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Desirable generic attributes for accounting graduates into the twenty‐first century

Author

Listed:
  • Irene Tempone
  • Marie Kavanagh
  • Naomi Segal
  • Phil Hancock
  • Bryan Howieson
  • Jenny Kent

Abstract

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to determine the requirements of accounting graduates in relation to generic attributes. Employers have consistently maintained that graduates are deficient in this area. This Australia‐wide, all‐sector study addresses the issue by examining what employers mean when they make demands for universities and academics to deliver work‐ready graduates. Design/methodology/approach - Interviews (recorded, transcribed and analysed with NVivo) with employers, and accounting professional bodies were conducted to ascertain their views of their needs of accounting graduates into the future. Findings - Employers held the generic attributes of communication, team work and self‐management to be the most critical for graduates in the three areas of recruitment, training and ongoing employment. Demands on universities to deliver work‐ready graduates are not homogeneous. Employers in different sectors construe the meaning of generic attributes in line with their specific needs. Originality/value - The study was an original piece of work that gauged the opinions of professional accounting bodies and employers of accounting graduates across Australia and in all sectors of the accounting profession. The value of the study is to inform academics as to the ranked importance of generic attributes but also alert them to the different meanings that are assigned to these skills by employers in different sectors.

Suggested Citation

  • Irene Tempone & Marie Kavanagh & Naomi Segal & Phil Hancock & Bryan Howieson & Jenny Kent, 2012. "Desirable generic attributes for accounting graduates into the twenty‐first century," Accounting Research Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 25(1), pages 41-55, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:eme:arjpps:v:25:y:2012:i:1:p:41-55
    DOI: 10.1108/10309611211244519
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Plant, Kato & Barac, Karin & Sarens, Gerrit, 2019. "Preparing work-ready graduates – skills development lessons learnt from internal audit practice," Journal of Accounting Education, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 33-47.
    2. Bernadette Smith & William Maguire & Helen Haijuan Han, 2018. "Generic skills in accounting: perspectives of Chinese postgraduate students," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 58(2), pages 535-559, June.
    3. Karen Benson & Peter M Clarkson & Tom Smith & Irene Tutticci, 2015. "A review of accounting research in the Asia Pacific region," Australian Journal of Management, Australian School of Business, vol. 40(1), pages 36-88, February.
    4. Khaldoon Al-Htaybat & Larissa von Alberti-Alhtaybat & Zaidoon Alhatabat, 2018. "Educating digital natives for the future: accounting educators’ evaluation of the accounting curriculum," Accounting Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 27(4), pages 333-357, July.
    5. Palazuelos, Estefanía & San-Martín, Paula & Montoya del Corte, Javier & Fernández-Laviada, Ana, 2018. "Utilidad percibida del Aprendizaje Orientado a Proyectos para la formación de competencias. Aplicación en la asignatura «Auditoría de cuentas»," Revista de Contabilidad - Spanish Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 21(2), pages 150-161.
    6. Yvette Blount & Babak Abedin & Savanid Vatanasakdakul & Seyedezahra Erfani, 2016. "Integrating enterprise resource planning (SAP) in the accounting curriculum: a systematic literature review and case study," Accounting Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 25(2), pages 185-202, April.
    7. Atanasko Atanasovski & Marina Trpeska & Zorica Bozinovska Lazarevska, 2018. "Accounting Students' and Employers' Perceptions on Employability Skills in the SEE Country," European Financial and Accounting Journal, Prague University of Economics and Business, vol. 2018(3), pages 55-71.
    8. Craig Cameron & Jennifer Dickfos, 2014. "'Lights, Camera, Action!' Video Technology and Students' Perceptions of Oral Communication in Accounting Education," Accounting Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 23(2), pages 135-154, April.
    9. Siriwardane, H.P. & Low, K.-Y. & Blietz, D., 2015. "Making entry-level accountants better communicators: A Singapore-based study of communication tasks, skills, and attributes," Journal of Accounting Education, Elsevier, vol. 33(4), pages 332-347.
    10. Ștefan Bunea & Flavius-Andrei Guinea, 2023. "Stakeholders’ Perceptions of the Vocational Competences Acquired by Students Enrolled in Accounting Master’s Programmes in Romania," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-28, April.
    11. Bhavani Sridharan & Mohammad Badrul Muttakin & Dessalegn Getie Mihret, 2018. "Students’ perceptions of peer assessment effectiveness: an explorative study," Accounting Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 27(3), pages 259-285, May.
    12. Abellán Martínez, Diego & Aledo Martínez, Juana & Macías Dorissa, Marta, 2023. "Aena case study: Privatization of the largest European airport group," Journal of Accounting Education, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).
    13. Rajat Deb, 2019. "Accounting Theory Coherence Revisited," Management and Labour Studies, XLRI Jamshedpur, School of Business Management & Human Resources, vol. 44(1), pages 36-57, February.

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