A framework of market-relevant accounting competencies for the Gulf Cooperation countries (GCC)

Abstract

Prior literature suggests that accounting education needs to adapt to constantly evolving market needs. This paper develops a comprehensive framework of competencies demanded by employers in the GCC region to be integrated into the local accounting curricula. The paper proposes a text-mining methodology for extracting data directly from job advertisements and generating lists of competencies. The methodology has multiple advantages: (i) it is based on readily available job market data, (ii) it produces sets of ranked knowledge and skills, supported by descriptions (learning outcomes), (iii) it allows examining a comprehensive range of competencies, (iv) it is easily adaptable to any segment of the job market. Moreover, the proposed framework highlights a different priority of competencies to be developed by undergraduate and graduate-level accounting programs.