International Research Journal of Accounting, Finance

and Banking (IRJAFB)

Volume.1, Number 1; February-2023;
Published By: Zendo Academic Publishing
https://zapjournals.com/Journals/index.php/irjafb/index
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INVESTIGATING THE SKILLS GAP OF ACCOUNTING GRADUATES

IN SAUDI ARABIA: PERSPECTIVES FROM ACCOUNTING FACULTY
AND PROFESSIONALS

Sulaiman A. Alsughayera Nuha Alsultanb

Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), College of Economics and Administrative
Sciences,
Accounting Department, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), College of Economics
and Administrative Sciences, Accounting Department,
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.
Keywords: accounting education, skills gap, labour market demands, employability skills, technical skills,
interpersonal skills, language skills, Saudi Arabia

1.0 Introduction
Profound changes in the business environment have been spurred by global economic factors, legal reforms,
increasing demands of society for social responsibility, and emerging technologies. These changes send a loud
signal to businesses that what the market needs today differs significantly from what it needed in the past or
may need in the future. Unsurprisingly, the same factors affecting business are also driving changes in higher
education worldwide. An increasingly dynamic environment requires accounting departments in business
schools to respond to the market-changing needs by equipping accounting graduates with relevant knowledge
International Research Journal of Accounting, Finance and Banking (IRJAFB)
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 International Research Journal of Accounting, Finance
and Banking (IRJAFB)
Volume.1, Number 1; February-2023;
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and skills to serve the communities. Business schools must update current programs while innovating and
developing new programs, curricula, and courses to address current needs. The accounting profession and
some academics have acknowledged the need for accounting education to remain relevant (McNamara, 2006).
The argument about the goals of university-based accounting education has attracted international attention
(Akbulaev et al., 2021; Jackson and Meek, 2021; Phan et al., 2020; Maali and Al-Attar, 2020; Efanimjor and
Okolocha, 2020; Pierre and Rebele, 2014; Wilson et al., 2009). Stakeholders in this debate realise that the
nature of accounting employment for graduates and practitioners is rapidly changing (Karsten et al., 2020;
Daff, 2021; Howieson, 2003). Shifts in necessary workplace skills would require universities and colleges to
alter their methods and teaching styles to design and deliver curricula with relevant learning goals and
outcomes that can maximize and improve the potential for graduates' employment opportunities. Accounting
programs must prompt students to develop knowledge and skills related to required market skills, which means
academics are the key players for skills innovation and should adapt to changes and emerging technologies.
They must now embrace new learning practices in every aspect of their teaching and find ways to keep
students engaged by using advanced integrated learning techniques.
Employability means the information, skills, and competencies that workers need to improve their ability to
acquire and hold a job, advance at work, deal with change, find other employment if they want to resign or if
they are fired, and enter the labour market more easily at various stages of their lives. People with substantial
education and training, high talents, the ability to work in teams, the capacity to use information and
communication technology (ICT), the ability to solve issues, and communication skills will have an easier
time finding a job. They are able to adapt to changes in the workplace because of this mix of talents (Fajaryati
et al. 2020).
For decades, accounting education programmes have been subject to significant criticism for their failure to
produce the necessary competencies and skills in graduates for the ever-changing business environment
(Maali and Al-Attar, 2020; Abelha et al., 2020; Sangster, 2010; Evans et al., 2010; Gallhofer et al., 2009;
Dixon, 2004; Hassel et al., 2005; De Lange et al., 2006; Albrecht and Sack, 2000). Employers, professional
bodies, and accounting practitioners have expressed concerns that the quality of accounting education is in
decline. Despite this expectation gap, many studies covering accounting education and market-demanded
skills have rarely covered required skills from the perceptions of key stakeholders, such as academics and
practitioners (McNamara, 2006). Further, most accounting education research has focused on developed
countries, while few assess accounting education issues in developing countries (Gallhofer et al., 2009). The
bulk of research on the relevance of generic skills in the accounting education and profession has been
conducted in Western and/or developed countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, the
United States, and Canada (Bui and Porter, 2010; De Lange et al., 2006; Jackling and Keneley, 2009;
Kavanagh and Drennan, 2008; Milner and Hill, 2008). Non-Western nations, on the other hand, have
conducted comparatively little research on the general abilities of accounting graduates (Al Mallak et al.,

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 International Research Journal of Accounting, Finance
and Banking (IRJAFB)
Volume.1, Number 1; February-2023;
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https://zapjournals.com/Journals/index.php/irjafb/index
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2020). This study addresses the gap in the literature on the required market skills of accounting graduates by
exploring the skills gap issue as perceived by academics and professionals in Saudi Arabia: a non-Western
nation in the Arab world. The present study investigates the accounting education skills required by accounting
graduates in Saudi Arabia. It focuses on the relevance of accounting programmes to ensure graduates have
marketable knowledge and skills and highlight some of the challenges facing accounting education. The main
objectives are: first, to investigate the expectation gap and the relevance of accounting programs in Saudi
Arabia; second, to identify the required market skills for accounting graduates as perceived by academics and
practitioners in Saudi Arabia and outline the differences in perceptions of the two groups; third, to outline and
discuss challenges facing universities seeking to remain relevant in a changing environment. The lack of
research about anticipated changes in accounting practice and the implications of these changes in accounting
education, especially in Saudi Arabia, make this area of study vital for accounting faculties who need to keep
pace with rapid changes in the market. Furthermore, the study can be used as a basis to enable universities to
improve and redesign the current accounting programmes and curriculum and align with the expectations of
employers in the present job market.
2.0 Literature Review 2.1 Accounting education and the accounting profession
Accounting education and the quality of accounting programmes have been the subject of repeated debate and
discussion among accounting researchers, academics, professional practitioners, and international accounting
standard setters for a long time (e.g., Abelha et al., 2020; Berry and Routon, 2020; Evans et al., 2010; Carnegie
and Napier, 2010; Jackling and De Lange, 2009; IFAC, 2007). Since the 1980s, an enduring focus of the work
of academics and practitioners within the field of accounting education has been how education systems might
produce accounting graduates who are jobready with skills that they are able to use and apply to their jobs.
Accounting education is expected to provide suitable graduates for a business environment, which entails
developing professional skills demanded by the labour market and met by the person practicing accounting
work (Nofal, 1995).
Accounting programmes are monitored by professional accounting bodies through professional accreditation
processes to provide more assurance of producing market-oriented graduates. As such, both local and
international accreditations scrutinise the content of accounting programs in business schools to assure
employers that accounting programmes meet externally validated quality standards and provide graduates
with relevant market skills (AlMotairy & Stainbank, 2014). However, accounting programmes cannot rely on
accreditation alone to enhance and promote their curricula. The employability of accounting graduates may
not necessarily increase simply by aligning accounting programmes with accreditation guidelines (Lightbody,
2010; Jackling and Keneley, 2009). Therefore, increasing the effectiveness of accounting programmes in
Saudi universities is necessary to provide competent accounting graduates equipped with the skills regarded
by the market as desirable for professional accounting practice to contribute positively to business and society,
as well as the accounting profession itself in a changing business environment (Herbert et al., 2020; Jackson

