selection.

The Student* s Perspective

The

student faces
who

student

ultimate

the

actively

must

employment

seek

international accounting firm.

It is

is

the

with

an

It

problem.

the student who must

show evidence of possessing the qualities and qualifications

accounting firms seek.

that the

is

inherently

student

who

chances

of employment

attributes

which

are

Furthermore,

and emphasizing

by enhancing
considered

improving

in

interested

is the

it

important

most

his

those
by

the

international firms.
is in the case of the accounting faculty,

many accounting

students are aware that there is general agreement as to the

usual

factors

profession,

and

particular.

However,

which

important

considered

the

statistically

international

by

accounting

there has been no
identified

importance of these factors.

and

the

accounting
firms

in

definitive study

tested

the

relative

Such a study could serve as a

effort, and out-of-pocket expenses.
Last year (1977) when
we
hired
a little
over
1,000
we calculated
that
our
recruiting costs

were about
3.5 million
dollars.
This
year (1978) it will probably be 4 million.” (From Profiles
of Public Accounting
Firm Careers,
edited by
Richard J.
Murdock (College of Administrative Science: The Ohio State
University, 1978), p. 2.)
- 6 -


basis for advisory conferences

between faculty and students

accounting

concerning

entry

specifically

with international firms.

could be used by

a study
which

into

he

the

if he

characteristics

is

The results of such

a student as a

compare his

might

profession,

benchmark against
qualifications

personal

considering

and

employment with

an

identify,

by

international accounting firm.

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

objective of the

The overall

investigation,

empirical

personal

students which

employment

have a

There is an

of

inventory of

are

the

this study

recruitment
is

not

results of other

in

the recruiting

the

accounting

effect on

accounting

firms.

which states

process.

merely to
the

While

the

identify

the

results should

surveys* and

accounting students and public

interested

of

characteristics which

characteristics involved,

substantiate the
opinions of

international

a general group of

weighed during

objective

qualifications of

implicit assumption involved here

that there exists
are

measures

statistically significant

from

offers

specific

the

characteristics and

study is to

for

the

verify the

accountants who

international

firms.

♦ See, for example, Lloyd Seaton, Jr., and Jackson A. White,
’’Recruiting
Practices
of
CPA
Firms,”
The
Journal
of
Accountancy, Volume 135, Number 5 (May, 1973), pp. 86-7.

- 7 -


More specifically,

the objectives of

answer the following questions,

the study

are to

among others:

1.

What
were
the
specific
measurements
of
characteristics of
accounting students
which had
a
statistically significant effect on employment offers
from international accounting firms?

2.

Was
there
a
significant
difference
in
the
characteristics
of
male
and
female
students
who
received
employment
offers from
the
international
accounting firms?
If so, what were the differences?

3.

Was
there
a
significant

difference
in
the
characteristics
of male
students who
were and
who
were
not
offered employment
by
the
international
accounting firms?
If so, what were the differences?

4.

Was
there
a
significant
difference
in
the
characteristics of
female students who were
and who
were

not
offered employment
by
the
international
accounting firms?
If so, what were the differences?

5.

Was
there
a
significant
difference
in
the
characteristics
of
Caucasian
and
non-Caucasian
students
who
were
offered
employment
by
the
international accounting firms?

If so, what were the
differences?

6.

What characteristics of the students who were offered
employment by the international accounting firms were
the most
important predictors of the
salary offered
commensurate with the employment?

7.

Was there
a significant
difference in
the reasons,
given by students
who were and who
were not offered
employment
by
the international
accounting
firms,
regarding the
selection of
accounting as
a career?

If so, what were the reasons that differed?

8.

Was there an inordinate number
of male versus female
students
who
received employment
offers
from
the
international accounting firms?
That is,
did there
appear to be discrimination or reverse discrimination
in the number
of female students recruited
based on
this study?

The study should be useful in the future in several ways:
- 8 -


1.

To
serve as
a

basis
of faculty
consultation
and
advice for
students who
wish to
procure employment
with international accounting firms;

2.

To
serve
as
a
standard
for
self-evaluation
by
students in
their consideration
of employment
with
international accounting firms; and

3.

To serve as a rudimentary
guide for accounting firms

that
wish
to
reduce
the
qualitative
facet
of
professional staff selection.

