Priesthood of Industry: The Rise of the Professional Accountant in British Management

The Priesthood of Industry documents the history of the rise of accountants in the United Kingdom to their present position as the dominant professional grouping in the boardroom and in the top echelons of British management. Focusing on the individual professional accountant, the authors adopt an economic determinist analysis to explain the rise of public practice and the routes by which staff transferred to industry in increasing numbers. They also identify demand and supply side factors to explain the professional accountant's present hegemony in business management. In addition, the book traces the origins of the major professional bodies and the evolution of `family trees' of the `Big Six' accountancy firms.