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 International Research Journal of Accounting, Finance
and Banking (IRJAFB)
Volume.1, Number 1; February-2023;
Published By: Zendo Academic Publishing
https://zapjournals.com/Journals/index.php/irjafb/index
14131 Alder St NW, Andover, Minnesota, USA
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and Meek, 2021; Karsten et al., 2020; Hancock et al., 2009; Johns and Abraham, 2008; AECC, 1990; AAA,
1986).
The International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) instituted the International Accounting Education
Standards Board (IAESB) in 1977 to boost the accounting profession worldwide through the improvement
and development of accounting education (IFAC, 2008). In 2003, the IAESB released its International
Education Standards (IESs) for professional accountants (the “Framework”), revised in 2015, in an attempt to
ensure the consistency and quality of accounting education worldwide. One of the main goals of the IESs is
to help accounting programmes and academics at the international level ensure the development of accounting
graduates and achieve the required competencies required by society (Maatoug, 2014). By large, IESs
establish the key elements that education and development programmes are expected to include and grant
accredited programmes opportunities for international application, acceptance, and recognition of these
elements, including practices, methods, and subjects (IFAC, 2010). In this connection, IESs ensure that IFAC
membership candidates are equipped with the proper knowledge (IES2), skills (IES3), values, ethics, and
attitude (IES4) to function as competent accountants in an increasingly changing and demanding market.
The right skills that accounting graduates should obtain are specified in IES3 (2008), revised in 2015, and are
classified into five main headings: personal skills; functional and technical skills; intellectual skills;
communication and interpersonal skills; management and organisational skills (p.59). IES2 only identifies
headlines and major topics, so students need to constantly develop their skills and knowledge as conditions
around their business environments change. In IES2, IFAC stresses that changing market demands change the
accounting curriculum and will continue to do so in the future; hence members of IFAC should modify the
contents of their accounting programmes to respond to the changing needs and market demands (IES2, 2008).
Starting with this international framework, countries and institutions must guarantee that their standards are
consistent with their historical, social, economic, and political values. It is clear that accounting education
must be flexible to adapt to the environment (El‐Sayed Ebaid, 2020; Helliar, 2013); and should therefore be
designed to ensure that accountants have a deep understanding of the economic, social, and political contexts
in which they work.
2.2 Accounting education and the accounting profession in Saudi Arabia
Accounting education in Saudi Arabia has expanded rapidly and dramatically in line with the general
development of Saudi higher education to accommodate the growing college-age population (Ibeaheem et al.,
2018). There are now 29 public universities and 12 private universities that offer accounting degrees.
Accounting programmes have been the primary driver of expanding accounting education and accounting
skills and practices (Alsamkari, 2021; Al Mallak et al., 2020; Shareia, 2010; Ahmad & Gao, 2004; Buzied,
1998 Abdeen & Yavas, 1985). Accounting programme accreditation standards and processes are also
designed to validate quality accounting and business education, promote impactful research, and provide
leadership, encouragement, and support for educational development in business schools and accounting

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and Banking (IRJAFB)
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departments (Al-Hazmi, 2021). The standards provide a platform for business schools and academic units to
advance business and accounting education.
The accounting profession in Saudi Arabia has also undergone remarkable changes in a short period. A major
step was taken by the Saudi government in 1965, with the promulgation of the Company Regulation Act. As
per this law, companies are obliged to prepare and audit their financial statements. In 1980–1981, as part of
the efforts to further improve and regulate the accounting profession in Saudi Arabia, a comprehensive study
of the accounting and auditing professions in other countries concerning different regulations, laws, and
pronouncements was proposed and conducted. As a result of this study, in 1982, the Ministry of Commerce
prepared and approved a framework that identifies the main concepts and objectives of financial accounting
and related standards. This step led to the eventual foundation of the Saudi Organization for Chartered and
Professional Accountants (SOCPA) in 1992, which endorses, develops, and improves the accounting and
auditing profession in Saudi Arabia (SOCPA, 2014). As a member of IFAC, SOCPA plays a vital role by
providing guidance and expertise to help achieve economic stability and confidence in the market. Until
recently, the standards adopted by SOCPA were influenced by the US accounting systems but have recently
shifted toward the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).
Another institution contributing to the complexity of skills development in accounting programmes in Saudi
Arabia is the National Commission for Academic Assessment and Accreditation (NCAAA). Globally, various
governments have developed standardized quality assurance strategies and systems. This role is played by the
NCAAA which is specifically directed towards encouraging, supporting, measuring, monitoring, and
assessing higher education and research quality. The NCAAA has developed a national qualifications
framework to ensure standardised student learning outcomes and compatibility with global higher education
standards. To achieve these outcomes for higher education degrees and certificates, the NCAAA outlines
certain best practices and guidelines for modeling systems of standardised quality assurance in higher
education institutions. To establish a new academic programme or modify an existing one, a programme
specification must be prepared along with detailed course specifications and learning outcomes to assure
excellence in programme quality and focus on diverse skills that graduates should acquire, namely thinking
skills, problem-solving skills, interpersonal skills, leadership, ability to work in groups, information
technology skills, communication skills, and technology use skills.
2.3 Accounting graduate employability skills
Higher education institutions use different strategies to enhance the development of competencies for graduate
employability, which depend on implementing a strong sense of innovation and collaboration practices
(Abelha et al., 2020). The term employability has no specific definition but generally refers to a graduate's
ability to be employed and is related to the skills that allow the employer and employee to benefit the most
from the employment (Franz, 2008). Little (2007) defines employability skills as a set of personal attributes,
understandings, and skills that make graduates more likely to be employed and succeed in their selected

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and Banking (IRJAFB)
Volume.1, Number 1; February-2023;
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professions, which supports the economy, community, workforce, the graduates themselves, and their
dependents. Further, employability skills lead to progress within a company to achieve personal potential and
make contributions (Tam, 2011). Adopting the above definitions, employability for graduates of accounting
programs is determined by the personal attributes, understanding, knowledge, and skills that accounting
graduates possess to make them likely to gain employment in accounting positions, as well as progress and
contribute to the profession and society. The literature shows that accounting programmes are expected to
equip graduates with the knowledge and technical accounting expertise (functional competencies), general
business skills (broad business competencies), and personal attributes such as strategic and critical thinking,
self-learning, management, communication, leadership, teamwork and interpersonal skills (personal
competencies) (Mills, 2001; Novin and Pearson, 1989; Berry and Routon, 2020; Blanthorne et al., 2005; Arab,
2014; Klibi & Oussii, 2013; Ibrahim et al., 2018). Different terms have been used in the literature to refer to
general and personal employability skills including generic skills, soft skills, non-technical skills, personal
skills, and personal attributes. Such skills are considered relevant to both established and entry-level
employees (Al Mallak et al., 2020).
Borzi and Mills (2001) indicated that general skills are considered a major criterion in employing new
accounting graduates, such as written and oral communication skills and teamwork skills (Novin and Pearson,
1989). Berry and Routon (2020) called for more inclusion of both technical and soft skills within accounting
education. Blanthorne et al. (2005) examined the skills needed in accounting and found that they vary
according to the senior employee, manager, or partner level. Senior employees and managers rank
interpersonal, leadership, and communication skills as the most important attributes. Arab (2014) analysed
Saudi universities' accounting departments to identify the desired skills, including information technology,
communication skills, analytical skills, critical thinking skills, problem-solving skills, oral and written skills,
and teamwork skills. Similarly, Ibeaheem et al. (2018) used 220 questionnaires distributed to employers,
faculty members, and graduates to review the role played by Saudi universities in preparing graduates for the
job market and argued that Saudi accountants need necessary skills such as cooperation, awareness of the
importance of work, and communication. Klibi & Oussii (2013) carried out research that included data
gathering from 81 accounting students and 48 practitioners from five Tunisian business schools. Also,
accounting graduate skills are made up of a variety of knowledge and skills acquired through programme
curricula and practice, with the five most essential skills for an entrylevel accounting employee being the
ability to inspire confidence, ethical awareness, dialogue capacity, desire for personal success, and the ability
to collaborate with other teams. Studies have been conducted or sponsored by professional accounting bodies
and standard-setting and accrediting bodies to identify the desired competencies of professional accountants
(Palmer et al., 2004; IFAC,2002; AICPA, 1999; Birkett, 1993;4 ICAEW, 1996). These studies have concluded
that accounting graduates require broad business, functional, and personal attributes. Palmer et al. (2004)
compiled a list of nine studies conducted by accounting bodies in the US from 1989 - 2003 on accounting

