Enhancement of overall business performance and business performance by industry sector of accounting firms: Decisions on the allocation of human resource attributes

This paper aims to discuss the effects of various human resource attributes on the overall business performance of accounting firms, as well as the individual business performances of the industrial client base, and intends to identify the key factors and provide them to the accounting firm managers as the basis of making decisions for human resource allocation. This study finds that: (1) The higher the proportion of accounting firm's manger-level supervisors, professional seniors, and professional assistants, the higher the total revenues of the accounting firm; the higher the proportion of professional seniors, the greater the total number of projects of the accounting firm. When the proportion of professional seniors is higher, it will have a positive effect on the individual business performances of the wholesale and retail industries and construction industry; when the proportion of professional assistants is higher, it will bring positive benefits to the individual business performances of the wholesale and retail industry, manufacturing industry, and construction industry; when the proportion of manger-level supervisors is higher, it will be helpful to enhance the individual business performances of the professional, scientific, and technical services industry. (2) The higher the proportion of audit services, tax services, management consultants, and accounting services, the higher the total revenues of the accounting firm. When the proportion of audit services, tax services, and accounting services is higher, it will have a positive effect on the wholesale and retail industry, and the manufacturing industry. (3) The proportion of accounting firm staff with accountant's qualifications cannot bring positive benefits to the overall business performance of the accounting firm or the individual business performance of the industrial client base. Thus, it is suggested that accounting firm managers should employ professional personnel beyond the scope of accounting, tax, and audit, meaning they should employ talents with direct knowledge of the related industry, in order to provide customized quality services to enhance their competitive advantage and improve the business performance of the industrial client base.