Changing dimensions of accountants' role and skill requirements in organisations: findings from the corporate sector in Bahrain

In a rapidly changing information technology environment, accountants' organisational roles and skill requirements are also changing. This study examines the changing dimensions of accountants' roles and functions, using a survey of 36 companies in the Kingdom of Bahrain. We surveyed accountants to seek their views on importance of 16 functions. The respondents ranked ordered "managing the accounting and finance functions", "examining and evaluating the company's financial and information system", "financial reporting", "customer and product profitability analysis", and "designing of AIS" as the most important functions they performed in their organisations. The most important skill requirements were "professional skills", "communication skills" "analytical skills" and "managerial skills". Some variations were evident when the responses on the functions of accountants were statistically analysed by firm size, listing status, and respondent experience and position. The findings were compared with an Institute of Management Accountant (IMA) surveys and major variations were not observed when compared with the 1996 study results, but the 1999 IMA study results were not similar. The study concludes that there is a gradual transition in the role, functions and skills of accountants in Bahrain. It seems that accountants' roles and functions are moving towards cross-hybridisation between accounting and other functional areas.