The study also develops a

and qualifications
successful in

profile of the characteristics

of a typical

the attempt

accounting student

an employment

to receive

from an international accounting firm.

who is

offer

This profile should

provide answers to the following questions,

among others:

1.

How
do
these
communicate?

2.

How do
these students view
interviews?

3.

How do these students view their participation in the
interview process related to
the number of questions
or comments they initiated during the interview?

4.

Did these students attempt to put the interviewer "on
the spot” with intense questions?

5.

How
do
travel?

6.

On the average,
how many campus interviews with the
international accounting firms were arranged?

7.

How many office visits were granted on the average?

8.

Has the recruiter perceived as having a "bad day?"

9.

Did
the recruiter
ask what
"unfair” questions?

these

students

view

students view

- 9 -

their

their ability

their

the

ability

to

to handle

to

willingness

student felt

were


HYPOTHESES TO BE TESTED
The general hypothesis to he tested by this study is that

there

exists an

characteristics

recruiters

for

which

weighed

are

international

entry-level

and

accounting

and

considered

by

in

the

firms

undergraduate accounting students

interviewing process with

seeking

personal qualifications

inventory of

professional

These

positions.

qualifications and characteristics may have varied appeal to

and certain of

different recruiters,

and

significance in view

was

significant,
should

and
so as

be recognized

interested in

reduced

or

qualities of a

It is within this framework that this

undertaken

qualifications

added

on

of the totality of the

particular applicant.

study

take

may

characteristics

these qualifications

to

if

determine

characteristics

were

to represent a general
and considered

employment with

any

by

these

of

statistically
constraint that

students who

an international

are

accounting

firm.
The

hypotheses to

be tested

in this

study are

stated

below:

1.

There
is no
difference in
the characteristics
of
undergraduate
accounting
students who
are
offered
entry-level
employment by
international
accounting
firms and those who are not offered employment.

2.

There is no difference in the characteristics of male

and female undergraduate accounting
students who are
offered
entry-level
employment
by
international
accounting firms.

-

10 -


3.

There is no difference in the characteristics of male
undergraduate accounting students who are offered
entry-level employment by international accounting
firms and male undergraduate accounting students who
are not.

4.

There is no difference
female undergraduate
offered entry-level
accounting
firms and
who are not.

5.

There is no
Caucasian and
students who
international

6.

There is no linear functional relationship
between
the salary offer and
the employment variables (i.e.,
personal characteristics
and
qualifications)
of
accounting students.

7.

The reasons for selecting accounting as a career are
independent
of
whether
or
not
undergraduate
accounting students are successful in receiving

an
entry-level offer from an international accounting
firm.

8.

The populations represented by the females and males
in this study are homogeneous with respect to offers
of employment (and hence non-offers)
made by
the
international accounting firms.

in the characteristics of the
accounting students
who are
employment
by
international
female undergraduate
students

difference in the characteristics
of
non-Caucasian undergraduate accounting
are offered entry-level employment by
accounting firms.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

To determine an inventory
of

accounting

recruiters

students

for the

of the general characteristics

which

are

international

by

the

surveys of

the

considered

firms,

recruitment personnel in the local offices of the firms were

conducted.

These characteristics were further substantiated

by comparison

to other

recent recruitment files

studies and

by the

examination of

maintained in the local

one of the international firms.

- 11 -

office of

Surrogates for some of the

characteristics

qualitative

were

determined

discussion with recruitment personnel

through

for the international

accounting firms.

The students5

emphasis on

preparation for

General Services

Robert Kavner,
office

S Lybrand,

of Coopers

different areas are

complexions.

different

kind of

environment."6

Our

different characteristics

than

the New

are required

therefore,

area.

a

York

of the

assumption

The

has

in

very
office

suggested

study was

the

York

"offices have

office

environments

of students.

that offices

Omaha

environment

Different

various areas;

suggested

a judgment

the New

Partner in

He stated that

unique.

different

geographical

These eight were
homogeneous group

to provide a

careers and

public accounting

location.

their geographical

sample chosen

basis of their

universities selected on the

group of eight

from a

the survey came

to be included in

recruits in

limited to

was

that

that

one
the

characteristics sought in potential employees for offices in
one area would be similar.

basis;
for the

however,

study.

