Title: The history of the decline and fall of the American accounting profession

Authors: Wm. Dennis Huber

Addresses: School of Business and Technology, Capella University, 225 South 6th Street, 9th Floor, Minneapolis, MN 55402, USA

Abstract: There have been many articles and books published on the development of accounting and the accounting profession in the USA, both historically and sociologically. Some have critically examined actions taken by the AICPA, and others that have studied the effects of legislation on the accounting profession such as the 16th amendment or the creation of the PCAOB. Still others have observed the decline in the American accounting profession's status and image as a result of various failures such as Enron. This is the first to combine systematically a sociological analysis of the accounting profession in the USA with the historical development of the profession's power and status, and the subsequent loss of its power and status. A sociological analysis of the American accounting profession strongly suggests that it is no longer a profession as conceived by sociologists.

Keywords: accounting history; accounting sociology; American accounting profession; USA; United States.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEA.2013.059883

International Journal of Economics and Accounting, 2013 Vol.4 No.4, pp.365 - 388

Published online: 29 Apr 2014 *

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