PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTANTS’ PERSPECTIVE OF SKILLS REQUIRED TO PROGRESS TO MANAGEMENT POSITIONS

Year 2016, Volume: 8 Issue: 1, 20 - 36, 01.06.2016

J. P. Fouché M. P. Kgapola

Abstract

In South Africa, not only is the shortage in skills a general predicament, but so
also is the shortage of professional accountants. The markets and business
environments are changing almost every day and so do the skills sets required by
professional accountants. The purpose of the study is to assist professional
accountants in defining the skills required for management positions and to enable
them to plan their careers better. A cross-sectional survey was used. The majority
of participants were registered with SAICA and/or CIMA.
From the study the following were identified as the biggest needs: Intellectual
skills (decision-making and problem-solving); Technical and functional skills
(strategy skills); Personal skills (anticipating and adapting to change, ethical
considerations, prioritising, seeing the bigger picture, self-management, striving to
add value, taking initiative and time management); Interpersonal and
communication skills (interacting with diverse people, leading effective meetings,
listening and reading effectively, managing and supervising others, negotiation,
verbal communication and presentation, written communication) and Business
management skills (aligning own and entity goals, being decisive, collaboration
and partnering, delegating, leadership, organising, professional judgement and
strategy and project planning/management).
The findings of this study will benefit professional accountants in planning their
careers and assist them to be better prepared to take on management positions. It
can also assist professional bodies to better plan CPD training.

Keywords

Professional accountant, Management skills, CPD

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