This study analyzed responses to career-related questions from a survey of experienced Canadian Certified Management Accountants (CMAs), relative experts in the field of management accounting, to address how mentoring affects turnover intentions and career plateau tendency of male and female accounting professionals in industry. In this regard, we used structural equations modeling to build and test a framework illustrating the impact of mentoring and career-related factors. Results indicate that fostering a mentoring environment within an organization can strengthen CMAs perceptions of their careers and employers. Mentoring has also been suggested to enhance womens opportunities to advance in organizations and help women break the glass ceiling. Analyses of data relating to compensation in 2007 and 2009 for a sample of female and male CEOs and operating performance of companies led by these CEOs for these years indicate that, that compensation gaps due to gender appear to be narrowing at the top management level.

Purpose -Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) of 2002 required companies to report on the effectiveness of their internal controls over financial reporting. Auditors also must attest to, and report on, the assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting made by the management of the company being audited. The purpose of this paper is to provide analyses of audit fee costs and material weaknesses reported for companies of different sizes after the effective date of Section 404 and suggest approaches to reduce SOX 404 compliance costs. Design/methodology/approach -Quantitative analysis and deductive reasoning are used to evaluate audit costs associated with Section 404. Findings -Audit fees have been increased substantially, particularly during the first year a company complied with Section 404, and have not been dropped substantially after the first year of compliance. Companies with sales of less than $1 billion reported significantly more material weaknesses than larger companies. Originality/value -This paper documents audit costs after the SOX Section 404 effective date, the typical types of material weaknesses reported, the proportion of companies of different sizes reporting material weaknesses, and describes approaches to reduce compliance costs.

<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt; tab-stops: .5in;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 10pt;">The presence of frustrated employees in an organization is likely to have a significant adverse effect on the organization&rsquo;s operations. Employees faced with a career plateau are likely to exhibit feelings of frustration. Such employees may have a higher tendency to leave the company, increasing employee turnover.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Using Canadian Certified Management Accountants (CMAs), as subjects, this study examined the effect of mentoring on employee career plateau tendencies and turnover intentions. </span></p><p class="MsoBodyText2" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt; tab-stops: .5in;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 10pt;">&nbsp;</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt; tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 6.5in;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 10pt;">Survey questionnaires were mailed and responses obtained from 235 CMAs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Subjects&rsquo; responses were factor analyzed to develop composite scales about CMAs&rsquo; perceptions for mentoring (MENTOR), career plateau (PLAT), turnover intentions (EXIT), positive job attributes (PJA), and job satisfaction rate (JSR).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>For hypotheses testing, the means of the scaled values were used in statistical tests of relationships between the measures.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt; tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 6.5in;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 10pt;">&nbsp;</span></p><p class="MsoBodyText2" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt; tab-stops: .5in;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 10pt;">Tests indicated that mentoring reduces plateau tendency significantly and significantly lowers turnover intentions even after controlling for career plateau, job satisfaction, and positive job attributes. The results imply that fostering a mentoring environment can reduce career plateau attainment and turnover intentions. Reducing career plateau in turn is likely to have positive impact on organization&rsquo;s operations. For example, CMAs are often involved in, among other matters, the operational information and financial reporting process.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Therefore, reducing CMAs&rsquo; career plateau tendencies and turnover intentions could improve the quality of an organization&rsquo;s financial reporting process.</span></p>

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