THE CHANGING ROLE OF ACCOUNTANTS IN A TRANSITION
       ECONOMY – EVIDENCE FROM ROMANIA

                         Cătălin Nicolae Albu, Lecturer PhD
                      Academy of Economic Studies of Bucharest

                            Nadia Albu, Lecturer PhD
                      Academy of Economic Studies of Bucharest

                               Robert Faff, Professor PhD
                                 „Monash” University

                           Allan Hodgson, Professor PhD
                 Amsterdam Business School, University of Amsterdam


ABSTRACT: Recently a number of interventions have impacted the Romanian
accounting system, such as the harmonization with the European Directives,
International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), and an increased move towards
modern information technologies such as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)
software. In this study we directly explore these influences by applying job offer
analysis as a reflection of current and future organizational practices (Bollecker,
2000). We determine the competencies expected from accountants in Romanian
businesses and ask whether financial accounting and management accounting are
separate specialized positions in Romania, or are they developing into hybrid monist
positions? We conclude that the state of the Romanian accounting profession is one of
transition with some alignment with recent global trends. However, our inter-
temporal analysis also suggests a degree of intransience with management and
financial accountants, whilst sharing some common competencies, still maintaining a
number of attributes associated with the two-cycle accounting system. Finally, we
show that ERP competencies are the more important drivers of the hybridization of
accountants in Romania.

Keywords: accountants in transition, hybridization of accounting roles, Romanian accounting
profession, two-cycle accounting system, enterprise resource planning, job-offer analysis

JEL Codes: M40