Enhancing Students' Enabling Competencies: Student Perspectives and Recommendations for Educators*

Employers continue to express concern that accounting graduates lack the necessary competencies when they enter the workplace. These concerns have been addressed in part by periodic revisions to Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada's (CPA Canada) CPA Competency Map, which is used to define competencies for entry into the profession. The CPA Competency Map has recently been revised to include a new set of enabling competencies (often called generic or soft skills). However, the accounting literature highlights a concern that time and resources spent on the expanding set of enabling competencies could take valuable resources away from teaching technical accounting skills. In addition, the education literature indicates that student motivation plays a key role in learning. If students are motivated to learn enabling competencies, then educational efforts could be more efficient and effective. Conversely, a lack of student motivation could reduce student engagement and learning. To address these concerns, we investigated the student's perspective on the importance of enabling competencies as well as on how and where enabling competencies should be learned. We surveyed 380 students enrolled in the CPA Canada Professional Education Program (PEP). We investigated the three new enabling competencies that are most distinct from the previous set of competencies and that may be the most difficult for accounting educators to teach: adaptability and resilience; creativity and innovation; and active listening. We asked students about the importance of these new enabling competencies for their future careers and whether the competencies should be taught in PEP or in the workplace. Our results indicate that students believe that the new enabling competencies are important and should be learned in both the classroom and the workplace. Moreover, student responses to open-ended questions provide educators with suggestions on how to incorporate enabling competencies into the classroom by blending activities that could simultaneously enhance enabling competencies with technical competencies.     

Goode Food Trucks Inc.*

This fictional case centers around a young Dutch couple who emigrated to Canmore, Alberta. Upon arriving, Saul and Rens opened two successful food trucks and are now looking to promote each truck's main chef to truck manager. They plan to offer a performance bonus based on the net income of each truck and have requested a local accounting student to advise them on the new bonus structure. Goode Food Trucks Inc. presents an opportunity for students to demonstrate technical competence in managerial accounting (rate methods, period cost allocation, and data visualization); strategy and governance (employee performance incentives); and financial reporting (reporting needs) while incorporating enabling competencies (communicating and adding value). The case and teaching notes were adapted from principles used to train and evaluate Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) candidates and tailored to an appropriate level for undergraduate learners. MBA instructors may also use this case to apply multiple concepts in a defined context, thus enhancing a course's “real-life” applicability.     

Ted's Teas: A Two-Part Accounting and Audit “Crossover Case”*

This fictional case is based on a real specialty tea company in Nova Scotia. Ted's Teas is a two-part crossover case that illustrates the integration of financial accounting and audit learning outcomes applied to real-world scenarios. In Part 1, students assume the role of an internal accountant and apply knowledge of the Chartered Professional Accountants (CPA) of Canada's CPA Way to identify how to treat leases, changes in policy, and estimates as part of accounting knowledge under both Accounting Standards for Private Enterprises and IFRS frameworks. In Part 2, students “cross over” and change roles, so they are now external auditors for Ted's Teas, tasked to provide an analysis of risk of material misstatement, recommend an audit approach, and develop substantive procedures. This two-part case presents opportunities for students to demonstrate technical competence in multiple areas, either separately in two different courses or combined in one “capstone” or case course. The case and teaching notes, including the marking rubrics, were adapted from principles used to train and evaluate CPA Professional Education Program candidates, tailored to an appropriate level for undergraduate and graduate learners.     

Paper and Hill: An In‐Class Corporate Governance Case

Corporate governance is a set of rules and processes that help ensure that firms are effectively run for the benefit of their stakeholders. Good corporate governance is predicated on having directors fulfill their fiduciary duties while acting as stewards of the corporation. The fact that good corporate governance is essential to a well‐functioning and prosperous society is reflected in CPA Canada's Strategy and Governance competency. Unfortunately, there are few in‐class Canadian corporate governance cases that instructors can use to help accounting students improve their understanding of these three fundamental governance concepts: director duty of care, director duty of loyalty, and the business judgment rule. This Canadian corporate governance case is based on the actual events regarding the approval of Steven Hill's employment contract as the Chair of Paper Enterprises Inc. The case is presented using PowerPoint slides, rather than in a traditional narrative format, as it intended to be used as an in‐class case that does not require advance student preparation.     

