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The importance of soft skills in accounting: student´s and employer´s expectations

Author

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  • Jiří Slezák

    (VSB - Technical University of Ostrava, Faculty of Economics, Department of Accounting and Taxes, Sokolská 33, Ostrava, Czech Republic)

Abstract

The trend of new information and communication technologies, the increase in globalization and competitiveness leads to the need and to the increase of the importance of new skills that are placed on employees. In different sectors of the economy, there is a need to develop different skills of employees. For this reason, universities face the challenge of ensuring that their graduates have the required skills. This article deals with research on soft skills in accounting and is aimed at the perspective of future graduates of accounting and finance programs and employers. The aim of the article is to explore how employers and future graduates perceive the importance of soft skills in accounting. The research questions were "Which soft skills do students and employers perceive as important?" "How are soft skills developed according to students' and employers' opinions in universities?" "What are the differences between students' and employers' perceptions of soft skills?" A questionnaire survey which was conducted was attended by 101 future graduates from universities in the Czech Republic and 44 employers in the Czech Republic. It was found that team work is the most important skill for employers. While for students it was problem solving ability. Overall, the opinions of students and employers do not differ much, but even so, certain differences can be seen between them in the case of soft skills.

Suggested Citation

  • Jiří Slezák, 2024. "The importance of soft skills in accounting: student´s and employer´s expectations," Acta Universitatis Bohemiae Meridionalis, University of South Bohemia in Ceske Budejovice, Faculty of Economics, vol. 27(1), pages 42-57.
    • Handle: RePEc:boh:actaub:v:27:y:2024:i:1:p:42-57
    DOI: 10.32725/acta.2024.004
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Arquero, José Luis & Fernández-Polvillo, Carmen & Hassall, Trevor & Joyce, John, 2017. "Relationships between communication apprehension, ambiguity tolerance and learning styles in accounting students," Revista de Contabilidad - Spanish Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 20(1), pages 13-24.
    2. Carla Carvalho & Ana Carlos Almeida, 2022. "The Adequacy of Accounting Education in the Development of Transversal Skills Needed to Meet Market Demands," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-18, May.
    3. Vangelis Tsiligiris & Dorothea Bowyer, 2021. "Exploring the impact of 4IR on skills and personal qualities for future accountants: a proposed conceptual framework for university accounting education," Accounting Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 30(6), pages 621-649, November.
    4. Antonio Ragusa & Valeria Caggiano & Rubén Trigueros Ramos & Jerónimo J. González-Bernal & Ana Gentil-Gutiérrez & Susana Adelina Moreira Carvalho Bastos & Josefa González-Santos & Mirian Santamaría-Pel, 2022. "High Education and University Teaching and Learning Processes: Soft Skills," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(17), pages 1-12, August.
    5. F. Elizabeth Gray & Niki Murray, 2011. "'A distinguishing factor': Oral Communication Skills in New Accountancy Graduates," Accounting Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 20(3), pages 275-294.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    accounting; perception; soft skills; students;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • M41 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Accounting - - - Accounting
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration

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