A fascinating portrait of the Big Four accounting firms: Deloitte, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Ernst & Young, and KPMG. Their history is one of triumphs and disasters, pioneers and scoundrels. Today, their future is uncertain, thanks to their push into China; their vulnerability to digital disruption; and the hazards of providing traditional tax and audit services in the era of transparency.

A fascinating and authoritative portrait of the 'Big 4' accounting firms: Deloitte, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Ernst & Young, KPMG. Essential reading for anyone perplexed or fascinated by professional services, or working in the industry, or contemplating joining or engaging a professional services firm.

The history of the 'Big 4' firms is one of triumphs and disasters, of pioneers and scoundrels. Today, the firms have an uncertain future - thanks to their push into China; their vulnerability to digital disruption and competition; and the hazards of providing traditional tax and audit services in a new era of transparency.

Autorentext
Kells, Stuart
Stuart Kells is a Melbourne-based author. His history of Penguin Books, Penguin and the Lane Brothers, won the Ashurst Australian Business Literature Prize. Gow, Ian D.
Ian D. Gow is currently at Harvard Business School and will soon take up a professorship at the University of Melbourne. Before Harvard, he held positions at Morgan Stanley, General Motors, Stern Stewart & Co. and Andersen Consulting. He received a Ph.D. in business from Stanford University; an MBA with distinction from Harvard Business School; and degrees in commerce and law from UNSW.

Klappentext

Across the globe, the so-called Big Four accounting and audit firms - Deloitte, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Ernst & Young, and KPMG - are massively influential. Together, they earn more than US$100 billion annually and employ almost one million people. In many profound ways, they have changed how we work, how we manage, how we invest and how we are governed. Stretching back centuries, their history is a fascinating story of wealth, power and luck. But today, the Big Four face an uncertain future - thanks to their push into China; their vulnerability to digital disruption and competition; and the hazards of providing traditional services in a new era of transparency. Both colourful and authoritative, this account of the past, present and likely future of the Big Four is essential reading for anyone perplexed or fascinated by professional services, working in the industry, contemplating joining a professional services firm, or simply curious about the fate of the global economy.

Inhalt

PROLOGUE

1. INTRODUCTION: The Big 4 as a global phenomenon

2. GLORY NOT INFAMY: The Medici Bank as a precursor to the Big 4

3. TRANSPORTED: How the Big 4 began in the dangerous world of nineteenth-century accountancy

4. A CURIOUS MATCH: The remarkable founders of the Big 4

5. MERE AUTOMATA: Staking out the Big 4's turf

6. AN INJUDICIOUS CHANGE: Adventures and misadventures in Big 4 branding

7. PORN STAR: The culture of the Big 4

8. THE MOST AVERAGE GUYS IN THE ROOM: Big 4 professional values

9. UNQUALIFIED: Auditing as the foundation of the Big 4 brands

10. CLEAN: The imperilment of Big 4 auditing11. GET READY TO DANCE: Conflicting interests in Big 4 taxation services

11. ONE FOUR TEN: The Big 4 in China

12. DISRUPTED: The obsolescence of Big 4 technology

13. MAGIC: Big 4 futures

EPILOGUE