Kari Joseph Olsen and Dr. Monte Swain, School of Accountancy
Background
The goal of our project is to improve accounting education and career advisement for students. Our project has its roots in the growing demand in the accounting profession for people with dynamic analytical and interpersonal skills. We believe that through improved accounting courses and career advisement, BYU students in particular, will be better prepared to be successful in their chosen careers.
The potential for disconnect or mismatch between personality type, major, and career decision lies at the heart of our present study. A prescribed portfolio of personality characteristics in the profession can be achieved either by recruiting and filtering or by development. Hence, this research is designed to make a deep and connected analysis of the filtering effects of accounting education programs and of the accounting profession on personality types.
Data Gathering
An initial data gather was done in 1992 and 1993 which involved introductory accounting classes at BYU. Personality profiles (using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, (MBTI)) and attitude surveys were administered to over 1500 students. Over the summer of 2007, we gathered graduation and academic information on these people. In April of 2008, we sent out a survey to 1208 participants in our study. We received 718 surveys back (a response rate of 60%).
The high response level in our survey can be attributed to several factors. First, the survey instrument and cover letter for each recipient was designed with variable data, including the recipient’s MBTI profile and appropriate school record data, to demonstrate the unique position that the recipient held in our study. Second, every recipient receiving the survey also received an invitation to order a free t-shirt from BYU’s bookstore. Finally, as an incentive, the first 200 responses received a gift certificate valued at $30 from the bookstore.
Discussion and Results
Our study examines the pattern of personality types moving through introductory accounting classes, into the accounting major, on through to the first job selection, and, finally, into a long-term career position. We are interested in understanding the filtering effect of accounting curricula that prepares and effectively “pushes” certain personality types into the accounting profession. We are also interested in understanding the filtering effect of the accounting profession that recruits and effectively “pulls” certain personality types into an accounting career.
Using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), we evaluate the types of students who enroll in an introductory accounting course, and then go on to either graduate with a degree in accounting or graduate with a degree in some other discipline. We then evaluate the types of college graduates who complete an accounting degree and go on to take their first job in accounting versus those who do not take their first job in accounting. Finally, we evaluate those who complete an accounting degree, take a first job in accounting, and then choose to remain in accounting as a long-term career versus those who choose a long-term career outside of the accounting profession.
By tracking 1,208 study participants over a 15-year period of time from their introductory accounting course through to their current career position, we are able to observe the filtering process of both accounting academe and the accounting profession on personality type. We find in our results that there appears to be little filtering effect of accounting academe and the accounting profession on those who prefer introvert versus extrovert personality characteristics when interacting in their environment. We also find that individuals who differ with respect to preferring a decision style involving a thinking approach using organized facts versus those preferring a feeling approach using personal and group values are not differentially impacted by accounting academe or the accounting profession.
On the other hand, we find strong evidence that individuals whose personality type emphasizes gathering information based on observation of concrete data, and then prefer to move forward towards making decisions as they deal with life (classified by the MBTI tool as Sensors/Judgers) appear to be both pushed into accounting by academe and pulled into accounting by the profession where they are retained. We also find strong evidence that individuals whose personality type emphasizes gathering insight based on an intuitive exploration of meanings and relationships, and then prefer to delay making decisions in order to gather more information and insight (classified as Intuitors/Perceivers) appear to be pushed into non-accounting fields by both accounting academe and by the accounting profession.
In order to reduce the potential for disconnect or mismatch between personality type, major, and career decision, two approaches for change can happen. First, accounting programs can try to recruit a more diverse group of accounting students. Diversity is an issue of recruiting and is connected to the push filter mentioned above. This study focuses on the deeply understanding this filter. A preference to recruit has existed and is evidenced by the frequent calls for change in accounting educational methods to attract a more diverse student group. Failure to diversify through these means, however, leads to the second approach if diversity through recruiting is not taking place.
The second approach is one of development, both at the college educational level and at professional levels. In this approach, the change in educational methods is not for recruiting a more diverse group, but on the contrary, for developing more diverse characteristics, skills, and traits. Development takes place as academia and practitioners help students and professionals to strengthen and use less-preferred traits.
We presented our findings in October 2008 at the BYU Accounting Research Symposium. We are currently preparing to submit a research paper of our study to the Annual Meeting of the American Accounting Profession and to a peer-reviewed academic journal.