Business Commons^™

Constructing The Well Qualified Chartered Accountant In England And Wales, Malcolm Anderson, John Richard Edwards, Roy A. Chandler

Accounting Historians Journal

Fundamental to the pursuit of the professional project by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW), in the early years of its existence, was the construction of the well qualified chartered accountant. This involved the introduction of onerous examinations, lengthy vocational training and significant financial hurdles, which together confined membership to the wealthier sections of society. Prior studies concentrate on the external implications of the ICAEW's policies, and have accepted, though left unexamined, the significance of entry hurdles in achieving exclusionary closure. The major focus of this paper is to examine how the ICAEW differentiated its membership …