Theodore Brown Sr.

(Oakwood University, Huntsville, Alabama 35896, USA)

 

 

Abstract: The role of the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) has changed dramatically as the CFO’s position continues to emerge in this complex global business society. This study was aroused by the notion that an organization’s leadership perception of the CFO significantly impacts how CFOs’ perform their role. The data analyzed was taken from a purposeful sample of N = 399 at fifty-seven SDA conferences in North America comprising organizations in Bermuda, Canada and the United States of America. A Mixed-Methods sequential exploratory research design utilizing Descriptive Statistics, Analysis of Variance, Chi Square and Student-Newman Keuls Post-Hoc Test revealed significant differences in leadership perceptions among presidents {CEOs}, treasurers {CFO}, and board members {BM}) pertaining to their understanding and working knowledge of the CFO’s role. Congruence in leadership perceptions were also found. The extent and impact of the findings from the data suggest a need for further review and clarification of organizational policies pertaining to the CFO’s position. Conclusions reflect potential conflict of leadership expectations of the CFO role, workplace crisis and organizational inefficiency if misunderstandings of CFO role persist among conference leadership. Practical implications are discussed.

 

Key words: Board Members {BM}; CEO (Chief Executive Officer/President {P}); CFO (Chief Financial Officer/Treasurer {T}); communication, congruence; expectations, leadership; perceptions; role; Seventh-day Adventists (SDA); understanding; working knowledge

JEL codes: M410