Information Technology (IT) Competencies Desired in New Accounting Graduates: A Survey in Jordanian Business Environment

Abstract

Accounting and information technology are closely related for many decades. Accounting was the domain of business that first adopted IT and made an extensive use of it. Nowadays the IT competencies desired by accountants were under a continuous change and evolution. Modern accountants are expected to have a high level of IT knowledge and skills and towards that direction the curriculum in accounting education have to adopt a wide range of modules in order to provide accounting students with the required competencies. The paper presents the results of a survey in Jordanian business environment regarding technological skills desired in new accounting graduates. The questions related to computer skills desired in new accounting graduates showed that spreadsheet knowledge was the most desired followed by accounting software, for casting packages as well as all the skills mentioned in the questionnaire ranged between the importance degree is very high and high.