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competencies including IFAC, AICPA, the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA), the Institute of Management
Accountants (IMA), the big accounting firms, and the Accounting Education Change Commission (AECC).
Identified competencies across the nine studies include general business knowledge; accounting knowledge;
communication skills; interpersonal skills; computer skills; problem-solving skills; information technology;
capabilities; attitudes; leadership; professionalism. Even though these studies were carried out more than three
decades ago, the latest literature indicates that most of the competencies needed in the past are still required
today (Dolce et al., 2020; Hossain et al., 2020; Hart, 2013; Dauda and Olawale, 2020).
Other studies have investigated competencies valued by employers (Dolce et al., 2020; Hossain et al., 2020;
Kim et al., 1993; Hassall et al., 2005; Simons et al., 1995; Ahadiat and Smith, 1994). Dolce et al. (2020)
explored the viewpoints of both graduates and employers focusing on soft skills in accounting education.
Employers, compared to graduates, overestimated the importance of soft skills and underestimated other
technical skills. Hossain et al. (2019) examined the relationship between employability and skills of business
major graduates in two public universities. The results showed that both technical and soft skills were
positively related to employability. Hassall et al. (2005) surveyed 214 employers in Spain and the UK to
explore the competency criteria used by them in selecting accounting graduates for recruitment. They found
general skills prevailed over technical skills and concluded that teamwork, time management, organization,
and computing and communication skills were the most highly valued generic skills for accounting graduates.
Similarly, Simons et al. (1995) surveyed 167 employers in the US. They found that motivation and drive were
the most desired attributes, followed by oral communication, interpersonal sensitivity, teamwork, enthusiasm,
and numerical skills. They concluded that the least important skills were degree-specific skills. In contrast,
Ahadiat and Smith (1994), in their sample of 357 US companies and accounting firms, found that although
social characteristics and personality were ranked the most important competencies, academic achievement
and advancement potential also ranked highly in large accounting firms. Hart (2013) found that 93% of
employers believe that the capacity to think critically, solve complex problems, and communicate clearly are
more important than a graduate’s undergraduate major. Nelson (1995) stated that practitioners look for active
knowledge, communication, and interpersonal and intellectual skills among graduates rather than technical
skills, which could be attained from work and not universities. Myers (2005) argued that most universities
focus on technical skills in teaching the technical aspects of accounting rather than building business, analysis,
and communication skills in their graduates.
One area for development is assessing the desired competencies from the viewpoint of accounting graduates.
A few researchers have studied this area (Dolce et al., 2020; Carr et al., 2006; De Lange et al., 2006). Dolce
et al. (2020) explored the viewpoints of 251 Italian accounting graduates about the desired competencies.
They concluded that graduates attributed importance to interpersonal relationships, task orientation,
valorisation, motivation, and self-awareness. De Lange et al. (2006) surveyed 310 accounting degree
graduates from two Australian universities to seek their views on the skills required for accountants. They

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found that communication, application, problem-solving, analysis, adaptability and practicality, decision-
making, and time management are the most critical general business competencies for accounting graduates.
They concluded that the curriculum emphasises the development of technical skills in accounting while
placing less emphasis on generic skills, especially oral communication and interpersonal and computing skills.
They further revealed gaps between what was desired and what was taught in many technical skills, one of
which was computing skills. Another Australian study by Kavanagh & Drennan (2008) tested the perceptions
of both employers and students concerning the demanded accounting skill sets. Employers classed basic
accounting skills, problemsolving, analytical skills, real-life experience, and business awareness as the top
skillsets for accounting graduates. Students rated problem-solving, decision making, and continuous learning
as the top three skills (p.291).
De Lange et al. (2006) drew attention to computing skills, another aspect of employability valued in the
workplace, and called for further investigation regarding the desired types of computing skills as accounting
graduates in Australia still perceived that they were not well-prepared for their jobs despite the use of
accounting packages in various accounting courses. Stoner (2009) describes IT skills as a subset of
employability skills quickly growing in importance in the higher education agenda. Mohammed (2013)
emphasized the importance of using computers in the educational process and stressed the positive dimensions
of such accounting packages. Dauda and Olawale (2020) investigated the integration of educational
technology in accounting education. They concluded that educational technology helps to influence the culture
of computer literacy in future accountants. Marriott (2004) believes that computer simulation provides
students with substantial accounting experience identical to actual business practice. Hurt (2007) argues that
software helps students learn and understand general ledger packages and other accounting tools. Effectively
integrating accounting software into coursework covers the requirement of both practitioners and accounting
organizations while also enhancing active learning. However, several studies have pinpointed the adverse
effects of accounting software packages as they decrease the understanding level of students for ledgers and
other concepts of the accounting cycle (Gujarathi and McQuade, 1998; Peters, 1999).
Burnett (2003) conducted a study seeking employers' views about the technological skills that are considered
necessary for new hiring. The study reported the top four general IT skills for accounting graduates: Windows,
word processing, spreadsheets, and the World Wide Web. Burnett also notes that accounting information
systems (AIS) such as accounting packages, IT controls, and Electronic Data Processing (EDP) are required
skills for accounting graduates. However, Burnett asserted that one generic computer course might not be
enough to prepare accounting graduates for the desired technological skills. Another study on knowledge and
skills development of accounting graduates by Awayiga et al. (2010) surveyed graduates and employers and
reached remarkably similar results to Burnett (2003) by identifying technology skills as valuable skills for
entry-level accountants.
Table 1. Summary of prior literature references to accounting education

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Research
Focus of Subcategory Literature Reference
Category
Expectation Gap Kavanagh and Drennan, 2008; Aziz, 2018; Albrecht & Sack,
2000; Weaver and Kulesza, 2013; David et al., 2011; Amer et
al., 2010; Sin et al., 2012; Berry and Routon, 2020; El‐Sayed
Ebaid, 2021
Failure of accounting Herbert et al., 2021; El‐Sayed Ebaid, 2021; Karsten, 2020;
programmes to respond Behn, et al., 2012; Black 2012; Siegel et al., 2010
to changes
Expectation General lack of Alharahsheh, 2020; Abelha et al., 2020; Hossain and Alam,
gap and competence 2019; Bui and
competency Porter, 2010; Sangster, 2010; Mgaya and Kitindi, 2009; Lin
lacking in et al., 2005; Dixon, 2004; Holmes, 2001; Albrecht and Sack,
accounting 2000
graduates
Lack of general skills Jackling & De Lange, 2009; Tempone et al., 2012; Wells et
al., 2009
Lack of teamwork and Albin and Crockett, 1991; Kavanagh and Drennan, 2008;
interpersonal skills Jackling and De
Lange, 2009; Wells et al., 2009; Tempone et al., 2012; Jones
and Abraham, 2007; Lin et al. 2005; Chang and Hwang,
2003;
Lack of Jackling & de Lange, 2009; Tempone et al., 2012; Arab, 2014;
communication Ibrahim et al., 2018
skills
Lack of problem- Tempone et al., 2012; Arab, 2014; Dauda and Olawale, 2020.
solving
skills
1. Critical thinking Crawford, et.al. 2011; Lin 2008; Parham, et.al. 2012; Zahid,
skills et.al., 2013
2. Ability to use Awayiga, et.al. 2010; Jackling and DeLange, 2009;
advanced information Crawford, et.al. 2011; Lin 2008; Senik and Broad, 2011;
technology skills Zahid, et.al., 2013

