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Racial biases in recruitment by accounting firms: The case of international Chinese applicants in Australia

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  • James, Kieran
  • Otsuka, Setsuo

Abstract

This paper documents the difficulties in finding accounting work faced by international Chinese accounting graduates in Australia in the two years after graduation. We argue that Chinese accounting graduates remain a marginalised group within today's Australian society. The interview results support this assertion, with even high-achieving Chinese graduates finding it difficult to obtain work with mainstream accounting firms and corporations. The main reasons appear to be their lack of Australian working experience, lack of knowledge of Australian culture, and lack of “Australian English”. Australian accounting firms, due to a revealed preference to hire white Australian graduates, appear to be missing out on a vast reservoir of Chinese talent. Chinese accounting graduates speak two or three languages and have established business networks in China or at the very least insider knowledge of how that country's business culture operates. Whilst their sub-cultural capital may be lower on average than white graduates on some conventional measures, it is higher in those areas of bilingual capability and cross-cultural knowledge which are becoming of increasing importance to Australian business.

Suggested Citation

  • James, Kieran & Otsuka, Setsuo, 2009. "Racial biases in recruitment by accounting firms: The case of international Chinese applicants in Australia," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 20(4), pages 469-491.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:crpeac:v:20:y:2009:i:4:p:469-491
    DOI: 10.1016/j.cpa.2008.02.005
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    2. Upton, David R. & Arrington, C. Edward, 2012. "Implicit racial prejudice against African-Americans in balanced scorecard performance evaluations," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 23(4), pages 281-297.
    3. Vassili Joannides & Nicolas Berland & Danture Wickramasinghe, 2010. "Post-Hofstede diversity/cultural studies: what contributions to accounting knowledge?," Post-Print hal-01661685, HAL.
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    5. Vassili Joannides & Nicolas Berland & D. T. Wickramasinghe, 2010. "Post-Hofstede diversity/cultural studies: what contributions to accounting knowledge?," Grenoble Ecole de Management (Post-Print) hal-00676570, HAL.
    6. Jenny Rodriguez & Evangelina Holvino & Joyce K. Fletcher & Stella M. Nkomo & Mayra Ruiz Castro & Evangelina Holvino, 2016. "Applying Intersectionality in Organizations: Inequality Markers, Cultural Scripts and Advancement Practices in a Professional Service Firm," Gender, Work and Organization, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 23(3), pages 328-347, May.
    7. Philip K.F. Law & Desmond C.Y. Yuen, 2011. "An empirical examination of hiring decisions of experienced auditors in public accounting: Evidence from Hong Kong," Managerial Auditing Journal, Emerald Group Publishing, vol. 26(9), pages 760-777, October.
    8. Annisette, Marcia & Prasad, Ajnesh, 2017. "Critical accounting research in hyper-racial times," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 5-19.
    9. Vassili Joannides & Nicolas Berland & D. T. Wickramasinghe, 2010. "Post-Hofstede diversity/cultural studies: what contributions to accounting knowledge?," Post-Print hal-00676570, HAL.
    10. Denise Jackson, 2020. "Accounting and Finance Graduate Employment Outcomes: Underemployment, Self‐employment and Managing Diversity," Australian Accounting Review, CPA Australia, vol. 30(3), pages 193-205, September.
    11. Hock Thye Chan, 2018. "What is the Problem Represented to Be: A Research Methodology forAnalysing Australias Skilled Migration Policy," International Journal of Business and Economic Affairs (IJBEA), Sana N. Maswadeh, vol. 3(1), pages 21-32.
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