This study examined the lobbying of the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) by South African companies. The aim of this study was to establish the timing and methods of lobbying of the IASB by South African companies. Central to this study was the seminal work of Sutton (1984), predicting when and how companies lobby an accounting standard-setter. The research hypotheses for this study were formulated on the basis of Sutton’s (1984) predictions. The online questionnaire in this study was distributed to the top 100 JSE primary listed companies in order to collect primary data to test the four hypotheses regarding the timing, methods and perceived effectiveness of lobbying by South African companies. The findings of the empirical investigation indicated that most South African companies lobby later in the due process of the IASB and prefer using their auditors to support their views at the IASB. The findings are subject to certain limitations that are addressed in the study. Lastly, the researcher provided recommendations for future research in accounting standard-setting in South Africa. / Financial Accounting / M. Phil. (Accounting Sciences)

Anyone desiring to qualify as an accountant or auditor is required to pass an examination as approved by the Public Accountants' and Auditors' Board to establish whether candidates have attained the required standard of academic knowledge in terms of the syllabi laid down by the Board, as well as whether they are able to apply that knowledge in practice (P AAB, 1995). However each year many students fail this very important examination. The reasons for this are not clear and the purpose of this research is to determine whether: personality; vocational interests; intelligence; matriculation Mathematics and home language (English/ Afrikaans) results, predict success in the QE, by comparing a group of successful and unsuccessful QE candidates. The logistic regression, discriminant analysis and t-test statistical procedures, indicated that: warmth (A), liveliness (F), rule-consciousness (G), social boldness (H), apprehension (0), self-reliance (Q2), perfectionism (Q3), tension (Q4), computational interest, social services interest, mechanical interest, Mental Alertness and matriculation home language, are significant factors to consider when identifying candidates likely to be successful in the QE. / Industrial & Organisational Psychology / MCOM (Industrial Psychology)

Cette thèse explore les formes d’engagement et apporte une réponse à la question : Que devient aujourd’hui le contrat normatif de profession des comptables libéraux dans un contexte de mutation de leur profession ? Nous avons croisé deux champs théoriques : celui du comportement organisationnel avec la théorie du contrat psychologique et la sociologie des professions avec le modèle intégré de De Rozario (2006). Nous avons conduit 20 entretiens qualitatifs auprès de comptables libéraux et mobilisé une grille d’analyse construite à partir de la théorie du contrat psychologique qui prend en compte les actants humains et non humains. Les résultats nous permettent de dire que malgré les violations contractuelles actuelles et les transitions, la profession de comptables libéraux continue de faire engagement par son contrat normatif. Il est composé de trois contrats psychologiques individuels qui sont : transactionnel, transitionnel et relationnel. Les mutations actuelles incitent à des contrats psychologiques transactionnels plus denses avec des réseaux d’experts et un contrat psychologique relationnel avec les outils de gestion surtout digitaux pour répondre aux conjonctures problématiques. Finalement, le contrat relationnel avec la profession réduit aujourd’hui à sa composante diplôme, mute vers des contrats relationnels de réseaux experts de proximité. / This thesis explores the forms of commitment and provides an answer to the question: What is becoming of the normative contract of chartered accountants in a context of change of their profession? We crossed two theoretical fields: that of the organizational behavior with the theory of the psychological contract and the sociology of the professions with the integrated model of De Rozario (2006). We conducted 20 qualitative interviews with chartered accountants and mobilized an analysis grid based on the psychological contract theory that takes into account human and non-human contract makers. The results allow us to say that despite the current contractual violations and transitions, the profession of liberal accountants continues to lead to a commitment through its normative contract. The latter comprises three individual psychological contracts which are transactional, transitional and relational contracts. Current changes are leading to increasingly complex transactional psychological contracts with networks of experts and a relational psychological contract with management tools, especially digital devices, to respond to the crisis they face. Finally, the relational contract with the profession reduces today to its diploma component, moving towards relational contracts of expert networks of proximity.

Anyone desiring to qualify as an accountant or auditor is required to pass an examination as approved by the Public Accountants' and Auditors' Board to establish whether candidates have attained the required standard of academic knowledge in terms of the syllabi laid down by the Board, as well as whether they are able to apply that knowledge in practice (P AAB, 1995). However each year many students fail this very important examination. The reasons for this are not clear and the purpose of this research is to determine whether: personality; vocational interests; intelligence; matriculation Mathematics and home language (English/ Afrikaans) results, predict success in the QE, by comparing a group of successful and unsuccessful QE candidates. The logistic regression, discriminant analysis and t-test statistical procedures, indicated that: warmth (A), liveliness (F), rule-consciousness (G), social boldness (H), apprehension (0), self-reliance (Q2), perfectionism (Q3), tension (Q4), computational interest, social services interest, mechanical interest, Mental Alertness and matriculation home language, are significant factors to consider when identifying candidates likely to be successful in the QE. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / MCOM (Industrial Psychology)