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3. Problem- Awayiga, et.al. 2010; Jackling and DeLange, 2009;

Identified solving skills Crawford, et.al. 2011; Lin 2008; Parham,et.al. 2012
employability 4. Communication and Awayiga, et.al. 2010; Jackling and DeLange, 2009;
skills for Connection skills Crawford, et.al. 2011;
accounting Lin 2008; Parham, et.al. 2012; Senik and Broad, 2011; Zahid,
graduates et.al., 2013; Borzi and Mills, 2001
5. The ability to Jackling and DeLange, 2009; Crawford, et.al. 2011; Lin
work in a team skills 2008; Parham, et.al. 2012; Zahid, et.al.,2013
6. Leadership and Awayiga, et.al. 2010; Lin 2008; Parham, et.al. 2012; Senik
innovation skills and Broad, 2011; Zahid, et.al., 2013
7. Interpersonal skills Berry and Routon, 2020; Little; 2007
8. Moral and Awayiga et al. 2010; Jackling and DeLange, 2009; Zahid et
ethical awareness skills al., 2013
9. Dialogue and Ibrahim et al., 2018; Klibi & Oussii, 2013; Behn et al. 2012a
language
skills
10. Analytical skills Kavanagh & Drennan, 2008; Mohammed, 2013
11. Ability to use new Klibi & Oussii, 2013; Stoner, 2009; Dauda and Olawale,
accounting software 2020;
skills Mohammed, 2013; Hurt, 2007; Burnett, 2003; Awayiga et al.,
2010
Accounting rapid and enormous Alsamkari, 2021; Ahmad and Gao, 2004; Evans et al., 2010
education developments in
challenges information technology
and dramatic changes
in the business
environment
2.4 Expectation gap
Despite a high expectation on tertiary accounting education in producing quality accounting graduates to
fulfilling the demands of the labour market, a “graduate skills gap” still exists between education and practice
(Kavanagh and Drennan, 2008; Aziz, 2018) and is considered to be very wide (Albrecht & Sack, 2000). Prior
research indicates that accounting graduates are equipped with basic accounting and analytical skills.
However, they lack sufficient generic skills in areas such as teamwork and interpersonal and communication
skills, which are essential for their employability and career success (Albin and Crockett, 1991; Kavanagh
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and Drennan, 2008; Jackling and De Lange, 2009; Wells et al., 2009; Tempone et al., 2012). Jones and
Abraham (2008), Lin et al. (2005), Chang and Hwang (2003), Ahmed (2003) found low levels of integration
of information technology and system skills in accounting programs in countries like the US, UK, China, and
Australia.
Several studies have criticised contemporary accounting education, contending that accounting programmes
have been unable to respond to dynamic business changes (Herbert et al., 2021; El‐Sayed Ebaid, 2021; Karsten
et al., 2020; Behn et al., 2012; Black 2012). Therefor, they are seen as producing incompetent graduates
(Alharahsheh and Pius, 2020a; Abelha et al., 2020; Hossain et al., 2020; Bui and Porter, 2010; Sangster, 2010;
Mgaya and Kitindi, 2009; Lin et al., 2005; Dixon, 2004; Holmes, 2001; Albrecht and Sack, 2000). Accounting
curricula have been criticised for not considering distinctive contexts and fast-changing environments and
focusing mainly on technical skills while neglecting non-technical skills. Yet, leaders in charge of accounting
education have ignored these constant criticisms of accounting programs. Siegel et al. (2010) argued that “the
primary focus of the accounting curriculum, at the undergraduate level, is not much different from what it was
10 to 20 or even 40 years ago” (p. 42).
Abelha et al. (2020) developed a systematic review on competence development and graduate employability
in different disciplines including accounting, covering 69 research papers over the period 2009-2019. The
findings showed a mismatch between employers’ needs and graduates’ competencies. Weaver and Kulesza
(2013) carefully concluded that accounting programmes fall short in preparing accounting graduates for
careers in the industry. Current accounting students should have a very different education from earlier
generations, whose work environments were characterised by simple technological and computerised systems
and manual processes and operations (Kotb et al., 2013). David et al. (2011) analysed the content of job
descriptions, CVs for students, and business books and curricula. They found a gap between what is taught in
business schools and the expected skills that employment companies need. Many studies suggest that the gap
between education and practice is widening, requiring curriculum change (Trigwell & Watts, 2000; Albrecht
and Sack, 2000). To fill this gap, Amer et al. (2010) have proposed cocurricular student development
activities, such as career panels, for providing an opportunity for students to interact with the members of the
accounting advisory council. Sin et al. (2012) suggested adjustments be made to the curriculum to align
existing accounting education with professional requirements. Bartunek (2007) called for a cooperative
relationship between academics and practitioners and intense dialogues leading to the collaborative integration
of common interests in specific topics. Berry and Routon (2020) urged accounting academics to be vigilant in
developing curriculum content and determine whether they reflect changing market demands.
In the specific context of Saudi Arabia, the relevance of accounting programmes has been inconclusive.
Shahid et al. (2018) studied new accounting programmes granting bachelor’s degrees. Their findings have
shown a favorable perception of the stakeholders for opening undergraduate accounting programmes that
focus on knowledge, cognitive, interpersonal, and technology-based skills. Arab (2014) analysed the

