The accounting curriculum and the emergence of Big Data

Abstract

Research Question: Is there a gap between the accounting curriculum and its practice in this era where Big Data analytics is potentially a vital part of accounting? Motivation: The emergence of Big Data has instigated modifications in the professional accounting world. Collecting and analysing Big Data has become a part accounting as it is beneficial. The role of university curriculums is to prepare students for the practice, so it is expected to evolve along with the profession. However, Big Data analytical skills are not included in the accounting curriculum in universities which has resulted in graduates being incompetent at workplaces because the skills they possess are obsolete. Idea: The purpose of this study is to explore the extent to which the accounting curriculum is capable of equipping students with the necessary competencies to become accounting practitioners with the emergence of Big Data in the profession. It seeks to discover the level information asymmetry between the accounting curriculum and the practice. Data: 15 Interviews were conducted with accounting professors and practitioners in a bid to discover the competencies needed and what the potentially curriculum lacks. Additionally, document analysis was also used to examine learning materials provided to accounting students in form of lecture notes, coursework and examinations to support claims made by professors. Tools: interviews and content analysis were used to collect research data. Findings: It was found that the accounting curriculum is lacking adequate knowledge to equip students with the competencies to handle Big Data Analytics and has restricted accounting graduates’ capabilities. Contribution: Based on the findings, a framework has been developed which contains the necessary competencies accounting students should possess in order to be able to handle Big Data analytics. The results of this study will potentially be of interest to several stakeholders including accounting academics and professionals.