Interest in the Management Accounting Profession: Accounting Students’ Perceptions in Jordanian Universities

Abstract

This study is a first attempt seeking to explore perceptions of accounting students regarding their interest in the management accounting profession. Furthermore, this study aims to discuss and clarify the main factors that have already influenced and may influence in future students' interest to pursue a professional qualification in management accounting. The study has considered and used the theory of planned behaviour in examining the factors that influence students' interest to major or not to major in a particular discipline. The sample of this exploratory study was final year accounting students of two reputable Jordanian universities. Based on a questionnaire survey, data of 118 respondents were used for analysis. The study's findings show that accounting students prefer public accounting as their first choice of career, rather than management accounting. Job opportunities and income were the most important factors that discouraged students to be interested in the management accounting profession. On the other hand, it was suggested that support from companies to pursue the management accounting profession was the most important factor suggested to enhance students' interest in this branch of the accounting profession.

Reasons To Choose Chartered Accountant As Profession

“…Thus, the hypothesis 6 supported. Moreover, the result supported with previous study by Hutaibat (2012) which states that positive relationship exist between CGPA and preferences to be chartered accountant. Yusoff et al (2011) revealed that CGPA does not reflect students' knowledge about the professional accounting.…”

“…Therefore, hypothesis 2 supported. Hutaibat (2012), Zyl & Villiers (2011), Tangem & Uddin (2014) and Rajendran & Shamsudin (2016) supports this result. However, Law & Yuen (2012) stated that student did not report financial reward as crucial criteria in their decision-making.…”

“…Whenever they feel easy to cope with any new updates about accounting knowledge and able to learn it, they have the tendency to pursue in professional accounting profession. Hutaibat (2012) found that, there were positive relationship exist between CGPA and preferences to be chartered accountant. However, in the study of Yusoff et al (2011), CGPA does not reflect students' knowledge about the professional accounting.…”

“…Financial reward and job opportunity influence students who only have little initial interest for having qualification as chartered accountant. Accounting degree students prefer to work in public accounting rather than management accounting due to the external rewards such as financial reward and job opportunities (Hutaibat, 2012). Based on research by Zyl & Villiers (2011) indicates that a wide area of working opportunities and job security influence students mostly in choosing their career to be chartered accountant.…”

To be or not to be: an investigation of accounting students’ career intentions

“…In Hutaibat (2012), undergraduate accounting students preferred a career in public accounting compared to management accounting due to the related extrinsic interests (job opportunities and income). Similarly, Mazni and Zamzulailai (2006) also found that Malaysian accounting students placed opportunity of advancement, office atmosphere, and expected future salary as the most desired attributes of public accounting firms.…”