Changing Accounting Regulatory Structures in the Context of a Strong State

Abstract This paper reports how the accounting elite of Sweden was identified in 1980 and 1987. It shows how the relations of mutual respect among elite members maintain a network that infiltrates and supports an institutional structure, which is, in turn, located in a society characterized by a strong state. Case studies of actual changes in accounting norms indicate that elite members assume different roles in the standard-setting process depending on their authority position in the elite structure. Mapping the elite in 1987 permits an analysis of changes in the composition of the elite and the status of its members. It was found that the auditing profession in Sweden is very well organized as a pressure group and that it enjoy high esteem in the relevant state agencies.