The accounting firms' managers' and trainees' perceptions of Chartered Accountancy Profession Charter in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

Abstract

The aim of B-BBEE initiatives in the CA Sector is therefore to significantly increase the number of Black People who manage, own and control enterprises in the sector as well as to contribute to decreases in income inequalities in the country in general. This is to be achieved by means of an integrated and coherent socio-economic process that directly contributes to the economic transformation of South Africa. Within the CA Sector, the first step and primary focus will be on dramatically increasing the numbers of all Black participants (Africans, Indians and Coloureds) and particularly African CA(SA)s. (CA Charter, 2018). The purpose of this study was to determine the accounting firm’s managers and trainees perceptions of Chartered Accountancy Profession Charter in KwaZulu – Natal, South Africa and to examine the relationship between the accounting firms’ managers’ and trainees’ perceptions of Chartered Accountancy Profession Charter in KwaZulu–Natal and demographic variables such as age, gender and race. The setting for this study is accounting firms in KwaZulu–Natal. A systematic sampling was used. The responses of 30 accounting firm’s managers and 73 trainees were analyzed. Both managers and trainees perceived the seven key elements (ownership, management control, employment equity, skills development, preferential procurement, enterprise development and socio-economic development) of B-BBEE important in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Ownership, employment equity and enterprise development were rated highly by trainees, while ownership, management control and employment equity were highly rated by managers. In terms of gender, both males and females rated higher management control. Males rated lower in socio-economic development while females rated lower preferential procurement. The variation and ratings were found of how managers and trainees view the importance of B-BBEE elements but all the variations were positive. This research finding requires the accounting profession to recognize B-BBEE ratings by managers and trainees as this will assist accounting profession in complying with the CA Charter. Incongruities between managers and trainees perceptions of the CA Charter call for the accounting profession to conduct awareness in all the accounting firms in KwaZulu-Natal.