08-09-2003, 03:45 PM
Nowadays in this world of cut-throat competition, it seems kind of ridiculous of ICAP to not allow the CA firms to market their services actively.
I've just read the article featured on this website and totally agree with the Indian writer's views who says that gone are the days when advertising to compete to get client between firms was looked upon by our "white-collared" number-crunchers as unethical and something immoral.
Nowadays, the field of marketing is a complete science which also carries in it other sciences like psychology, information technology, human physiology etc. It is nothing to be scorned or shunned by ICAP, and instead should be grasped with both hands.
The situation over here is that nearly all business is being captured by partners of firms on the basis of their personal contacts. This means that any newly qualified, or a newly created firm doesnt stand much chance to compete against the big-whigs of ICAP, since they do not have many contacts in the industries. Maybe this IS actually what the ICAP junta wants, ie a conspiracy to keep their hold on all the business out there and to discourage the independent (smaller) firms to enter this field and to compete against them.
If their intention is good, then ICAP should allow all firms to market their services publicly so that fair competition takes place. In many countries professional firms have been allowed to advertise their wares in public. Whenever i saw a cricket match taking place in South Africa, i always used to note ad hoardings of KPMG and the now defunct Andersen. And some programs of CNN also used to be sponsored actively by Andersen and Ernst & Young.
Believe me, it would give a boost to our profession, create awarenesss in the public of our profession, but most of all it would create a healthier image of us accountants and auditors than the one which prevails currently due to our secretive ways, which is of a thappa-chaap, tax-evading munshi!!
________________________
Arrrgh... it sure's gonna be mighty rough sailin' today ... mates!
I've just read the article featured on this website and totally agree with the Indian writer's views who says that gone are the days when advertising to compete to get client between firms was looked upon by our "white-collared" number-crunchers as unethical and something immoral.
Nowadays, the field of marketing is a complete science which also carries in it other sciences like psychology, information technology, human physiology etc. It is nothing to be scorned or shunned by ICAP, and instead should be grasped with both hands.
The situation over here is that nearly all business is being captured by partners of firms on the basis of their personal contacts. This means that any newly qualified, or a newly created firm doesnt stand much chance to compete against the big-whigs of ICAP, since they do not have many contacts in the industries. Maybe this IS actually what the ICAP junta wants, ie a conspiracy to keep their hold on all the business out there and to discourage the independent (smaller) firms to enter this field and to compete against them.
If their intention is good, then ICAP should allow all firms to market their services publicly so that fair competition takes place. In many countries professional firms have been allowed to advertise their wares in public. Whenever i saw a cricket match taking place in South Africa, i always used to note ad hoardings of KPMG and the now defunct Andersen. And some programs of CNN also used to be sponsored actively by Andersen and Ernst & Young.
Believe me, it would give a boost to our profession, create awarenesss in the public of our profession, but most of all it would create a healthier image of us accountants and auditors than the one which prevails currently due to our secretive ways, which is of a thappa-chaap, tax-evading munshi!!
________________________
Arrrgh... it sure's gonna be mighty rough sailin' today ... mates!
