Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences
School of Financial Sciences
Department of Accounting
Selected Highlights from Research Findings
Finding a balance between the demand and supply of quality chartered accountants (CA) has not only become a problem for the CA profession in South Africa, but also for institutions that produce these graduates.
As far back as the 1990s, researchers noted that the accounting profession in the United States of America (USA) was facing a major problem, namely to attract top students with substantial accounting knowledge as well as strong communication, technical and analytical skills required in the ever-increasing complex environment of the chartered accounting profession.
The purpose of this project was to examine factors that influence the career choice of students of various racial groups in South Africa in their pursuit of becoming chartered accountants.
First-year students at the University were used in this study as the introductory course shapes their perceptions of the profession, the aptitudes and skills needed for successful careers in accounting and the nature of career opportunities in accounting.
In order to attract and retain top quality students, it is necessary to identify the differentiating cultural factors, economic backgrounds and specifically the students’ perceptions of the accounting profession.
In doing so, academia will be able to further improve and develop areas of the accounting curriculum that are responsible for attracting students to choose accounting as an academic major.
Findings indicated that performance in accounting at school was the most important factor that influenced the respondents’ decision to become a CA, while the advice given by parents or relatives and the influence of school teachers were ranked second and third on the list for all three racial groups.
The least influential factor was visits by lecturers from the Department of Accounting. However, in an earlier survey conducted in 1995 in the USA, it was found that college instructors exerted the greatest influence (30%) on students’ decision to study for a CA, followed by other practitioners in the field (18%), friends/acquaintances/relatives (16%) and parents (16%).
This proves that when addressing the South African perspective versus an American perspective, more attention should be given to encouraging lecturers to visit schools in order to promote chartered accountancy as a career more effectively. The influence of high school teachers and counsellors was rated lowest at 7%.
Additional findings indicate that all three racial groups ranked availability of employment as the most important benefit of a CA career and employment security as the second most important.
The least important benefit was self-employment opportunities (Asians), potential to travel (Blacks) and size and reputation of the organisation (Whites)
Contact person: Prof JE Myburgh.
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