Women accountants 'more pessimistic' about crisis response

FEMALE ACCOUNTANTS are more pessimistic about responses to the economic downturn, but more likely to get involved with business support initiatives, new research shows.

ACCA's gender spotlight also highlighted females' reluctance to respond to economic confidence surveys when compared to men, as well as the rising popularity of - mainly male - economic bloggers.

Report author and senior policy adviser Rosana Mirkovic said: "A lack of confidence in government actions throughout the downturn may make women less trusting of any new initiatives that are aimed at improving sentiment and stimulating the economy.

"The findings also suggest that female respondents expected that government spending would turn out to be more excessive and wasteful than men expected it to be."

However, male accountants are more likely to wade in when it comes to accessing finance for their own businesses or their clients.

Mirkovic pointed out that women are better represented in management accounting functions, and less involved in direct liaison with lenders and investors.

"While we cannot be sure what lies behind this division of labour, it is possible that firms are not employing the female finance workforce to its full potential, with likely repercussions on access to finance at an important time," she concluded.