Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/1959.3/230483

Title

Desirable generic attributes for accounting graduates into the twenty-first century: the views of employers

Author(s)

Tempone, Irene;  Kavanagh, Marie;  Segal, Naomi;  Hancock, Phil;  Howieson, Bryan;  Kent, Jenny

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.

Publication type

Journal article

Research centre

Swinburne University of Technology. Faculty of Business and Enterprise

Source

Accounting Research Journal, Vol. 25, no. 1 (2012), pp. 41-55

Publication year

2012

FOR Code(s)

1501 Accounting, Auditing and Accountability;  1502 Banking, Finance and Investment

Keyword(s)

Accounting graduates;  Australia;  Communication;  Generic attributes;  Self-management;  Students;  Teamwork

Publisher

Emerald Group Publishing

ISSN

1030-9616

Publisher URL

http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/10309611211244519

Copyright

Copyright © 2012 Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

Additional information

The authors acknowledge support from the Carrick Institute for Learning and Teaching in Higher Education (the predecessor to the Australian Learning and Teaching Council) and the Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC).

Peer reviewed