Requirements for Information Technology with Newly Hired Management Accounting Graduates

36 Pages Posted: 13 Jan 2013

See all articles by Chris Akroyd

Chris Akroyd

University of Auckland Business School

Davood Askarany

University of Auckland Business School

Winifred O'Grady

University of Auckland

Gary Spraakman

York University

Date Written: January 13, 2013

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to determine what employers require newly hired management accounting graduates to have in terms of information technology knowledge and skills. The management accounting curriculum literature was examined along with pronouncements from relevant professional associations. CFOs at some of the largest New Zealand firms were interviewed. These CFOs were consistent on the IT knowledge and skills required by management accounting graduates, i.e., intermediate proficiency in some Microsoft tools (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook) and familiarity with an ERP system to understand transaction processing. Of those requirements Excel for analysis was by far the most important. Our contribution challenges the literature and the professional associations, and clarifies what educators should provide to management accounting students.

Keywords: management accounting, curriculum, information technology, information systems

JEL Classification: M19

Suggested Citation

Akroyd, Chris and Askarany, Davood and O'Grady, Winifred and Spraakman, Gary, Requirements for Information Technology with Newly Hired Management Accounting Graduates (January 13, 2013). CAAA Annual Conference 2013, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2200104 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2200104

Chris Akroyd

University of Auckland Business School

12 Grafton Rd
Private Bag 92019
Auckland, 1010
New Zealand

Davood Askarany

University of Auckland Business School ( email )

12 Grafton Rd
Private Bag 92019
Auckland, 1010
New Zealand

Winifred O'Grady

University of Auckland

Auckland
New Zealand

Gary Spraakman (Contact Author)

York University ( email )

Room 282 Atkinson Building
York University
Toronto, Ontario M3J 1P3
Canada
416 736 2100,22155 (Phone)
416 736 5963 (Fax)

Do you have a job opening that you would like to promote on SSRN?

Paper statistics

Downloads
231
Abstract Views
1,817
Rank
211,826
PlumX Metrics