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Accounting department chairs’ perceptions of the importance of communication skills

Advances in Accounting Education

ISBN: 978-1-84855-882-3, eISBN: 978-1-84855-883-0

Publication date: 12 August 2009

Abstract

Employers state that their major concern with accounting graduates is their inadequate skills in reading, writing, speaking, and listening (Kranacher, 2007, p. 80). Yet, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and some state boards of accountancy have minimized the importance of these skills on professional certification exams. This conflict creates a mixed message. The purpose of our study is to determine accounting department chairs’ perceptions of the importance of writing, speaking, listening, interpersonal, and technological communication skills for both the accounting and the business curricula and where in the curriculum these skills are taught. In our study, we surveyed 122 accounting administrators from the largest North American accountancy programs. Survey respondents report that most required communication courses are in the general business curriculum and, to a lesser extent, as a required course in the accounting major. Consistent across demographics, respondents also indicate that all communication skills are important, but writing skills followed by technological skills are the most valued for the accounting curriculum, while writing and speaking skills are most important in the business curriculum. Implications for the curriculum are discussed.

Citation

Schmidt, J.J., Patrick Green, B. and Madison, R. (2009), "Accounting department chairs’ perceptions of the importance of communication skills", Schwartz, B.N. and Catanach, A.H. (Ed.) Advances in Accounting Education (Advances in Accounting Education, Vol. 10), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 151-168. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1085-4622(2009)0000010010

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2009, Emerald Group Publishing Limited