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The soft skills of accounting graduates: perceptions versus expectations

Author

Listed:
  • Valentina Dolce
  • Federica Emanuel
  • Maurizio Cisi
  • Chiara Ghislieri

Abstract

In recent years, changes in business, new technology, and greater competitiveness and dynamism have all resulted in a need for new skills. This study focuses on soft skills in accounting education, exploring the viewpoints of both graduates and employers. Our main question is to better understand if there is a right match between graduates’ perceptions and companies’ expectations of the skills that are needed. 251 Italian graduates (Department of Management) and 74 Italian joint-stock companies completed a self-report questionnaire. Graduates attributed a higher level of importance to the following macro-areas of skills: task orientation, motivation, self-awareness, valorisation, and interpersonal relationships. Graduates, compared to companies, underestimated the importance of other soft skills and one specific technical skill, and overestimated other technical skills. Graduates’ views are partially in accordance with employers’ views; accounting education still needs to progress and the engagement of academics is fundamental to enhance the skills required by employers.

Suggested Citation

  • Valentina Dolce & Federica Emanuel & Maurizio Cisi & Chiara Ghislieri, 2020. "The soft skills of accounting graduates: perceptions versus expectations," Accounting Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 29(1), pages 57-76, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:accted:v:29:y:2020:i:1:p:57-76
    DOI: 10.1080/09639284.2019.1697937
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Wise Mainga & Marlo B Murphy-Braynen & Remelda Moxey & Syed Abdul Quddus, 2022. "Graduate Employability of Business Students," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-35, June.
    2. Andreea Cordos (Labaditis) & Adriana Tiron-Tudor, 2023. "Employability skills for professional accountants in the midstof Industry 4.0 - a literature review," Journal of Financial Studies, Institute of Financial Studies, vol. 8(15), pages 62-85, November.
    3. Pablo Fernández-Arias & Álvaro Antón-Sancho & Diego Vergara & Amelia Barrientos, 2021. "Soft Skills of American University Teachers: Self-Concept," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-25, November.
    4. Sabine Graschitz & Simona Holzknecht & Marcel Steller, 2023. "Perceived Attractiveness of Tax Consultancy and Auditing Professions: Insights From a German-Speaking Area," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(1), pages 21582440231, March.
    5. Nanja Kroon & Maria do Céu Alves, 2023. "Fifteen Years of Accounting Professional’s Competencies Supply and Demand: Evidencing Actors, Competency Assessment Strategies, and ‘Top Three’ Competencies," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-23, February.
    6. 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.
    7. Monique Micallef & Cheryl Mifsud & Lauren Ellul & Peter J. Baldacchino & Simon Grima, 2023. "The Skill Set Required in the Accounting Workplace: Perspectives of Accounting Graduates and Warrant Holders," International Journal of Economics & Business Administration (IJEBA), International Journal of Economics & Business Administration (IJEBA), vol. 0(4), pages 117-145.
    8. Grace Ji & Grace Wong & Dennis Taylor & Dessalegn Mihret, 2022. "Motivational appetites, cultural orientations and accounting students' learning," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 62(2), pages 2283-2312, June.
    9. Marcenaro-Gutierrez, O.D. & Lopez-Agudo, L.A. & Henriques, C.O., 2021. "Are soft skills conditioned by conflicting factors? A multiobjective programming approach to explore the trade-offs," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 18-40.
    10. Apostolou, Barbara & Dorminey, Jack W. & Hassell, John M., 2021. "Accounting education literature review (2020)," Journal of Accounting Education, Elsevier, vol. 55(C).
    11. Wilkin, Carla L., 2022. "Developing critical reflection: An integrated approach," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 54(3).

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