Why Black Kids Don't Major In Accounting - Paper Example

Introduction

There is a growing emphasis on the importance of diversity in today's evolving workplace. However, the accounting profession faces the problem of the underrepresentation of minorities especially African Americans. The number of black Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) is dwindling and only makeup 1% (Gold). Colleges are also facing a downward pressure to provide a talented pool of professionals, particularly in the accountancy field. As a result, many college programs especially accounting find it extremely difficult to attract black students. Perhaps, many black students shun the accounting degree because they lack a full comprehension of the profession and the benefits it offers. Nevertheless, since the years of slavery, African Americans continue to face problems in their quest for knowledge. Since the 1900s the practice of accounting was marred by racist and discriminatory practices targeting qualified blacks (Eaton and DiFilippo 9). To date, the racial bias in the field hampered the interest in accounting because it has even led to high turnover among black accountants.

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The profession of accounting has not presented itself as an attractive, rewarding and interesting field among black students. In a study carried out by George Violette and Carol Cain, is that black students lose interest in accounting because the introductory course lacks thrill or motivation. The students interviewed claimed that introductory accounting is boring. On the other hand, a large number of black students do not choose the course until they get to campus. Besides, minority students are underrepresented in STEM programs that encompass mathematics among other technical courses (Violette and Cain).

Another reason for the low representation of blacks in accounting is due to the lack of exposure to the program during high school years. There is a high correlation between pre-collegiate exposure and a college major (Gold). African American students do not respect CPA certification or even an accounting degree due to misinformation about the opportunities that exist in accounting (Sanders). The myths about the dismal opportunities that exist for accountants remain uncorrected. For instance, the myth that accountants must be good with mathematics and that career advancement in the field is limited. Therefore, there is need to create awareness about accountancy. Also, firms need to ensure that African Americans are treated equally to avoid the high rate of turnover in the accounting profession (Eaton and DiFilippo 9).

On the other hand, the lack of publicity about the accounting career contributes to the lack of interest among black Americans (Sanders 26). There are numerous movies and television programs that portray the images of professionals in the fields of medicine, detectives, lawyers, and business executives among others. The publicity in the mentioned career paths promotes interest among students. Unfortunately, there is little or no attention on accountants or auditors in the entertainment scene. Furthermore, the little media attention that accountants have received involved scandalous events in the business world, leading to a negative societal perception. However, the American Institute of Public Accountants (AICPA) has been working on popularizing accountancy by advertising on ethnic magazines to show the success of black CPAs (Sanders 26).

Conclusion

In conclusion, there is more that needs to done to improve the enrollment of black students in accounting courses. The exposure during high school is of great importance. Likewise, firms should create equal opportunities for all irrespective of color, race or ethnicity to increase the minority participation.

Works Cited

Eaton, Tim V., and Madeline DiFilippo. "Working Toward Achieving Significant Representation: Changes In Diversity And Their Implications In The Accounting And Auditing Profession." Journal of Diversity Management (JDM) 11.1 (2016): 9. Web.

Gold, Liz. "Why Are African Americans Leaving Accounting?." Accounting Today. N.p., 2010. Web. 26 Apr. 2018.

Sanders, Shanika DeShawn, "Balancing the Books: An In Depth Look at Why African Americans Do Not Choose Accounting." University of Tennessee Honors Thesis Projects. N.p., 2007. Web. 26 Apr. 2018.

Violette, George, and Carol Cain. "Why Are African American Students Still Not Majoring In Accounting? The CPA Journal." The CPA Journal. N.p., 2018. Web. 26 Apr. 2018.