LINKING COMPREHENSIVE PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT TO THE BALANCED SCORECARD: EVIDENCE FROM HERTFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

Over the course of the last twenty years there has been a growing academic interest in performance management, particularly in respect of the evolution of new techniques and their resulting impact. One important theoretical development has been the emergence of multidimensional performance measurement models that are potentially applicable within the public sector. Empirically, academic researchers are increasingly supporting the use of such models as a way of improving public sector management and the effectiveness of service provision ( Mayston, 1985 ; Pollitt, 1986 ; Bates and Brignall, 1993 ; and Massey, 1999 ). This paper seeks to add to the literature by using both theoretical and empirical evidence to argue that CPA, the external inspection tool used by the Audit Commission to evaluate local authority performance management, is a version of the Balanced Scorecard which, when adapted for internal use, may have beneficial effects. After demonstrating the parallels between the CPA framework and Kaplan and Norton's public sector Balanced Scorecard (BSC), we use a case study of the BSC based performance management system in Hertfordshire County Council to demonstrate the empirical linkages between a local scorecard and CPA. We conclude that CPA is based upon the BSC and has the potential to serve as a springboard for the evolution of local authority performance management systems.     

基于财务报表审计的会计舞弊揭示机制研究

目前企业会计信息失真主要因会计舞弊引起,CPA能否有效揭示重大会计舞弊已经直接影响到CPA行业的生存价值。中注协因此发布了大量的新准则,试图借鉴国外先进的审计技术,将风险导向审计理念引入到我国的审计实践中来,以提高CPA揭示会计舞弊的能力。但CPA不能有效揭示重大会计舞弊主要的不是技术问题,本文在借鉴国外经验的基础上,分析我国CPA不能有效揭示会计舞弊的原因,提出应将CPA审计和政府审计相结合,共同揭示企业会计舞弊。     

Labor Market Effects of Spatial Licensing Requirements: Evidence from CPA Mobility

We exploit the staggered introduction of CPA Mobility provisions in the United States to study the effects of spatial licensing requirements on the labor market for accounting professionals. Specifically, we examine whether the removal of licensing‐induced geographic barriers affects CPA wages and employment levels, as well as the pricing and quality of professional services. We find that, subsequent to the adoption of CPA Mobility provisions, wages of accounting professionals decrease, whereas employment levels are unaffected. The documented wage effect stems from smaller CPA firms, is more pronounced for CPAs holding senior positions, and persists over time. We also find that service prices decline and that this effect is concentrated in local CPA firms. Moreover, we document that the increased wage and price pressure is not associated with deteriorating service quality. Collectively, our results suggest that the removal of occupational licensing barriers has sizable effects on labor supply and service prices. Our findings inform the current regulatory debate on occupational licensing.     

Guest Editorial

This paper reports the results of a longitudinal study of the determinants of student performance on undergraduate accounting degree examinations. The educational background, demographic characteristics and financial/investment characteristics of a group of undergraduate students were determined in an attempt to explain differences in student performance in both first year and third year examinations. The results indicate that few of these background variables had a significant impact on examination performance and that the best predictor of third year performance was in fact performance in the first year examinations.     

高管会计师事务所关联、审计任期与审计质量

本文研究了高管会计师事务所关联对审计任期(事务所任期)和审计质量的影响,以及事务所关联存在和不存在的条件下审计任期与审计质量的关系。实证结果表明,有事务所关联的公司更可能收到标准审计意见,从而说明事务所关联降低了审计质量;同时,事务所关联关系延长了审计任期,即存在事务所关联的公司比没有事务所关联的公司与事务所合作的时间更长。在有事务所关联的公司和没有事务所关联的公司中,审计任期与审计质量之间的关系不同,进而说明有事务所关联公司的审计质量并不取决于审计任期,而是事务所关联本身的影响所造成的。     

Hill Valley University

Hill Valley University is faced with a number of issues in the current year, including a $12 million deficit. You, CPA, are asked to analyze a number of strategic and operational issues to help the Board make important decisions regarding various program growth and cost savings opportunities. You also are asked to assess the impact of various initiatives on the university's strategic plan and its students. Some issues, such as recruiting more international students and increasing class size, may affect the student learning experience. Other issues, such as the building of a new residence and the implementation of a new enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, may help the university increase its ranking. You, CPA, are also asked to incorporate your recommendations into a five‐year budget.     

