Aristocracy or Meritocracy? The Role of Elite Pedigree and Research Performance in New Accounting Faculty Placements

This paper investigates the joint and complex influences of elitism and merit in the hiring of new accounting faculty. Building on research showing that search committees value pedigree in hiring new faculty, we theorize both aristocratic (e.g., accessing or reinforcing elite networks) and meritocratic (e.g., signaling stronger future research potential) influences on the hiring of new accounting faculty. Using curriculum vitae from 381 Accounting Ph.D. Rookie Recruiting and Research Camps, we examine whether candidates graduating from elite accounting institutions place disproportionately higher than do their non-elite peers. Results suggest that elite pedigree predicts placement rank among candidates without favorable publication outcomes at top journals (e.g., acceptance or invitation to resubmit) but not among candidates with favorable publication outcomes. Favorable publication outcomes at other journals are unrelated to placement rank. The results suggest joint and complex aristocratic (elite-based) and meritocratic ( productivity-based) influences in new accounting faculty hiring.