[conspire] Gandi.net is my Jedi, now (was: Customer wants to give your firm money; support won't allow me)

[Rick Moen]

Quoting Paul Zander (paulz at ieee.org):

>  Not sure what you are protesting.  

I am mildly protesting the ubiquitous and eye-rolling mistaken notion
that accountants cause cost-cutting, let alone foolish, shortsighted
cost-cutting.

I stated that _mildly_ because I assumed you were aware why this trope
is erroneous.  However, since you say you don't:

Internally hired accountants (as opposed to outside accountants such as
auditors) are not even line management employees.  The traditional
folk-blaming of accountants for bad decisions made by managers appears
to reflect a careless misunderstanding of what accountants _do_, and
also failure to understand the distinction between staff employees (such
as accountants), who advise and give information, and line employees
(such as managers), who make decisions and issue orders.

Clue:  The controller (head accountant) at a corporation does not get to
tell the corporation what to do.  A controller assists with the
preparation of the operating budgets, overseeing financial reporting and
performing essential duties relating to payroll.  He/she ensures that
internal controls have been implemented and that internal processes are
being followed, cooperating with outside auditors.  He/she helps with 
strategy for running financial systems, e.g., customisations of the
accounting software used.  He/she makes sure that external reporting or
filing deadlines are met and regulatory requirements satisfied.  He/she
oversees the financial-tracking side of vendor set-up, invoice
processing, payment remittance, accounting software record-keeping, 
purchasing, etc.

Notice what's not anywhere in there?  Making any decisions about company
goods and services, staffing, labour practices, customer relations,
corporate strategy, sales and marketing, investor relations, and 
essentially _everything_ other than what accountants actually do.

> I have no idea what accounting credentials, if any, the new owners
> might have.  

Typically, CxOs have none of any kind -- except, in some cases, the CFO.

_But_, notably, even there, a CFO's duties are _not accounting duties_.
The CFO makes decisions for the company for projects and finances
(financial planning, management of financial risks, record-keeping, and
financial reporting, and often the analysis of data).  Most often, the
CFO is a strategic partner to the CEO.  That is _not_ being an
accountant.  It's just not.

Again, accountants advise.  Managers decide.

Berating _MBAs_ would make at least a _little_ more sense.