论上市公司审计舞弊原因及治理

在证券市场中上市公司审计舞弊屡有发生,早期的“中天勤-银广夏”案件和近期刚被查处的“中磊-万福生科”案件都严重影响了审计公信力.也损害了投资者支资本市场的信心,导致近年来中国股市一直处于熊市状态.本文阐述了上市公司审计舞弊及其危害性,基于注册会计师法律道德及会计师事务所产权维度分析了法律风险偏低、职业道德失范、会计师事务所产权不合理是导上市审计舞弊的主要原因.并提出强化注册会计师的法律责任,加强注册会计师职业道德建设以及完善会计师事务所产权等治理审计舞弊的相关建议.     

The use of individualized problems to improve students' learning

Individualized problems is a methodology that creates an unlimited set of numerically unique problems, that cover the same material and are of similar difficulty. Individualized problems combine the best features of take-home and in-class examinations in meeting test objectives. Students can benefit from collaboration, but cannot mechanically copy each other's solutions. The problems also provide opportunities for problem solving without the artificial time constraints of in-class examinations. Professors can provide students with timely feedback, yet minimize the time spent on grading. More importantly, individualized problems can improve students' learning of accounting material. An empirical test compares the in-class test performance of students previously assigned individualized homework problems on two specific topics with the performance of students given identical take-home problems. One problem is relatively easier than the other. Results show a significant positive differential learning impact for the easier problem for (1) weak/average undergraduate students (13-point improvement), (2) strong undergraduate students (16-point improvement), and (3) weak/average graduate students (22-point improvement). There is no learning effect for strong graduate students, who averaged 97 points or better for both the individualized and identical problems. The tests show a very slight learning effect for the more difficult problem for weak/average students (4–5 point improvement, but not statistically significant), and no learning effect for the strong students. Questionnaire responses indicate that student reaction to these take-home problems is highly favorable.     

Effects of Interspersed versus Summary Feedback on the Quality of Students' Case Report Revisions

Abstract

This study examines whether students show greater improvement in written case analyses when given feedback that is either interspersed throughout their written case analyses or presented only as a summary, and whether the benefits of these placements vary across differing levels of student performance in the course. Results from an exploratory field experiment conducted with Canadian accounting students who revised and resubmitted case analyses indicate that the effectiveness of feedback depended on an interaction between its placement and the course performance of students to which it was provided. Lowest-performing students increased the quality of their case responses most when provided with interspersed rather than summary feedback, mid-level students improved more when given summary rather than interspersed feedback, and highest-performing students improved significantly regardless of feedback placement. The primary conclusion from this study is that feedback placement influences how well students at different levels respond, suggesting that teachers should consider students' relative course performance when determining the most appropriate placement for their feedback. We also present evidence of the factors that affect the initial quality of case analyses and which influence students' decisions to revise and resubmit their case analyses.     

