We use moral reasoning data from a sample of 273 CPAs for our investigation. The sample is
selected from a cross section of CPAs of varying ranks from industry n 114 and public n
159 practice. Thus, the sample allows us to provide evidence on CPAs in industry as well as those
in public accounting, which is an extension of prior studies. We do not find any evidence of
significant differences by professional rank in the P-scores of CPAs in industry or public practice.
These findings, in turn, are contrary to the existence of the SST and IUP in the P-scores of CPAs.
The results provide additional support for Bernardi and Arnold 2004 and Scofield et al. 2004,
which challenge the existence of the SST and IUP in public accounting.