Expectation Gap on Accounting Graduates’ Skill Attributes between Accounting Educators and Employers in Industry 4.0 Environment: A Malaysian Evidence

Abstract

In the context and dynamics of the Industry 4.0 environment, whereby the business horizon and extent are no longer restricted by national boundaries, employers may have high expectations for the skills and attributes of accounting graduates, which may exceed the expectations of the accounting educators who are involved in the curriculum design of the accounting courses at the universities. This study aims to investigate the expectation gap between accounting educators and employers regarding the skill attributes of accounting graduates in an Industry 4.0 environment. In this study, 33 skill attributes were identified to determine whether educators and employers have different expectations regarding the skill attributes of accounting graduates. Using a questionnaire survey distributed to 209 educators and employers, this study demonstrates that 24 of the 33 attributes demonstrate significant differences, including risk analysis, financial analysis, and communication. Contrary to the findings of previous studies, the results of this study indicate that accounting educators have higher expectations for the skill attributes of accounting graduates compared to employers. The findings of this study indicate that universities must acquire a greater comprehension of the skill requirements of employers so that accounting graduates can better meet these requirements as well as the essential broader educational goals of a university degree.