TACKLING THE ACCOUNTING SKILLS GAP IN SAUDI ARABIA: AN INQUIRY INTO THE VIEWS OF FACULTY AND PROFESSIONALS

Authors

  • Sulaiman A. Alsughayer Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), College of Economics and Administrative Sciences,
  • Nuha Alsultan Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), College of Economics and Administrative Sciences,

Keywords:

accounting education, skills gap, labour market demands, employability skills, technical skills, interpersonal skills, language skills, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

This study examines the skills gap of accounting graduates in Saudi Arabia and the required market skills from the perspective of accounting faculty and professionals in accounting firms. The research utilizes a combination of methods and data sources to explore the challenges accounting programs and faculty face due to rapid changes in the field. The findings reveal a significant gap between accounting education and the labour market demands, with accounting programs focusing more on technical skills and less on other general skills. Accounting graduates lack interpersonal, dialogue, and language skills, which are critical employability skills that should be integrated into accounting education to narrow the gap. The study also identifies the willingness of accounting graduates to learn beyond classrooms and university as one of the critical challenges in equipping them with the required skills. The research's originality and value lie in contributing to the understanding of accounting education and the skills gap, which can be helpful to professional bodies, university administrators, business school deans, accounting faculty, and careers guidance professionals in Saudi Arabia. The study's findings provide insights into improving accounting education and bridging the gap between accounting graduates and the labour market demands

Published

2023-08-03

How to Cite

Sulaiman, A. A., & Nuha , A. (2023). TACKLING THE ACCOUNTING SKILLS GAP IN SAUDI ARABIA: AN INQUIRY INTO THE VIEWS OF FACULTY AND PROFESSIONALS. Journal of Interdisciplinary Research in Accounting and Finance (JIRAF), 9(3), 77–106. Retrieved from https://sadijournals.org/index.php/JIRAF/article/view/217

Issue

Section

Review Paper