The study was prompted mainly by the need for and possibility of collaboration or even mutual accreditation of practising chartered accountants and auditors in the countries of Southern Africa. In establishing common ground between these countries of Southern Africa it was found that the countries share not only geographical space but also strong and increasingly important trade links, movement of people between the countries and in some instances a common history, culture and language in the form of English. The current harmonisation process of accounting standards worldwide enhanced this process. A literature study was done emphasising South Africa as part of the Southern African region, with a special emphasis on accountancy education. An analysis of current international co-operation was done with special reference to the current international harmonisation process. As part ofthe background an analysis was done of the current status of the accountancy profession in each Southern African country. As this study was done from a South African perspective, the emphasis was on the views of members of the accounting profession in public practice with regard to greater cooperation in the region in the accountancy field. This was achieved by means of an empirical survey. It was found that the aforesaid professionals are overwhelmingly in support of greater cooperation in the region. They believe that it would enhance the status of individual accounting bodies worldwide~ that costs, information and infrastructure could be shared; and that it would enhance professionalism and improve service to clients. Specific areas were identified where co-operation could be improved, namely that academic training should be harmonised, practical tralning should be interchangeable and agreements should be reached with individual countries. Some concern was expressed that above all, control should be maintained over the standards of academic and practical education. It is recommended that the bodies governing the accountancy establishment in South Africa, especially the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants and the Public Accountants' and Auditors' Board, should increase their current efforts to establish greater formal relations with other countries in the Southern African region. / Auditing / D. Compt. (Accounting Science)

