Accounting’s Lost Generation: Career Consequences For Andersen’s Putative Partners

• In Event: Research Paper Session—Public Interest

Abstract

The sudden collapse of Arthur Andersen in 2001-2002 altered the careers of many professionals that were employed by that international accounting firm. Now that many years have passed since that event, a quantification of the consequences can be performed. This paper examines the careers of 267 managers from seven US cities. Benchmarking these results against similarly situated individuals at another large firm, we conclude that ex-Andersen mangers were much less likely to continue in large firm employment, stay in public accounting, or achieve partnership status. However their professional networks appear equally robust as the control sample.

Authors

• R. Drew Sellers, Kent State University - Kent

• Timothy J Fogarty, Case Western Reserve University