Navigating Complexity: Understanding the Multifaceted Roles of the Accountant : A Quantitative Study of the Roles Assumed by Accountants in Swedish Family SMEs From the CEOs perspective

Abstract: Purpose: The objective of this master's thesis is to investigate the factors that trigger the accountants to assume the diverse roles in Swedish SMEs within various business contexts.  Theoretical perspective: To satisfy the aim of this thesis we relied on role theory, organizational demography and socioemotional wealth.   Methodology: This thesis employs a deductive approach along with a quantitative methodology. A survey was conducted to gather data, resulting in a sample of 82 respondents who met the predefined criteria for this research.  The collected data was subjected to several statistical tests, such as the Spearman correlation matrix, multiple linear regression analysis, and principal component analysis. Findings: This thesis’s findings challenge the assumptions that firm age, family/ non-family CEO and accountant, experience, level of family engagement and ownership are the primary triggers for the beancounter, advisory, decision-maker and protector roles of the accountants. Instead, the thesis reveals a more nuanced perspective, indicating that these roles may be clustered and encompassed within a larger mixed role, which is referred to as co-leading-power role. This new understanding suggests a need to reevaluate and expand the understanding of the accountant's responsibilities within the organizational context. By acknowledging the existence of the co-leading-power role, we can gain a more comprehensive understanding of the multifaceted nature of accountants' contributions and their impact on organizational outcomes.