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South African Career Guidance Counsellors' and Mathematics Teachers' Perception of the Accounting Profession

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  • Stephen Coetzee
  • Ruanda Oberholzer

Abstract

The shortage of accounting professionals is well-documented. To address this shortage, greater numbers of school students should be attracted and enrolled in undergraduate accounting programmes. Unfortunately, school students may have misperceptions of the accounting profession. These misperceptions may result in potential entrants to the profession being lost to other professions. Secondary school teachers play an influential role in students' perceptions of future careers. This survey assessed the perceptions of the secondary school career guidance counsellors and mathematics teachers' perceptions of the accounting profession in South Africa in comparison to the medical, engineering and legal professions. The findings suggest that the accounting profession is held in lower esteem than the engineering and medical professions, but in higher esteem than the legal profession. The findings confirm previous research conducted in the USA, Australasia and Japan. Marketing and recruitment programmes should educate secondary school teachers as to the true nature of the accounting profession.

Suggested Citation

  • Stephen Coetzee & Ruanda Oberholzer, 2010. "South African Career Guidance Counsellors' and Mathematics Teachers' Perception of the Accounting Profession," Accounting Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(5), pages 457-472.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:accted:v:19:y:2010:i:5:p:457-472
    DOI: 10.1080/09639280903411328
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Rosina Mladenovic, 2000. "An investigation into ways of challenging introductory accounting students' negative perceptions of accounting," Accounting Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 9(2), pages 135-155.
    2. Satoshi Sugahara & Osamu Kurihara & Gregory Boland, 2006. "Japanese Secondary School Teachers' Perceptions of the Accounting Profession," Accounting Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 15(4), pages 405-418.
    3. Marann Byrne & Pauline Willis, 2005. "Irish secondary students' perceptions of the work of an accountant and the accounting profession," Accounting Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 14(4), pages 367-381.
    4. Dean, Roger A. & Ferris, Kenneth R. & Konstans, Constantine, 1988. "Occupational reality shock and organizational commitment: Evidence from the accounting profession," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 13(3), pages 235-250, April.
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    Cited by:

    1. Karlsson, Per & Noela, Massa, 2022. "Beliefs influencing students’ career choices in Sweden and reasons for not choosing the accounting profession," Journal of Accounting Education, Elsevier, vol. 58(C).
    2. Ilse Lubbe & Stephen Coetzee, 2018. "Accounting education in Africa," Accounting Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 27(5), pages 453-455, September.
    3. Apostolou, Barbara & Dorminey, Jack W. & Hassell, John M. & Watson, Stephanie F., 2013. "Accounting education literature review (2010–2012)," Journal of Accounting Education, Elsevier, vol. 31(2), pages 107-161.

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