Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-2004
Abstract
Did the demise of Arthur Andersen and the related fallout affect the satisfaction of entry-level accountants at Big Four firms? The answer appears to be "no." Despite the considerable negative press focused on the profession, entry-level accountants still assess positively the profession and their careers. The authors followed the careers of 32 new hires from the summer of 2000, assessing their job satisfaction every 6 months. Job satisfaction remained stable over the period just before and after the Andersen collapse. Despite the negative press, respondents indicated that their firm is operating much as it had in the past. The relatively stable satisfaction is supported by responses to several of the survey statements as well. For example, participants did not think that their long-term career goals have changed. Continuing the rather upbeat attitude about the profession, respondents disagreed that they have less job security than before. In addition, they disagreed that their firm would experience an incident similar to Andersen.