Succeeding in managerial accounting. Part 1: knowledge, ability, and rank

Using data on 2941 practicing managerial accountants, we explore rank-based di€erences in measured ability, and technical, industry, and tacit managerial knowledge. Our data indicate that concomitant with increases in rank are: (1) decreasing levels of, and increasing variability in, measured entry-level technical knowledge, (2) increasing measured levels of, and generally decreasing variability in, industry knowledge, (3) increasing levels of, and non-monotonic changes in the variability in, measured tacit managerial knowledge, and (4) no di€erences in levels of, or variability in, measured ability. Ours is the ®rst large-sample exploration of rank-based di€erences in the knowledge ``stocks'' of managerial accountants. Study results provide insight into knowledge acquisition processes and the matching of knowledge to jobs across ranks in managerial accounting. # 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.