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accounting departments of Saudi universities and concluded that accounting graduates are qualified to perform
and practice accounting work in the labour market. In contrast, Al-Qahtani (1998) explored higher education
outcomes, mainly accounting programmes, and concluded they are unsuitable for labour market requirements.
The findings of this study are supported by Alain (2009), who asserts that there is a gap between the skills
acquired through accounting degree programmes and the requirements of the Saudi labour market.
Al Mallak et al. (2020) conducted a study in Saudi Arabia to examine accounting students’ perceptions of the
importance of developing generic skills and the desired competencies they look for. The results showed that
students valued generic skills such as ethical skills, but accounting education could not meet their expectations
by providing them with these skills. El‐Sayed Ebaid (2021) examined accounting students' perceptions in
Saudi Arabia on the extent of incorporating IFRS into accounting curricula in undergraduate accounting
programmes in Saudi universities after the mandatory implementation of IFRS in 2017. The study concluded
that accounting programmes failed to incorporate IFRS into the accounting curricula leading to the
inefficiency of graduates. Alsamkari (2021) highlighted the challenges of implementing IFRS in Saudi Arabia
and asserts such implementation must be incorporated in accounting education to minimize the gap. This gap
is widened as accounting education in Saudi Arabia still suffers from other common problems in higher
education that influence its ability to produce competent graduates. Many of these problems result from a lack
of qualified academics and resources. These common problems are beyond the present study’s scope.
Many of the graduate technical and non-technical skills identified in earlier studies (e.g., Brozi and Mills,
2001; Blanthorne et al. 2005; McNamara 2006; Gallhofer et al. 2009) are still considered important in recent
studies (e.g., Ibeaheem et al. 2018; Berry and Routon, 2020; Dolce et al., 2020) despite the changing business
environment. These studies, among others, highlight the fact that certain skills from the past remain relevant
and essential for the employability of accounting graduates. The current paper addresses the expectation gap
by investigating a list of eleven skills identified from prior literature (see Table 1) taking into consideration
past and recent views concerning required skills.
The literature above indicates the shortcomings of accounting education in producing market-ready
accounting graduates. Despite the existence of the expectation gap, academic research has not focused on
examining and comparing graduates’ skill gap in Saudi universities from the perception of faculty and
professionals using a triangulation method. This gap has motivated researchers to explore the competency of
accounting graduates in Saudi Arabia to ensure that accounting programs provide the appropriate knowledge
and skills required by the market. Vision 2030 outlines 24 specific objectives for Saudi Arabia to achieve in
economic, political, and societal development. Further, it articulates 18 commitments to achieve these
objectives with specific initiatives in renewable energy, manufacturing, education, e-governance,
entertainment, and culture. There is a need to conduct an in-depth and more up-to-date study to gain a
comprehensive understanding of the effect of these changes in accounting education and skills. This research
provides a good insight into the quality of accounting education in Saudi Arabia. The study can be used as a

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basis to improve the current accounting curriculum to align with the expectations of the employers in the
present job market. This study aims to add to the existing literature by presenting the perceptions of faculty
in a university and professionals in accounting firms concerning required market skills for Saudi accounting
graduates. The study uses grounded theory to investigate the effectiveness of current accounting programmes
from the perceptions of academics and professionals. This theory is primarily used “to develop a theory of
this process or action” that is being investigated (Creswell & Poth, 2018, p. 83). The main purpose is
identifying the required market skills to better prepare accounting graduates for the market and assessing
accounting education challenges to enhance accounting education. Corbin and Strauss (2015) asserted that
according to grounded theory research questions should be broad to enable the data emerges and guides the
uninterrupted collection related to the phenomena and the focus on analysis of data. Following the grounded
theory structure and extant literature, the below broad research questions lead this study:
Q1: What are the perceptions of accounting faculty and professionals concerning the expectation gap?
Q2: What are the market skills required for accounting graduates from the
perceptions of faculty and professionals?
Q3: What are the challenges facing accounting education in equipping accounting graduates with the required
market skills?
3.0 Research methodology
The study adopts an interpretive and grounded theory to investigate a process phenomenon: required market
skills. The study's objective is to investigate, understand, and explain the phenomena from the data collected
rather than test hypotheses as in most research. Grounded theory utilises emerging data to find out phenomena
instead of restricting research using a directive framework (Strauss & Corbin, 1990). In line with a grounded
theory, this study adopted an "emergent study design" (Dahlgren et al., 2019) where the phenomena and data
are approached from unassuming and unfolded position (Corbin & Strauss, 2015). As per Strauss and Corbin
(1998), grounded theory dictates the research area to be appropriately defined and the site to be clearly
identified. The area for this study is the required market skills for undergraduate accounting programs and
Saudi Arabia accounting education serve as the site.
3.1 Design of the study
Using grounded theory, it is essential to collect as much information as possible regarding focus of the study
(Corbin & Strauss, 2015). Therefore, a combination of different methods and approaches has been used,
comprising two data gathering stages using both primary and secondary data (see Table 2). The primary data
includes a survey questionnaire and interviews. Survey and interview data are triangulated to develop an in-
depth understanding of the skills required of accounting graduates and “to maintain some consistency over
the concepts” that are discussed (Corbin & Strauss, 2015, p. 39). First, data is collected through a selfdesigned
survey questionnaire based on a comprehensive review of the literature. The survey was prepared both in
English and Arabic in a clear, simple, and easy-tounderstand language using Google’s online form sent via

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email to participants. A draft of the questionnaire was prepared then sent to experts for review and
recommendations. In order to collect data from faculty in a university and professionals in accounting firms,
the researchers contacted them with email requests to participate in the questionnaire. The questionnaires were
distributed with a covering introduction to clarify the research objectives and the researchers’ guarantee of
information security to encourage respondents to answer the listed questions and increase the response rate
effectively. The questionnaire consisted of 24 questions in four sections. Sections one and two have 4
questions each related to the demographic data and accounting education expectation gap in Saudi Arabia.
Section three has 11 questions related to the required market skills of accounting graduates, and the last section
contains 5 questions related to the challenges facing accounting education.
Second, additional data is collected through semi-structured interviews to allow participants to expound on
topics related to their education, history, experience, and personal interests. Corbin and Strauss (2015) asserted
that the “whole point of grounded theory is to discover the issues and problems from the perspective of the
participants” (p. 328). The preliminary review of studies in terms of educational attainment and accounting
professionals' expectations of accounting graduates helped formulate the semi-structured interviews and
prepare the skills and challenges lists which were provided to the interviewees to obtain feedback. The
interviews were performed and completed in November and December 2021 and lasted an average of 44
minutes in length, with the longest interview being 45 minutes and the shortest taking 22 minutes. The
interviews were either face-to-face, limited by the availability of the participants, or through telephone and
Zoom. The interviews comprised a number of specific questions as well as prompts for followup questions if
the interviewees had not already covered these in response to earlier questions. The questionnaire findings
were presented and shared with the interviewees and their feedback was solicited during the interviews.
Interviews were recorded and transcribed, and the transcripts were evaluated and analysed to identify
differences, themes, and patterns.
Written consent was taken from each interviewee at the start of the interview, including permission for
anonymously publishing statements made during the interview. Academics, professionals, and individual
accounting firms or were not identified in the transcriptions. Two layers of codes were established to refer to
them (AM and AF to represent both male and female academics and PM and PF to represent male and female
professionals). This coding had been provided to the participants in order to reduce the confidentiality risks
affecting respondents, which is a major disadvantage of interviews (Gall et al., 2003).

Table 2. Summary of data collection

Secondary Data Primary Data
Documents reviewed Questionnaire Interviews (Appendix B)
(Appendix A)
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• • Undergraduate Student Handbook Selected 25 faculty with Interviewed 10 academics (5

