Analyzing the Factors Relevant to Students' Estimations of the Benefits and Costs of Pursuing an Accounting Career

Abstract

Business students were surveyed at a large university in the south-eastern USA to assess their perceptions of the benefits and costs of becoming an accounting practitioner. The current paper examines the extent to which these perceptions are related to whether students took accounting in secondary school and, if they had such exposure, the quality of their experience. Then, we examine whether perceptions differ at relatively early and late stages of a student's academic progress. Finally, we examine these benefit and cost perceptions in relation to the quality of students' experiences in the first university accounting course. The results indicate that experience in the first university accounting course is differentially associated with benefits and cost perceptions, and the nature of the association depends upon whether students took accounting in secondary school. Perceptions also differ between students at early and late stages of their respective academic programs, and accounting vs. non-accounting majors.Accounting majors, benefits and costs, accounting careers,

Generational Approach to Factors Influencing Career Choice in Accounting

“…This hypothesis contradicts what has been observed in the literature, e.g. Ahmed et al (1997) and Chen et al (2008), where the authors claims that intrinsic factors do not influence on the decision to pursue an accounting career. The results do not corroborate the analysis of generational characteristics, they show that the Gen Y assign more relevance to values like openness to change and less relevance to values like conservation and tradition.…”

“…Chen et al (2008) point out, in a study conducted with Australian students, that those who chose to pursue an accounting career after some contact with it during High School saw more benefits than drawbacks with this option, but the experience did not influence their decision.…”

“…regarding the lower educational qualification of students in this field (Chen et al, 2008;Sugahara et al, 2008;Sugahara, Kurihara, & Boland, 2006). Also, the number of students attending Higher Education has increased.…”

“…Also, the number of students attending Higher Education has increased. Thus, the number of individuals who pursue an accounting career (Ahmed et al, 1997;Chen et al, 2008;Danziger & Eden, 2006;Mauldin et al, 2000;Sugahara et al, 2006Sugahara et al, , 2008Tan & Laswad, 2006) is a matter of concern.…”

“…In this regard, some instruments were developed to evaluate career choice, such as the "Study Choice Task Inventory" (SCTI) (Germeijs & Verschueren, 2006), "Career Maturity Inventory, " "Career Development Inventory," and "My Vocational Situation Scale, " used by Hirschi and Läge (2007), and the "Career Decision Difficulties Questionnaire" (Gati, Krausz, & Osipow, 1996). These authors aim to determine which factors lead students to pursue a career in accounting, since the decline in educational qualification of accountants is a matter of concern (Chen et al, 2008;Sugahara et al, 2006Sugahara et al, , 2008. Ahmed et al (1997), in a study on the factors that influence students to pursue an accounting career choice, grouped 19 items into 5 factors: (i) intrinsic reward, (ii) good starting salaries, (iii) good long-term salaries, (iv) job availability, and (v) experience with accounting during High School.…”