Abstract in English, Southern Sotho and Afrikaans / South African chartered accountants (CAs(SA)), who are primarily trained as financially orientated technical specialists, play a significant role as part of management teams, which require expertise in leadership, strategy, marketing, communication and teamwork among other managerial skills. However, it has been found that accounting professionals have inherent characteristics that could act as barriers to career transition and adaptability in the volatile and challenging accounting profession. This study employed an interpretative phenomenological analysis research design to gain insights on the way CAs(SA) in the financial services sector have managed to overcome barriers and leverage enablers to transition their careers. Accordingly, interviews were conducted with CAs(SA) who occupy or have occupied a management position in the financial services sector. The findings revealed that the participants had prepared themselves for transition by gaining credibility and confidence by means of exposing themselves to challenging work, leading others, taking part in varied activities, updating their substantive knowledge base and using mentors. Through their attitudes, behaviour and decisions, participants were able to influence their career development context by being adaptable. Further, participants revealed that they were able to overcome barriers by gaining practical experience and exposure to varied tasks and career development opportunities, reading, listening and further training and education. Participants were also able to overcome barriers and create enablers by learning from others through informal mentorships and working in strong teams, which limited the extent to which they had to learn from their own mistakes. These insights could benefit not only CAs(SA) themselves but also professional accounting bodies, academic institutions, training organisations and employers of CAs(SA). / Di-chartered accountant tsa Afrika Borwa (CAs(SA)), ba rupetsweng ka sehlooho jwalo ka ditsebi tsa setekgeniki ka tsa ditjhelete, ba bapala karolo ya bohlokwa dihlopheng tsa bookamedi tse hlokang botsebi ho tsa boetapele, meralo, papatso, dikgokahano le tshebetso ya sehlopha, hara ditsebo tse ding tsa bookamedi. Leha ho le jwalo, ho fumanwe hore diprofeshenale tsa accounting di na le ditlwaelo tse tebileng tse ka iketsang dithibelo tsa kgolo mosebetsing le phetophetoho kahare ho profeshene ya accounting e dulang e sa tsitsa hape e na le diphephetso. Boithuto bona bo sebedisitse moralo wa patlisiso wa kutlwiso ya batho ya ntho e itseng ho fumana tsebo ka mokgwa oo diCA(SA) lekaleng la ditshebeletso tsa ditjhelete ba kgonneng ho fenya dithibelo tse jwalo le ho sebedisa dithutso ho hola mesebetsing ya bona. Ka tsela eo, di-inthavu di entswe le diCA(SA) tse maemong (kapa tse kileng tsa ba maemong) a bookamedi kahara lekala la ditshebeletso tsa ditjhelete. Diphetho di bontshitse hore bankakarolo ba itokiseditse phetoho ka ho iphumantsha bokgolwehi le boitshepo ka ho ipepesetsa mosebetsi o phephetsang, ho etella ba bang pele, ho nka karolo mesebetsing e fapaneng, ho ntjhafatsa ditsebo tsa bona le ka ho sebedisa batataisi. Ka mehopolo ya bona, boitshwaro le diqeto, bankakarolo ba ile ba kgona ho susumetsa ntshetsopele ya mesebetsi ka hore ba kgone ho fetofetoha. Ho feta moo, bankakarolo ba supile hore ba kgonne ho fenya dithibedi ka ho fumana tsebo ya ketso le ho ipepesetsa mesebetsi e fapaneng le menyetla ya ntlafatso ya tshebetso, ka ho bala, ho mamela le ho etsa dithuto le dithupelo tsa ntshetsopele ya thuto. Bankakarolo ba boetse ba kgonne ho hlola dithibelo le ho hlahisa dithusi ka ho ithuta ho tswa ho batho ba bang ka ditataiso tse sa hlophiswang le ka ho sebetsa le dihlopha tse matla, e leng ho neng ho fokotsa makgetlo ao ka ona ba neng ba tlameha ho ithuta ka diphoso tsa bona. Dintlha tsena di ka ba molemo eseng feela ho diCA(SA) ka bo tsona, empa le ditheo tsa profeshenale tsa accounting, ditsi tsa accounting, mekgatlo ya thupelo le bahiri ba diCA(SA). / Suid-Afrikaanse geoktrooieerde rekenmeesters (CA’s(SA)) wat primêr as finansieelgeoriënteerde tegniese spesialiste opgelei is, speel 'n beduidende rol in bestuurspanne wat kundigheid in leierskap, strategie, bemarking, kommunikasie en spanwerk en ander bestuursvaardighede vereis. Daar is egter bevind dat rekeningkundige praktisyns inherente eienskappe het wat struikelblokke kan wees vir loopbaanoorgang en aanpasbaarheid in die ongestadige en uitdagende rekeningkundige beroep. Hierdie studie het 'n interpretatiewe fenomenologiese ontledingnavorsingsontwerp gevolg om insig te bekom oor die wyse waarop CA’s(SA) in die finansiële sektor daarin geslaag het om sulke struikelblokke en hefboominstaatstellers te bowe te kom om loopbaanoorgang te bereik. Onderhoude is dienooreenkomstig met die CA’s(SA) gehou wat bestuursposisies in die finansiële sektor beklee of beklee het. Die bevindings het gewys dat die deelnemers hulleself vir oorgang voorberei het deur geloofwaardigheid en vertroue te verkry deur blootstelling aan uitdagende werk, om ander te lei, deelname aan gevarieerde aktiwiteite, om hulle substantiewe kennisbasis op te dateer en om mentors te gebruik. Deur aanpasbare houdings, gedrag en besluite kon die deelnemers hulle loopbaanontwikkelingskonteks beïnvloed. Die deelnemers het ook aangedui dat hulle struikelblokke te bowe kon kom deur praktiese ervaring en blootstelling aan gevarieerde take en loopbaanontwikkelingsgeleenthede, en deur lees, luister en deelname aan verdere onderwys en opleiding. Die deelnemers was voorts in staat om struikelblokke te oorkom en instaatstellers daar te stel deur by ander te leer deur informele mentorskap en om in sterk spanne te werk, wat die mate waarin hulle uit hulle eie foute moes leer, beperk het. Hierdie insigte behoort nie net CA’s(SA) te baat nie, maar ook professionele rekeningkundige liggame, akademiese instellings, opleidingsorganisasies en werknemers van CA’s(SA). / Management Accounting / M. Phil. (Accounting Sciences)

The study was prompted mainly by the need for and possibility of collaboration or even mutual accreditation of practising chartered accountants and auditors in the countries of Southern Africa. In establishing common ground between these countries of Southern Africa it was found that the countries share not only geographical space but also strong and increasingly important trade links, movement of people between the countries and in some instances a common history, culture and language in the form of English. The current harmonisation process of accounting standards worldwide enhanced this process. A literature study was done emphasising South Africa as part of the Southern African region, with a special emphasis on accountancy education. An analysis of current international co-operation was done with special reference to the current international harmonisation process. As part ofthe background an analysis was done of the current status of the accountancy profession in each Southern African country. As this study was done from a South African perspective, the emphasis was on the views of members of the accounting profession in public practice with regard to greater cooperation in the region in the accountancy field. This was achieved by means of an empirical survey. It was found that the aforesaid professionals are overwhelmingly in support of greater cooperation in the region. They believe that it would enhance the status of individual accounting bodies worldwide~ that costs, information and infrastructure could be shared; and that it would enhance professionalism and improve service to clients. Specific areas were identified where co-operation could be improved, namely that academic training should be harmonised, practical tralning should be interchangeable and agreements should be reached with individual countries. Some concern was expressed that above all, control should be maintained over the standards of academic and practical education. It is recommended that the bodies governing the accountancy establishment in South Africa, especially the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants and the Public Accountants' and Auditors' Board, should increase their current efforts to establish greater formal relations with other countries in the Southern African region. / Auditing / D. Compt. (Accounting Science)