I have been contacted by the ICAEW and told that I have been ‘selected at random’ to participate in a study to determine the attitudes and requirements of members.
I wonder how this will work and what I’ll be asked. Perhaps all members are ‘randomly selected’, knowing many will not want to participate.
I suppose the questions will be quite leading, or asking me to grade some statements so otherwise it would be hard to aggregate the responses. I’ll just have to wait and see how it works, and what action the Institute takes from the study.
The consultancy firm is called Gracechurch Consulting, which I have never heard of, but the ‘client accolades’ are worth reading. One client said: ‘The enabling concept is a key differentiator’
Here is the textual content:
ICAEW has commissioned Gracechurch Consulting to conduct a research project into the attitudes and requirements of our members. Findings will enable us to develop the products and services we offer in line with your needs. Your name has been selected at random to participate in this study.
> What’s involved?
If you’re able to help, we would like you to participate in a telephone interview. This will take between 30 and 45 minutes, at a time convenient to you.
>Who are Gracechurch Consulting?
Gracechurch specialises in independent research for the legal and professional services industry. We have commissioned an external agency to carry out the work to ensure the research is objective, as well as to guarantee your responses are treated with the utmost confidentiality.
>Next steps
Gracechurch will be in touch shortly to arrange a convenient time for the interview. In the meantime, please do not hesitate to contact the Head of Strategic Research, if you would like to find out more about the project.
Update: Damian Wild has commented on this, and is following the story.
I’d urge all members who have been contacted to make a big effort to participate. I’d also ask those that have not been asked to get in on the act.
Anecdotal evidence I’ve gathered indicates there is a lot of unhappiness. This is a chance to voice those concerns.
Thanks Dennis, I’ll definitely participate, and post when I have spoken to someone.
The email was sent to me on 31 August, so hopefully I’ll hear from someone soon.
I always despair at this sought of appraoch to setting strategy.
Has no one at the ICAEW heard of the naturalistic fallacy? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naturalistic_fallacy
In effect this says you cannot get an ought from an is. In other words asking what is the case will not tell you what ought to be the case. The styles of thinking ae different.
Of course accountants are good at what ‘is’. That involves counting things like responses to surveys. What they’re very bad at is working out what this means.
If the ICAEW wants to know where to go then another methodology is needed. Try thinking for a start. Try asking about the role of the accountant in society next. Trye matching where we are to where we might be if we are to meet that need as a strategic plan after that. Then we might make progress. That’s developing a map.
But just knowiung where we are offers no route to anywhere.
Richard Murphy
The institute isn’t saying how many members are being surveyed, I’m afraid. There’s more on our news site – go to http://www.accountancyage.com/accountancyage/news/2198598/icaew-canvases-member-opinion