The study was conducted on this

the assumption is merely a limiting factor

Opinions and

facts to the

contrary would

tend to add to the external validity of the present study.

5 These students refer to undergraduate students obtaining a
bachelor’s degree with
a major in accounting
who are

seeking an
entry-level employment
position
with
an
international accounting firm.

6 Richard J.
Murdock,
ed.,
Profiles of Public Accounting
Firm Careers {College of Administrative Science:
The Ohio
State University, 1978), p. 4.

-

12 -


Students at

were voluntarily

the universities mentioned

enlisted by representatives of Beta

Alpha Psi to complete a

survey instrument which was designed

characteristics and surrogates

to capture the general

previously identified.

The

students selected had all interviewed with the international
firms7 during the 1979-1980 school year.
The necessary sample data were

groups of equal

sample,8 was used

One of these

size.

groups,

the analysis

to develop the discriminant

function for

research hypothesis 1.

performed

on the

randomly divided into two

discriminant analysis was

That is,

analysis sample

which shows

the relative importance

the various

characteristics of

predictive

remaining
validating

power
group,

of

the

the

the function

and

homogeneity were

among the

the analysis

model was

then

holdout sample.9

cross validation method.18
regression,

determine the

to

is known

as

measures of

sample.

tested

the
of

the split-sample

or

the chi-square tests for
test the

on

The

This technique

Discriminant analysis,

performed to

model

multiple

independence and

remaining research

7 These
firms are
the
Big
Eight accounting firms
headquartered in the United States, including
Arthur
Andersen 8 Co.; Arthur Young & Company; Coopers 8 Lybrand;
Deloitte Haskins & Sells; Ernst 8 Whinney;
Peat, Harwick,
Mitchell & Co.; Price Waterhouse; and Touche Ross & Co.
8 Joseph F.
Hair, Jr., et al.,
Multivariate Data Analysis:
With Readings, (Tulsa, Oklahoma: Petroleum Publishing Co.,
1979); p. 94.

9 Ibid.
10 Ibid*

- 13 -

hypotheses.

methodology

discussion

detailed

Additional

3 and

Chapter

appears in

the

of

Appendix

research
C of

the

paper.

JUSTIFICATION OF THE STUDY

the belief that the results

This study was undertaken in
will

be

useful

general and

serve as

public

to the

to the

accounting

accounting students

the continuing

profession

who in

of the

life support

with the international firms

profession’s

are necessarily in competition

They need to

for a limited number of entry-level positions.
aware

of

particular

Accounting students who seek employment

numerous segments.

be

in

attributes

the

which

will

used

be

to

discriminate among them for the available positions.

The results

of this study

Once a student

accounting students.

many qualities and

should be beneficial

qualifications noted in this

can make one of several judgments.

the

general attributes,

those characteristics

than

the others.

is cognizant

he can

which are

If a

student

to many
of the

study,

he

If he possesses all of

concentrate on

improving

relatively more

important

is able

to improve

the

characteristics found to be more important, he should have a

competitive edge over students who
attributes.

- 14 -

possess only the general


he can improve

but not all,

him

of the

student possesses some

If a

in

marginal

a

general attributes,

those which will perhaps place

position

with

employment

for

an

This may be possible if the student is

international firm.

and has sufficient time and

in the sophomore or junior year

his chances of acquiring

motivation to improve

the desired

employment.
should also be

This study
who

employment

the

possess

not

do

with an

general

accounting profession.
personally

of

as a result

disappointment

rejection

of

student

he can redirect his

the

within

employment

It is hoped

that students may find

and have

suitable employment

accounting career

for

obtaining employment with an

areas

other

Once a

firm.

international firm are somewhat remote,

toward

needed

attributes

international

recognizes that his chances of

attention

those students

beneficial to

a more

without the

of this study,

toward

striving

when

enjoyable

an

inappropriate goal.
A

major justification

series of panel

for

this

by

the

Representatives

of

of

seven

accounting firms and one of

a

This series of programs was

Chapter

Omicron

from

State University

presentations at The Ohio

in the 1977-1978 school year.
given

study results

Beta

of

the

eight

Alpha

Psi.

international

the largest national firms were

presented with a standard set of questions which covered all

facets

of

working for

large

a

-

15 -

firm.

in a

series

of