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

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...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Accounting research journal 2012-01, Vol.25 (1), p.41-55
Main Authors: Tempone, Irene, Kavanagh, Marie, Segal, Naomi, Hancock, Phil, Howieson, Bryan, Kent, Jenny
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
21st century
Accountants
Accounting
Communication
Competitive advantage
Employers
Employment
Higher education
Professional recruitment
Public good
Self-management
Skills
Studies
Team work
Teamwork
University graduates
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Summary: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. Interviews (recorded, transcribed and analyzed with NVivo) with employers, and accounting professional bodies were conducted to ascertain their views of their needs of accounting graduates into the future. 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.
ISSN:1030-9616
1839-5465
DOI:10.1108/10309611211244519