Accounting Profession Mentoring in the #MeToo Era

SYNOPSIS Mentoring has been recognized as critically important to the success of young professionals in accounting. Because members senior management accounting profession are most often male (AICPA 2019b), improving opportunities for junior female is especially worthwhile. In current #MeToo environment, there a potential concern that superiors may be reluctant mentor females. Using an experimental study, we do not find greater reluctance when gender participant and prospective mentee mismatched, compared genders match, even mentor/mentee dyad male/female. However, meet at potentially risky times locations mismatched; lowest willingness was associated with male/female dyad. Our findings have implications practice, firms consider formal mentoring assignments structured locations. Data Availability: From authors, upon request. JEL Classifications: M12; M40; M53.