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The strategic significance of the CICPA in the making of a Chinese home-grown public accounting profession

Wen, Wenjun LU ; Humphrey, Christopher and Sonnerfeldt, Amanda LU (2021) In Accounting and Business Research 51(6–7). p.636-676
Abstract
This paper provides a detailed, longitudinal study of the role and strategies of the Chinese Institute of Certified Public Accountants (CICPA) in building a Chinese home-grown public accounting profession since the late 1980s. Drawing on previously unaccessed archive materials and a series of interviews with senior representatives of the Chinese public accounting profession, this paper reveals a more nuanced empirical story of professional accounting development in China, in which the CICPA has had more strategic influence than is currently represented in the extant accounting literature. While the CICPA’s position vis-à-vis the state is a fragile one and necessitates on various occasions following specific state requirements and... (More)
This paper provides a detailed, longitudinal study of the role and strategies of the Chinese Institute of Certified Public Accountants (CICPA) in building a Chinese home-grown public accounting profession since the late 1980s. Drawing on previously unaccessed archive materials and a series of interviews with senior representatives of the Chinese public accounting profession, this paper reveals a more nuanced empirical story of professional accounting development in China, in which the CICPA has had more strategic influence than is currently represented in the extant accounting literature. While the CICPA’s position vis-à-vis the state is a fragile one and necessitates on various occasions following specific state requirements and instructions, it has still been able to pursue its strategic intention of securing a nationalistic approach to professional accounting development. This paper analyses the shifting nature of the CICPA’s capacity for agency across three thematic areas of activities, including the CICPA’s efforts to counter the power and influence of the Big Four in China, promote the growth of indigenous accounting firms and support the establishment of the Communist Party branches in accounting firms. (Less)
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author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
accounting professionalisation, national professional bodies, CICPA, big four, corporatism, China
in
Accounting and Business Research
volume
51
issue
6–7
pages
41 pages
publisher
Taylor & Francis
external identifiers
  • scopus:85109261263
ISSN
0001-4788
DOI
10.1080/00014788.2021.1935684
project
‘Standards for assurance in a globalizing world’ funded by Ragnar Söderbergs Stiftelse completed 30/4/2017
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
beb8e376-b134-4574-abab-a933d9beecf9
date added to LUP
2021-07-01 10:38:27
date last changed
2022-04-27 02:36:36
@article{beb8e376-b134-4574-abab-a933d9beecf9,
  abstract     = {{This paper provides a detailed, longitudinal study of the role and strategies of the Chinese Institute of Certified Public Accountants (CICPA) in building a Chinese home-grown public accounting profession since the late 1980s. Drawing on previously unaccessed archive materials and a series of interviews with senior representatives of the Chinese public accounting profession, this paper reveals a more nuanced empirical story of professional accounting development in China, in which the CICPA has had more strategic influence than is currently represented in the extant accounting literature. While the CICPA’s position vis-à-vis the state is a fragile one and necessitates on various occasions following specific state requirements and instructions, it has still been able to pursue its strategic intention of securing a nationalistic approach to professional accounting development. This paper analyses the shifting nature of the CICPA’s capacity for agency across three thematic areas of activities, including the CICPA’s efforts to counter the power and influence of the Big Four in China, promote the growth of indigenous accounting firms and support the establishment of the Communist Party branches in accounting firms.}},
  author       = {{Wen, Wenjun and Humphrey, Christopher and Sonnerfeldt, Amanda}},
  issn         = {{0001-4788}},
  keywords     = {{accounting professionalisation; national professional bodies; CICPA; big four; corporatism; China}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{6–7}},
  pages        = {{636--676}},
  publisher    = {{Taylor & Francis}},
  series       = {{Accounting and Business Research}},
  title        = {{The strategic significance of the CICPA in the making of a Chinese home-grown public accounting profession}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00014788.2021.1935684}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/00014788.2021.1935684}},
  volume       = {{51}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}