• Published self-assessment reports practical experience in males and 5 females)
• • and compulsory yearly program accounting
• reports issued by various Interviewed 6 professionals
• accounting departments in other Selected 50 professionals in 6 different accounting
universities in accounting firms firms (3 males
Standard learning program randomly and collected 17 and 3 females)
outcomes published by the surveys
NCAAA Published materials 42 questionnaires 15 interviews
by SOCPA
Job application forms and
recruitment criteria
Course outline for accounting
Minutes of meetings of the
department and the undergraduate
education committee
3.2 Research sample
In grounded theory research, the selection of participants should be “based on their contribution to the
development of the theory” (Creswell & Poth, 2018, p. 318). Since this study investigates the required market
skills and challenges in accounting education programmes, participants that could provide the proper
theoretical data include those who design and deliver curricula and employ and qualify graduates. Therefore,
the sample consisted of faculty with practical experience in accounting and professionals from randomly
selected accounting firms. The faculty were selected from the accounting department of one of the largest
(more than 75000 fulltime students) and oldest (established in 1953) public universities in Saudi Arabia. The
two researchers are faculty in the accounting department of the sample university. The accounting firms were
selected randomly with different sizes from registered and licensed accounting firms by SOCPA. Professional
accounting firms provide financial, auditing, and consulting services to all types of employers and are familiar
more with the different required market skills in various industries; hence, they could be seen as representative
of employers.
The online questionnaire was sent via email to 25 faculty out of 49 in the accounting department having
professional experience and to 50 accounting firms, of which 17 surveys were returned. This sample is seen
as a homogenous and as anticipated, fewer participants were enough to reach saturation as described by
Hennink, et al. (2017).
As presented in Table 2, a total of 42 usable answers were received, which gives a response rate of 42.4%.
This response rate is acceptable when using the survey method (Zikmund, 2000). To support the results from
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the questionnaire, 16 interviews were conducted with 10 faculty and 6 professionals from accounting firms
from the same questionnaire sample, divided equally between males and females in each group. Even though
the sample for the interview and questionnaire may appear to be small because it did not include firms as well
as faculty and universities in the Central Region of Saudi Arabia, nor are all locations in the region, the fact
that it did involve one of the largest universities with some of the most prestigious accountancy firms from
one of the most vital socioeconomic regions implies that the population could be considered substantially
representative.
4.0 Empirical results and discussion 4.1 Descriptive analysis
Table 3 presents the demographic characteristics of the study sample presented according to gender, education,
occupation, and experience for each sample group. The percentage of males to females was equal (50%). The
results show that the majority (45.2%) of participants held a master's degree, while (31%) of participants had
a bachelor's degree and (23.8%) of them held a Ph.D. The largest participant ratio was from accounting faculty
(59.5%), and the remaining (40.5%) work in accounting firms. Finally, the results showed that approximately
(73.8%) of the study sample possessed more than five years of experience, with (33.3%) above ten years and
(40.5%) at 6-10 years of experience.
Table 3. Demographic information
Details Characteristics
Categories Faculty Professionals Frequenc Percentage
Gender y
Male 8 13 21 50%
Female 17 4 21 50%
Total 25 17 42 100%
Bachelor 4 9 13 31%
Education Master 11 8 19 45.2%
PhD 10 0 10 23.8%
Total 25 17 42 100%

Faculty 25 0 25 59.5%
Occupation
Professionals 0 17 17 40.5%
Total 25 17 42 100%
Less than 5 years 6 5 11 26.2%
From 6 to 10 years 10 7 17 40.5%

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Experience From 11 to 15 years 5 2 7 16.7%

More than 16 years 4 3 7 16.7%
Total 25 17 42 100%
4.2 The Expectation gap in Saudi Arabia
Table 4 shows that faculty and professionals recognised the existence of a gap between accounting education
in Saudi universities and market needs (means 3.72 and 3.49 respectively); hence, it can be concluded that
what is taught in accounting programmes is not aligned with what the Saudi labour market demands. In the
interviews, participants were also asked if there is still a gap between accounting education and market
expectations. Fifteen (15) of the 16 participants confirmed that the gap exists and “can be identified easily in
certain skills” PF5 and “will remain as it is the part of the skills which must be entertained by employers to
complete the competency process of accounting graduates.” AF5. Further, AM5 noted that “the gap will
always be debated as you will hear many arguing both sides.” However, the survey result indicates that
professionals believe, contrary to academics, that the gap is widening and curricula must change (means 4.20
and 3.36 respectively). While most faculty interviewees confirmed that the gap is narrowed because
universities “have developed a lot at the present time” AF3 in terms of programmes quality and learning
outcomes and “always work on improving their curriculum and try to meet market expectation” AM1, the
majority of professionals believe the gap is widened. However, a couple of professionals supported the views
of faculty and indicated that accounting programmes “are improving as graduates are getting better” PM1,
academics “are trying to interact more” PF4 with employers and professionals, and accounting graduates
“sound better and show better initiative and seem to know a bit more about what we expect” PM5.
Table 4. Perceptions of the respondents concerning the expectation gap
# Statements Occupation N Mean S.D. Std.
Error
Mean
1 There is a gap between accounting Faculty 25 3.72 0.843 0.169
programmes in Saudi universities Professionals 17 3.49 0.928 0.225
between what is taught and what is
demanded by the Saudi labour
market.
2 The gap between accounting Faculty 25 3.36 1.186 0.237
education and market demands is Professionals 17 4.20 0.586 0.142
widening and the curriculum must
change.

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3 Accounting education programmes Faculty 25 3.12 1.130 0.226

in Saudi universities focus on
Professionals 17 4.06 0.726 0.176
teaching technical aspects of
accounting more than developing
intellectual and personal skills.
4 Dialogues and meetings between Faculty 25 4.40 0.764 0.153
academics and practitioners are
Professionals 17 4.46 0.599 0.145
necessary to discuss changes in
labour market skills and ultimately
reflect that in curricula.
Such inconclusive results may suggest that accounting graduates might be suitable for the market to a certain
extent but are not entirely perceived as equipped with the required market skills. Such results conform with
many studies in the literature (Herbert et al., 2020; El‐Sayed Ebaid, 2021; Karsten, 2020; Alharahsheh and
Pius, 2020a; Abelha et al., 2020; Hossain and Alam, 2019; Sangster, 2010; Mgaya & Kitindi, 2009; De Lange
et al., 2006; Hassel et al., 2005; Lin et al., 2005; Dixon, 2004; Albrecht & Sack, 2000; Trigwell & Watts,
2000). Fourteen (14) of the 16 participants confirmed that accounting programmes focus on technical aspects;
hence accounting graduates were well prepared in technical skills but lacked non-technical skills. PF6
noted that “graduates are largely meeting our expectations but need more improvement on interpersonal and
communication skills, and practical problem solving beyond textbooks.” Another professional asserted that
“graduates still need more analytical skills, ability to use new accounting software skills, ability to use advance
information technology skills, and problem-solving skills” AF4. Faculty, however, argued that “technical
aspects of accounting are very important and that is why accounting departments exist. Skills can be acquired
at any time, but accounting knowledge can only be acquired through universities” AM1. Another faculty
argued that academics are paying attention to general skills but must “focus on technical skills otherwise you
will not get a real accountant but bookkeepers” AF5. Still, it can
be argued that accounting departments must exert due care to evaluate their programmes' skills and outcomes
to accommodate non-technical expected market skills. The majority of professionals (mean of 4.06)
maintained that graduates were not fully meeting expectations and their non-technical skills need to be
improved and “graduates cannot progress without non-technical skills” PF5, especially “interpersonal,
teamwork and decision-making” PM2.
The responsibility of the expectation gap is assumed to be the responsibility of both universities and
employers. A faculty argued that “some companies expect that accounting graduates should be able to work
right after graduation and they should not need training…training is very important to any profession and
training cannot be done in universities alone” AM1. Another faculty asserted that “businesses must train
graduates to equip them with skills beyond the universities’ scope” AM4. In line with this, a professional
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accepted sharing this responsibility and confirmed that “when graduates start work we don’t expect them to
have all the skills because it is part of our responsibility to train and provide them with the skills they need”
PM3. Companies can identify and examine graduates’ skills before hiring them to know if they need to be
trained as noted by PM4 “we try them during co-ups and hire the best of them and then train them.”
The results in Table 4 also show the highest mean across all responses among faculty and professionals (4.40
and 4.60 respectively) for the need for dialogues and meetings among different stakeholders to improve the
relevance of accounting programs and reduce the expectation gap. Surveyed respondents support the
necessity of dialogues and meetings between academics and practitioners to discuss changes in the skills and
labour market and reflect changes in curricula. Universities should exert more effort to cultivate dialogues and
meetings between academics and employers before developing accounting education curricula to serve the
work environment better. All 16 participants confirmed that such a discussion process is necessary “to share
thoughts and assign roles” AF5. PF6 noted that “to bridge the gap,
we need to know where are we and where we want to be both as academics and auditors.” AM5 argued that
constant debates among professionals and academics would “…enable both to understand their roles in
equipping graduates with the proper skills”. This finding is similar to the results of other researchers who have
claimed that debates and conferences play an important role in integrating common skills in particular
disciplines, such as accounting (Smith and Benavot, 2019; Andiola et al., 2020; Shaikh and Talha, 2003).
4.3 Perceptions of market required skills
Table 5 presents the differences in respondents' perceptions regarding the market skills required for accounting
graduates in Saudi Arabia, depending on whether they were faculty or professionals. Table 6 shows that the
two highest-ranked skills among professionals are dialogue and language skills and moral and ethical
awareness skills (means of 4.89 and 4.79 respectively); among faculty are moral and ethical awareness skills
and analytical skills (means of 4.60 and 4.52 respectively). The results show that both professionals and
accounting faculty agreed on the importance of moral and ethical skills (means of 4.79 and 4.60 respectively).
Despite this agreement, the results show that while accounting faculty rank moral and ethical awareness skills
as the first-highest required skills (mean of 4.60), accounting firms rank dialogue and language skills as the
first-highest demanded skill in the market (mean of 4.89). The high ranking of moral and ethical skills
indicates that participants in the study sample considered moral and ethical values in the accounting profession
to be the most important skills needed and developed by accounting graduates because of their importance to
the integrity and fairness of financial and accounting information. Furthermore, the result implies that
accountants should be committed to clear standards of ethics in all interactions. This finding is in line with the
conclusions of Klibi & Oussii (2013), who argued that moral and ethical skills are crucial for entry-level
accounting students.
Clearly, employers place more consideration on dialogue and language skills which seems lacking in
accounting graduates. The results suggest that accounting programmes may need to focus more on dialogue

