Abstract for: Partner Career Trajectories and Gender in Big Four Public Accounting Firms (WIP)

Despite women entering public accounting at equal rates as men, only about 23% of Big Four (Deloitte, EY, KPMG, PwC) public accounting firm partners are women. This persistent gender gap in partnership has remained largely unchanged and under explained for thirty years. A mixed method study was conducted to better understand the interdependent elements of making partner for women in the Big Four public accounting firms. Career trajectory is used as the mechanism to understand the relationship between the person and organization. It is proposed that a casual loop model is developed to accompany the existing study and to refine the problem definition. WIP seeking suggestions. The mixed method study reveals a complex ecosystem where individual mindsets, organizational structures, and market dynamics interact to shape partnership paths. The findings demonstrated that while women who make partner do so in similar timeframes to men, the journey involves navigating multiple psychological transitions and structural challenges that may disproportionately affect women's career progression, particularly in consulting. Developing causal loop model. If women who make partner do so in the same amount of time as men, then why are there still fewer female partners? It would suggest women drop out of the process, though it does not negate the possibility of bias in promotion process. A casual loop model and simulation may lead us to understand which elements have most effect. To create summary structured abstract and to shorten the paper submission. All work is original.