A STUDY OF THE DETERMINANTS OF SENIOR CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT LEADERSHIP EFFECTIVENESS (SATISFACTION, WELL-BEING, TURNOVER, STRESS)

A field study to test Fiedler's contingency model of leader performance is conducted using audit teams conducting audits of United States businesses. The contingency model is modified by the addition of individual trait and situational characteristic variables. The study seeks responses to the following questions: (1) Do identified personal characteristics of senior auditors and audit team members affect the senior's involvement in the engagement and senior performance, satisfaction, and physical and mental well-being as predicted? (2) Do identified situational characteristics, including the senior's control of engagement, stress, and job complexity, affect senior performance, satisfaction, and physical and mental well-being as predicted?;Results provide mixed support for Fiedler's contingency model. Partners give ratings most consistent with theory. High LPC or high self-monitoring seniors are preferred by partners. Further, medium Type A seniors are most highly rated. Generally, partners prefer interpersonally sensitive seniors.;Supervisors rate budgetary performance of low LPC seniors in high stress environments and high LPC seniors in low stress environments higher than others. Supervisors' ratings display an interaction of stress and self-monitoring: high self-monitoring seniors in low stress environments or low self-monitoring seniors in high stress environments are rated higher than others. Generally, supervisors demonstrate preferences for task oriented, interpersonally insensitive seniors.;Senior performance self-ratings may be substantially confounded. However, ratings of satisfaction and well-being demonstrate clear relationships with stress and other variables. Greater stress is highly correlated with lesser well-being and satisfaction.;Personnel are drawn from five offices of one large firm of certified public accountants. Senior performance measures comprise technical, budgetary, client, staff supervision, communication with superiors, and overall performance as rated by seniors, supervisors and partners. Satisfaction and well-being measures are self-reported. Predictor variables include individual characteristics and situational moderators. Individual characteristics consist of Fieldler's least preferred co-worker (LPC), self-monitoring, hardiness, and Type A/B. Situational moderators include situational control, stress, and job complexity. In addition, job involvement is treated as a person/situation interaction predictor variable.;This study is exploratory and further research is recommended because all variables appear relevant to an understanding of performance, satisfaction and well-being in a public accounting environment.