Further subdivisions of the interest groups were made in order to enable a deeper
understanding of the lobbyist characteristics. Accountants were split into four groups:
(1) individuals; where the author is an accountant but the letter explicitly states that
the views expressed are that of the individual and not of any organisation to which
he/she can be affiliated, (2) accounting and auditing firms, (3) big four, and (4)
professional accounting associations. Users were divided into financial analysts, as
identified by the IASB, as well as investment firms and other users. The business
community was divided into financial industry (including insurance) and other
preparers. In addition, it was noted whether each letter is representing a single
organisation, or multiple, through trade associations. Regulatory and legal authorities
were subdivided into national standard setters, supervisors of financial markets
(including central banks) and other regulatory and legal authorities