The Big Four

The Curious Past and Perilous Future of the Global Accounting Monopoly

Business & Finance, Business Reference, Corporate History, Accounting
Cover of the book The Big Four by Ian D. Gow, Stuart Kells, Berrett-Koehler Publishers
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Ian D. Gow, Stuart Kells ISBN: 9781523098033
Publisher: Berrett-Koehler Publishers Publication: August 28, 2018
Imprint: Berrett-Koehler Publishers Language: English
Author: Ian D. Gow, Stuart Kells
ISBN: 9781523098033
Publisher: Berrett-Koehler Publishers
Publication: August 28, 2018
Imprint: Berrett-Koehler Publishers
Language: English

**"Messrs. Gow and Kells have made an invaluable contribution, writing in an amused tone that nevertheless acknowledges the firms' immense power and the seriousness of their neglect of traditional responsibilities. 'The Big Four' will appeal to all those interested in the future of the profession--and of capitalism itself." —Jane Gleeson-White, *Wall Street Journal

With staffs that are collectively larger than the Russian army and combined revenues of over $130 billion a year, the Big Four accounting firms—Deloitte, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Ernst & Young, and KPMG—are a keystone of global commerce. But leading scholar Ian Gow and award-winning author Stuart Kells warn that a house of cards may be about to fall.

Stretching back to the Medicis in Renaissance Florence, this book is a fascinating story of wealth, power, and luck. The founders of the Big Four lived surprisingly colorful lives. Samuel Price, for example, married his own niece. Between the world wars, Nicholas Waterhouse collected postage stamps while also hosting decadent parties in his fashionable London home.

All four firms have endured major calamities in recent decades. There have been hundreds of court cases and legal prosecutions for failed audits, tax scandals, and breaches of independence. The firms have come so close to “extinction level events” that regulators have required them to prepare “living wills.” And 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.

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 or considering working in the industry, or simply curious about the fate of the global economy.***

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

**"Messrs. Gow and Kells have made an invaluable contribution, writing in an amused tone that nevertheless acknowledges the firms' immense power and the seriousness of their neglect of traditional responsibilities. 'The Big Four' will appeal to all those interested in the future of the profession--and of capitalism itself." —Jane Gleeson-White, *Wall Street Journal

With staffs that are collectively larger than the Russian army and combined revenues of over $130 billion a year, the Big Four accounting firms—Deloitte, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Ernst & Young, and KPMG—are a keystone of global commerce. But leading scholar Ian Gow and award-winning author Stuart Kells warn that a house of cards may be about to fall.

Stretching back to the Medicis in Renaissance Florence, this book is a fascinating story of wealth, power, and luck. The founders of the Big Four lived surprisingly colorful lives. Samuel Price, for example, married his own niece. Between the world wars, Nicholas Waterhouse collected postage stamps while also hosting decadent parties in his fashionable London home.

All four firms have endured major calamities in recent decades. There have been hundreds of court cases and legal prosecutions for failed audits, tax scandals, and breaches of independence. The firms have come so close to “extinction level events” that regulators have required them to prepare “living wills.” And 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.

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 or considering working in the industry, or simply curious about the fate of the global economy.***

More books from Berrett-Koehler Publishers

Cover of the book Glow by Ian D. Gow, Stuart Kells
Cover of the book The Daily Edge by Ian D. Gow, Stuart Kells
Cover of the book Helping by Ian D. Gow, Stuart Kells
Cover of the book Performance Networks by Ian D. Gow, Stuart Kells
Cover of the book Stand Up! by Ian D. Gow, Stuart Kells
Cover of the book Speechless by Ian D. Gow, Stuart Kells
Cover of the book Be the Boss Everyone Wants to Work For by Ian D. Gow, Stuart Kells
Cover of the book The Stakeholder Strategy by Ian D. Gow, Stuart Kells
Cover of the book Doing the Right Things Right by Ian D. Gow, Stuart Kells
Cover of the book Prisoners of Our Thoughts by Ian D. Gow, Stuart Kells
Cover of the book Teaching That Changes Lives by Ian D. Gow, Stuart Kells
Cover of the book Courageous Training by Ian D. Gow, Stuart Kells
Cover of the book Rebalancing Society by Ian D. Gow, Stuart Kells
Cover of the book Why Wait to Be Great? by Ian D. Gow, Stuart Kells
Cover of the book The Blind Men and the Elephant by Ian D. Gow, Stuart Kells
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy