Abstract
M.Comm.
Orientation: Over 50% of graduates entering the Chartered Accountant (CA) profession
from universities each year are women. Retention of these women in public practice,
however, remains low at a mere 29%.
Research purpose: This study investigates whether relationships exist between the job
demands, job resources, job involvement, and turnover intentions of South African female
CAs and trainee CAs in public practice audit, tax, and advisory firms in an attempt to
understand what impacts their retention in public practice.
Motivation for the study: International and national research suggests that there is a low
retention of female CAs in public practice, as is evidenced by a low number of females CAs
in management and partnership positions. An estimated shortage of 22000 skilled financial
professionals, including female CAs, is expected in public practice over the next few years.
This study aims to explore the turnover intentions of female CAs and trainee CAs through
the relationships with their unique job demands, job resources, and job involvement, in an
attempt to understand what impacts their retention in public practice.
Research design: A web-based questionnaire was used in a survey that was conducted
with South African female CAs and trainee CAs across the country. A total of 851 responses
were received, and were analysed by means of Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) to
interpret the hypothesised model linkages.
Main findings: This study indicates that growth opportunities and communication and
participation in decision-making are related to job involvement. Job involvement is negatively
related to turnover intentions, and the relationship between growth opportunities,
communication and participation in decision-making, and turnover intentions are mediated
by job involvement.
Practical/Managerial implications: The identified job resources that impact the turnover
intentions of South African female CAs and trainee CAs in public practice should be
investigated and afforded the necessary attention by the management of public practice
firms in order to aid the development and retention of women in theCA profession.Contribution and value add: This study adds to the empirical support for the Job
Demands-Job Resources (JD-R) model. It also contributes to the CA profession by
identifying those job demands and job resources that have an impact on the retention of
women in public practice.
Key words: female Chartered Accountants, retention, public practice, South African, job
demands, job resources, job involvement, turnover intentions, CA(SA)