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and language skills. Opening new lines of communication might help reduce these gaps and increase levels
of engagement amongst accounting academics and professionals. Academics and
practitioners should respond to the issues in accounting education by pushing for "complete improvements.”
(IAESB, 2013; Behn et al., 2012) based on a variety of accounting education models. The fundamental model
should be the development of future professional accountant skills. To facilitate reforms, accounting
academics, professional accounting bodies, and higher education institutions in Saudi Arabia must work
together. Conferences, discussion panels, and workshops need to be provided by accounting firms and SOCPA
should conduct seminars, to boost accounting graduates' engagement in practical accounting issues and to
open room for debate concerning required market skills or what is expected from both universities and the
community as a whole. Courses and curricula must allow the graduates to interact and collaborate more to
develop these skills. The more graduates are engaged in activities, the more they will increase their capacities
for dialogue and navigating interpersonal skills. Language also must be given more attention. The English
language is the language of business, and graduates must be well equipped to work in bilingual communities.
The two least-ranked skills among professionals are leadership and innovation skills and the ability to use new
accounting software (means of 4.16 and 4.46 respectively). The results suggest that employers give less weight
to leadership and innovation recognising the fact that such skills can be either developed at a later stage or the
graduate “must develop himself" AF1. Such skills can be developed by graduates themselves. All the 16
interviewees confirmed that graduates should exert efforts to improve such skills. Further, the ability to use
accounting software could be developed on the job with time through practical training. As noted by PM4,
graduates “need to be trained” on different software adopted by employers. The availability of numerous
accounting software solutions indicates that the curriculum can de-emphasise the use of accounting software.
Employers expect accounting
graduates to receive sufficient training on their particular software applications since
there are many different types of software and accounting programmes cannot include them all in their
curricula. Furthermore, accounting software differs from programme to programme, and employers prefer to
provide accounting graduates with on-the-job training rather than just relying on classrooms. This result
contradicts Hurt (2007), who advocated for incorporating accounting software into the curriculum to improve
active learning.
Furthermore, the results presented in Table 6 show that the least demanded skill from the viewpoint of faculty
is interpersonal skills (mean of 4.16). This result does not mean that accounting faculty believe interpersonal
skills are not required but that they have less weight in comparison to other skills. This result indicates the
lack of accounting graduates in an essential skill for their employability and career success, as highlighted by
prior research (e.g., Albin and Crockett, 1991; Kavanagh and Drennan, 2008; Jackling and De Lange, 2009;
Wells et al., 2009; Tempone et al., 2012).

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The overall results prove that all identified employability skills for accounting graduates should be integrated
into accounting programs, as they have high market demand and are believed to be necessary for the
employment of accounting
graduates. The results in Table 6 show that all the skills are ranked highly among all participants in this study.
Such results are in harmony with the literature presented earlier. Eight (14) of the (16) participants confirmed
that the outlined skills list represents their perceptions of what is actually taught and thought of the required
market skills.
Table 5. Faculty and professionals’ perceptions towards required market skills.
# Accounting Skills Required for Occupation N Mean S.D. Std. Error
the Market Mean
1 Critical thinking skills Faculty 25 4.36 0.757 0.151
Professionals 17 4.52 0.484 0.117
2 Ability to use Faculty 25 4.40 0.577 0.115
advanced information Professionals 17 4.77 0.396 0.096
technology skills
3 Problem-solving skills Faculty 25 4.32 0.690 0.138
Professionals 17 4.64 0.581 0.141
4 Communication and connection Faculty 25 4.40 0.577 0.116
skills Professionals 17 4.65 0.460 0.111
5 Ability to work in a team skill Faculty 25 4.24 0.723 0.145
Professionals 17 4.51 0.602 0.146
6 Leadership and innovation skills Faculty 25 4.16 0.688 0.138
Professionals 17 4.44 0.487 0.118
7 Interpersonal skills Faculty 25 4.16 0.688 0.138
Professionals 17 4.57 0.599 0.145
8 Moral and ethical awareness skills Faculty 25 4.60 0.577 0.115
Professionals 17 4.79 0.389 0.447
9 Dialogue and language skills Faculty 25 4.32 0.627 0.125
Professionals 17 4.89 0.273 0.066
10 Analytical skills Faculty 25 4.52 0.586 0.117
Professionals 17 4.78 0.392 0.095
11 Faculty 25 4,36 0.638 0.128

