Comments on: Invest now http://www.accmanpro.com/2009/06/22/invest-now/ Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:01:51 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Dennis Howlett http://www.accmanpro.com/2009/06/22/invest-now/comment-page-1/#comment-6433 Dennis Howlett Tue, 14 Jul 2009 19:48:29 +0000 http://www.accmanpro.com/?p=4956#comment-6433 @mark - it really is foolish to give up on investments at this time although I fully understand the reasons for reticence. 'Where's that money coming from?' is the usual cry but then once they start losing staff, firms wonder why skills are walking away thus making it more difficult to take advantage of new opportunities as the cycle turns. Or even when it isn't. @mark – it really is foolish to give up on investments at this time although I fully understand the reasons for reticence. 'Where's that money coming from?' is the usual cry but then once they start losing staff, firms wonder why skills are walking away thus making it more difficult to take advantage of new opportunities as the cycle turns. Or even when it isn't.

]]> By: Mark Lee http://www.accmanpro.com/2009/06/22/invest-now/comment-page-1/#comment-6432 Mark Lee Tue, 14 Jul 2009 19:13:29 +0000 http://www.accmanpro.com/?p=4956#comment-6432 I take your point Dennis. My observation originates from the ICAEW's recent conference on the future of auditing. The audience was made up almost exclusively of what would be termed smaller practices. There was no enthusiasm from them to invest further in training staff (and themselves) to understand ISAs for exactly the reason noted above. I sense that your comments may be directed more to those larger firms with international clients who will in some way benefit from ISAs. On the wider issue of investment and training I keep hearing how firms have trimmed their training budgets and are not investing in building up the knowledge and skills of staff. Whether this is due to severe cashflow constraints, a precautionary measure or evidence of a lack of belief in training generally I do not know. I hope it's a misconceived precautionary measure - but I wouldn't bet on it. Mark I take your point Dennis. My observation originates from the ICAEW's recent conference on the future of auditing. The audience was made up almost exclusively of what would be termed smaller practices.

There was no enthusiasm from them to invest further in training staff (and themselves) to understand ISAs for exactly the reason noted above. I sense that your comments may be directed more to those larger firms with international clients who will in some way benefit from ISAs.

On the wider issue of investment and training I keep hearing how firms have trimmed their training budgets and are not investing in building up the knowledge and skills of staff. Whether this is due to severe cashflow constraints, a precautionary measure or evidence of a lack of belief in training generally I do not know. I hope it's a misconceived precautionary measure – but I wouldn't bet on it.

Mark

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