TY - JOUR
T1 - Advertising the accountant
T2 - A stereotype in crisis
AU - Miley, Frances
AU - READ, Andrew
PY - 2014
Y1 - 2014
N2 - Although we now recognise celebrity in such diverse areas as the celebrity trainer, celebrity chef and celebrity gardener, we are yet to see the rise of the celebrity accountant. Previous research has described the accounting image as dull and boring yet recruitment advertising by the accounting profession presents a very different image. This research tries to understand that apparent inconsistency by examining the role of stereotypes in commedia dell'arte, a form of improvisational theatre that developed in 15th century Italy and which used stock characters based on the common stereotypes of the day. In this research il dottore, one of the stock characters of commedia dell'arte, is considered to show how stereotypes provide encoded information that can serve an important purpose. In addition, we contend that if the recruitment advertising by the accounting profession is successful in changing the stereotype of the accountant that has long been entrenched in popular culture, instead of being beneficial to the accounting profession, it would be deleterious. Hence, there is benefit in the accounting profession trying to maintain the stereotype.
AB - Although we now recognise celebrity in such diverse areas as the celebrity trainer, celebrity chef and celebrity gardener, we are yet to see the rise of the celebrity accountant. Previous research has described the accounting image as dull and boring yet recruitment advertising by the accounting profession presents a very different image. This research tries to understand that apparent inconsistency by examining the role of stereotypes in commedia dell'arte, a form of improvisational theatre that developed in 15th century Italy and which used stock characters based on the common stereotypes of the day. In this research il dottore, one of the stock characters of commedia dell'arte, is considered to show how stereotypes provide encoded information that can serve an important purpose. In addition, we contend that if the recruitment advertising by the accounting profession is successful in changing the stereotype of the accountant that has long been entrenched in popular culture, instead of being beneficial to the accounting profession, it would be deleterious. Hence, there is benefit in the accounting profession trying to maintain the stereotype.
KW - accountancy
KW - commedia dell'arte
KW - professional image
KW - stereotypes
KW - stock characters
KW - accountants
KW - accounting profession
KW - recruitment advertising
KW - popular culture
UR - http://www.mendeley.com/research/advertising-accountant-stereotype-crisis
U2 - 10.1504/IJCA.2014.068373
DO - 10.1504/IJCA.2014.068373
M3 - Article
SN - 1757-9856
VL - 6
SP - 423
EP - 440
JO - International Journal of Critical Accounting
JF - International Journal of Critical Accounting
IS - 5/6
ER -