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Ability to use new accounting Professionals 17 4.46 0.696 0.169

software skills
4.4 Challenges to accounting education in Saudi Arabia
The results shown in Table 6 indicate that the highest-ranked challenge to accounting education from faculty
perceptions is the large classroom size due to flexible admission policies in universities and that the lowest-
ranked challenge is to keep pace with rapid developments. University admission is high in Saudi Arabia
because most well-known universities are public universities and offer free undergraduate education. The
government supports universities financially and expects universities to accommodate more students.
Academics believe that admitting a large number of students into business colleges, in general, and accounting
departments, in particular, negatively affects the quality of teaching and programmes outcomes, representing
a challenge in equipping graduates with the required skills. This result is consistent with the findings of El-
Mosa et al. (2021), who revealed that a huge number of student admission to universities resulted in
unsatisfactory, poor teaching-learning outcomes. This factor presents a challenge and poses a hurdle to the
educational environment's capacity to meet labour market demands. As a result, it might be argued that if
universities want to be more responsive to market demands for competencies, they should regulate admission
so that departments can enhance the learning process in order to equip students with
the required future skills.
The results also indicate that the highest-ranked challenge to accounting education from the perceptions of
professionals (mean of 4.57) is graduates themselves as specific skills need to be developed by them
independently, not universities and that the lowest-ranked challenge being the admission of a large number of
students. Professionals believe that accounting graduates should work hard in developing specific skills by
themselves. This finding indicates accounting graduates should be ready and willing to learn beyond
classrooms and universities.
Further, participants in interviews were asked to comment on the challenges facing accounting education
outlined in the list by the researchers and specify any other challenges. All 10 academic participants confirmed
the challenges in the list and added some additional challenges, including the need to improve the general
“education system from pre-school to high school” AM1, control “the number of students that are increasingly
graduating from accounting programmes” which “may result in the future in graduate students being
unemployed” AM2, need to “attract talented students” AM2, and reduce “students in classrooms” and solve
the issue of “limited references” AF3, refrain from “restricting the professor to the binding scientific material”
AF4, and replace “the wrong notion that universities should provide all skills to graduate with no role to be
played by employers” AF5 and graduates. Five (5) of the (6) interviewed professionals confirmed some
challenges in the list and specified other challenges including the effect of the professional background of
academics as noted by PM2 “the whole thing depends on how prepared are academics in terms of professional
experience, if you have never practiced accounting, you would not know what real life looks like”, the
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commitment of students to self-learning as noted by PF4 “at the end of the day skills depend on the importance
placed on learning by a graduate and that goes beyond the university or us”, and the business awareness related
to specific contexts as asserted by PM1 “the demand for particular generic skills is context-specific and is
based on the employer’s industry sector.”
Table 6. Challenges to accounting education
# Items Occupation N Mean S.D. Std.
Error
Mean
1 The admission of a large number of students in Faculty 25 3.56 0.961 0.192
business leads to poor education outcomes. Professionals 17 2.86 1.083 0.263
2 The inability of accounting education Faculty 25 3.36 0.995 0.199
programmes to keep pace with rapid Professionals 17 3.95 0.876 0.212
developments is due to the lack of periodic
renewal of educational curricula.
3 The large number of students in classrooms Faculty 25 4.32 0.627 0.125
makes it difficult for academics to teach and Professionals 17 3.53 1.125 0.273
employ skills.
4 Students need training and workshops on skills Faculty 25 3.96 0.935 0.187
needed in the future outside of the curriculum Professionals 17 4.31 0.768 0.186
within the study plan, and if not provided,
students will not be equipped with proper tools
for the future.
5 Certain skills need to be developed by students Faculty 25 4.20 0.817 0.163
independently, and the university is not Professionals 17 4.57 0.597 0.144
responsible for developing such skills.
4.5 Different results of respondents
The results in Table 7 show no significant statistical differences when comparing the responses of faculty and
professionals concerning three questions related to the expectation gap, market required skills of accounting
graduates, and challenges to accounting education. No remarkable difference was found between the two
categories of the sample (faculty and professionals), confirmed by a "Sig. (2-tailed)" value greater than 5%.
Table 7. Independent samples T-test
t-test for Equality of
Means

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T Df Sig. Mean Std. Error 90% Confidence

(2tailed) Differenc Differenc Interval of the
e e Difference
Lower Upper
Equal variances -1.33 40 0.19 -0.294 0.220 - 0.647 0.077
Q1 assumed
Equal variances -1.42 39,8 2 0.16 -0.294 0.207 - 0.642 0.055
not assumed
Equal variances -1.61 40 0.12 - 0.24 0.146 - 0.481 0.011
assumed
Q2 Equal variances -1.69 39.1 0.10 - 0.24 0.139 - 0.469 -0.007
not assumed
Equal variances 0.26 40.0 0.79 0.058 0.225 - 0.321 0.436
assumed
Q3 Equal variances 0.25 31.0 0.81 0.058 0.231 - 0.335 0.449
not assumed
4.6 The Reliability analysis
Table 8 shows a significant value of the Cronbach's Alpha, which means that all construct items are reliable
and represent the same variable. The table also shows clearly that the coefficient of general reliability is high
(0.828), which indicates that the questionnaire has a high degree of stability that can be relied upon in this
study. The coefficient of stability of the study for all questions ranges between 0.884 and 0.630, which is
higher than the acceptable value (0.60) as mentioned (Sekaran and
Bougie, 2016).
Table 8. Reliability analysis of the construct
Questioner Dimensions Cronbach's N. of items
Alpha
Reliability statistics for the first question: 0.639 4
Market expectations of accounting graduates.
Reliability statistics for the second question: 0.884 11
Skills required in the future
Reliability statistics for the third question: 0.630 5
Challenges to equip graduates with the required skills
General Constancy 0.828 20

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5.0 Conclusion
The present research investigates the issue of expectation gaps between faculty and professionals in relation
to accounting graduates’ skills in Saudi Arabia. The study shows a gap between the perception of faculty and
the expectation of professionals concerning the required market skills. Accounting curricula in Saudi Arabia
focus more on technical skills and less on non-technical skills, including dialogue and language skills,
interpersonal skills, information technology skills. The focus of accounting programmes and faculty on
general skills will aid in narrowing the gap between the accounting curriculum and employer expectations and
demands. It will enable accounting graduates to be job-ready with the skills they are able to use and apply to
their jobs.
The current level of dialogue and communication between academics, professionals, accounting bodies, and
other employers in Saudi Arabia is not satisfactory and has resulted in a loss of opportunities for collaboration
in the preparation of accounting graduates. Opening new veins of communications will increase levels of
engagement amongst accounting academics and professionals, hence reducing the expectation gap.
Academics and practitioners should respond to the issues in accounting education by pushing for "complete
improvements.” (Behn et al., 2012a). To facilitate improvements, accounting academics, professional
accounting bodies, and higher education institutions in Saudi Arabia must work together through conferences,
discussion panels, and workshops to discuss and open room for debate concerning employability skills and
the roles of universities and employers in developing and boosting accounting graduates' skills.
The study's findings contribute to the body of knowledge in improving the teaching and learning process of
accounting education, particularly in equipping graduates with the required market skills. Proper and constant
dialogue and communication are the keys to tackling the expectation gap issue. All participants agree that the
development of the skills of graduates is the responsibility of all stakeholders including graduates. Initiatives
should start from academics and later be shared with professionals and graduates. Accounting graduates'
willingness to learn beyond classrooms and university is one of the most important qualities employers look
for when hiring new graduates. To demonstrate such willingness, graduates need to adopt and embrace the
mindset, methods, and emerging technologies now available to determine their career direction and success.
When hiring new graduates, employers evaluate graduates' current skills and their willingness and ability to
learn new demanded skills. Growth potential is an important quality in a graduate, and a willingness to learn
demonstrates that capability.
Future research can adopt the same questions and methods and conduct the research in different countries.
The current research is exclusively applicable to Saudi Arabia. Researchers in other countries may use the
findings of this study as a guide, but they should be conscious of variances across situations. Future research
can also broaden the sample to include more diverse individuals such as graduates, employers, and
government bodies to investigate the gap and other related topics.

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