In 1918, there were no women Chartered Accountants. By 1980, women represented 1.5% of the total membership of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland, and in 2009, the figure had increased dramatically to 30%.
In spite of the fact that women have now achieved equal access and represent 50% of the student intake, they are very poorly represented at the top of the profession. Whilst other studies have told of the difficulties and obstacles women have experienced in breaching the glass ceiling, this book, having looked at the campaign for admission, focuses on success stories. It reports the results of a study conducted with women who have succeeded in attaining partnership in Big Four firms and draws lessons from their stories.
It will be of interest to women considering a career in accountancy, their advisors, parents and mentors. It is also essential reading for women and men already in the profession and for the firms who employ them and hope to retain them.
Patricia Barker is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland, having qualified in 1973, the 20th woman to qualify since the inception of the Institute in 1888.
She served her articles with Stokes Bros. & Pim in Dublin and worked in Peat, Marwick, Mitchell & Co. in Manchester. She then became a partner in an accounting practice in Manchester and worked in Manchester University as a principal lecturer. She was appointed lecturer in DCU in 1980 and progressed through senior lecturer, Associate Dean (Business School) and Vice-President (Academic) of DCU. She has completed an MPhil in Gender Studies at Trinity College. Her PhD developed a paradigm of disclosure of financial information to employees in organisations.
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