Abstract

The accountancy profession in Jordan has been criticized for failing to achieve its goals to society, with the main players in the profession constantly exchanging accusations in this regard. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the roles and the relationships between the players in the accountancy profession in Jordan (regulators, academics and practitioners), and to provide recommendations in order to improve the quality of the accountancy profession. Results indicate that the regulators are to be blamed for the insufficient monitoring and control of the profession, as they have failed to oversee the auditors and to take disciplinary actions against the wrongdoers. Additionally, regulators jeopardized the profession by adopting IFRS as a sole framework for financial reporting for all companies. Academics have allegedly provided low quality education and inadequate teaching programs, as teaching focuses on theoretical issues with minimal consideration for the current business environment and new technicalities. Hence, graduates are not equipped with necessary skills. It is concluded that the academics have become increasingly detached from practice, instead focusing on conducting academic research at the expense of activities that may improve the quality of teaching. With regards to practitioners, findings suggest that they act on the ground of self-interest rather than public interest, in addition to not complying with quality control standards when performing their tasks.

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