The firms were called the Big 8 for most of the 20th century, reflecting the international dominance of the eight largest accountancy firms:
1.Arthur Andersen 2.Arthur Young & Co. 3.Coopers & Lybrand 4.Ernst & Whinney (until 1979 Ernst & Ernst in the US and Whinney Murray in the UK) 5.Deloitte Haskins & Sells (until 1978 Haskins & Sells in the US and Deloitte Plender Griffiths in the UK) 6.Peat Marwick Mitchell, later Peat Marwick 7.Price Waterhouse 8.Touche Ross
4 merged with 2 and 5 merged with 8 in 1989, creating the big six. 7 merged with 3 in 1998, creating the big 5 AA imploded in 2002, creating the big four.
One reason E&Y will survive is that four is seen as the minimum number for competition reasons.
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Re: Too Big To Count; Too Few Not To Count
Date: 2010-03-13 07:12 pm (UTC)The firms were called the Big 8 for most of the 20th century, reflecting the international dominance of the eight largest accountancy firms:
1.Arthur Andersen
2.Arthur Young & Co.
3.Coopers & Lybrand
4.Ernst & Whinney (until 1979 Ernst & Ernst in the US and Whinney Murray in the UK)
5.Deloitte Haskins & Sells (until 1978 Haskins & Sells in the US and Deloitte Plender Griffiths in the UK)
6.Peat Marwick Mitchell, later Peat Marwick
7.Price Waterhouse
8.Touche Ross
4 merged with 2 and 5 merged with 8 in 1989, creating the big six.
7 merged with 3 in 1998, creating the big 5
AA imploded in 2002, creating the big four.
One reason E&Y will survive is that four is seen as the minimum number for competition reasons.
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