An international study of career drivers of accounting students in Singapore, Australia and Hong Kong

Abstract

This is a comparative study of the career drivers of accounting students in Singapore, Australia and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). The study examines the motivational factors that steer accounting students into choosing accounting as a programme of study in their respective countries. Comparative analyses are performed to examine the importance of each career driver, taking into consideration gender and country/institutional variables. The results indicate significant differences between male and female students with respect to the importance of the following career drivers: search for meaning, security, material rewards and creativity. Significant differences are also found among countries/institutions and the importance of career drivers such as expertise, status, security, affiliation and creativity. The study concludes with a discussion of the implications of the findings for both the profession and academic educators as well as suggestions for future research.

†Recently retired from the University of Southern Queensland, Australia.

Keywords:

• accounting education
• career drivers
• gender
• culture
• Singapore
• Australia
• Hong Kong

Notes

†Recently retired from the University of Southern Queensland, Australia.