Motivating Factors for Sustainable Accountant Potentials in Malaysia

Abstract

Economic Transformation Plan (ETP) emphasizes that the country has a pool of resources to steer towards Malaysia's aspirations to become a developed and high-income nation. The ETP Roadmap highlights accountancy, an integral function in all businesses as part of the significant ETP driver. However, Malaysia still lacks the required number of qualified accountants by the year 2020. This challenges higher learning institutions to produce suitable accounting graduates. Despite taking an accounting subject in schools, not all these students later opt to enrol accounting in higher learning institutions as many factors influence their career choices. This study aims to explore these motivating factors. A quantitative approach was applied whereby primary data were collected through a questionnaire survey. Respondents were students from seven elite schools in Melaka. The study found eight motivating factors; family members in the accounting profession, public accountant as a career choice, students' interest in receiving relevant information, choosing private accountants as a career, parents, school counsellor and career talk. However, only four of these factors were significant to students' decisions to pursue professional accounting courses. In addition, parents' influence plays a greater role in motivating students to opt for professional accounting courses as compared to an accounting degree.

Identification of Key Factors for Selection of Accounting Specialization by Students at Public Higher Education Institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina

“…A number of scientists emphasize that interpersonal influences are the most significant when choosing an accounting career. This is supported by the results of a study conducted in Malaysia by Ibrahim, Pauzi, Shamsudin, Karim, and Ahmad (2017). They conclude in their research that there are four key factors that are significant in the choice of accounting specialization by students, with parental influence being the most significant.…”

Understanding students' future intention to engage in sustainability accounting: the case of Malaysia and the Philippines

“…This allows us to avoid possible biases caused by factors that may influence the professionals' (but not the students') intentions and behaviour, such as those related to the culture of employing organisations. Moreover, we examine two NICs (Malaysia and the Philippines), where sustainability is considered something new and necessary to balance their rich natural resources with rapid economic growth (Isa et al, 2017;Lu and Castka, 2009;Martinico-Perez et al, 2018), and where the higher education system is currently implementing a set of massive changes to provide higher education aligned with international standards (Ibrahim et al, 2017).…”

“…, 2017; Lu and Castka, 2009; Martinico-Perez et al. , 2018), and where the higher education system is currently implementing a set of massive changes to provide higher education aligned with international standards (Ibrahim et al. , 2017).…”

Factors Influencing Students’ Choice of Enrollmnt in Accounting Professional Program: Evidence From Malaysian Private Higher Institution

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