注册会计师考试制度发展述评——基于防范与治理考试舞弊的视角

注册会计师考试制度是注册会计师制度的重要组成部分,是注册会计师行业人才建设的重要保证,而制定和落实科学有效的防范与治理考试舞弊行为的措施是注册会计师考试制度实现既定目标的保证。晓古可以通今。只有了解过去,才能把握未来。本文从防范与治理考试舞弊的视角探讨我国的注册会计师考试制度。首先对1991年至2011年期间我国注册会计师全国统一考试制度中有关防范与治理考试舞弊行为的规定及其实施效果进行了梳理与归纳,分析了不同时期的相关规定出台的背景;然后评价了不同时期的相关规定取得的主要成果和存在的主要缺陷;进而展望了我国未来的注册会计师考试制度在防范与治理考试舞弊行为方面的发展趋势。     

Validating lecturer effectiveness questionnaires in accounting

The use of student questionnaires to evaluate lecturers in higher education raises the issue of the validity of any measures that might be developed from the results. This paper reports on a lecturer effectiveness questionnaire (LEQ) given to students of accounting courses at Salford University. The main finding is that effectiveness scores are related to student views on important attributes of lecturing (eg. explanation of aims and objectives, choice of teaching aids, creating an interest in the course); but that the scores are also related to less desirable feaures such as lecture size and subject matter. The study also examines the relationship between examinations marks and questionnaire scores on the grounds that students should perform better in examinations for courses where the lecturer is considered to be effective. The study found a midly negative relationship between student approval and examination performance.     

审计机关购买社会审计服务决策研究

审计机关购买社会审计服务是基于承接单位所提供的审计服务质量可以达到预期、承接人员可以做到勤勉尽责这两个前提。通过服务购买,审计机关与社会中介机构缔结经济契约,弥补自身审计资源的不足。不同社会中介机构所能提供的审计服务在质量和价格上是有差异的;由于信息不对称,社会中介机构作为审计服务的供给方可能会选择性提供审计业务能力相关信息,审计机关可能无法优选目标而出现逆向选择现象。面对质量和成本双重目标约束,在探索协调路径的基础上,运用层次分析法,根据审计机关购买社会审计服务的特点,构建各指标的层次结构模型,从质量和成本两个维度进行量化分析,提出可行性方案,再进行决策,这种方法可以解决目前审计机关购买社会审计服务中可行性方案量化不足的问题。     

An investigation of the emerging trend towards a laptop requirement for accounting majors in the USA

The dramatic technological revolution that has taken place in the last decade makes it imperative for students to emerge from their undergraduate education technologically proficient, comfortable with technology, and ready to pursue their chosen fields. Computers, like pencils and notebooks, have become an integral part of the college experience. In the last five years there has been an emerging national trend to require laptop computers for accounting majors as well as in other disciplines. A laptop computer requirement can be extremely beneficial to accounting majors. While courses in accounting information systems have typically required students to gain hands-on experience using software such as Microsoft Access, Peachtree, QuickBooks, Great Plains and others, incorporation of technology into the other accounting courses has generally been more limited and has varied from programme to programme. The implementation of a laptop requirement necessitates a thorough analysis of the entire accounting curriculum and should result in the incorporation of information technology in all accounting courses. This also requires that faculty become technologically proficient and thus able to incorporate the laptop use into the curriculum so that the value of the laptop computer is realized. This paper: (1) examines the laptop requirement trend for accounting majors and the related aspects/characteristics in a sample of US institutions accredited and not accredited by AACSB International, and (2) provides a case study of the implementation of a laptop requirement for undergraduate accounting majors in an AACSB-accredited institution and feedback based on student evaluations of the requirement over a two-year period.     

Preparer versus user introductory sequence: the impact on performance in Intermediate Accounting I

The normal subject matter in the first semester of a traditional introductory accounting course closely parallels the content in Intermediate Accounting I. Because research shows that student performance in college accounting courses is influenced by prerequisite courses, one would expect that those who take a user-approach introductory sequence will not perform as well in later courses. The research reported in this paper compares the performance of students in a traditional Intermediate Accounting I course who took either a preparer-or-user approach introductory sequence. Of the 150 accounting majors in the sample, 53 (97) took a user-approach (preparer-approach) introductory sequence. Of the 97 preparer-approach students, 47 (50) were four-year (transfer) students. The results are consistent with prior research and indicate that SAT scores and student effort are significant for each of the individual tests and for the overall average in course examinations. Gender is not consistent a factor in performance, which also supports prior research. The data indicate that students who took a preparer-approach sequence did not score higher in Intermediate Accounting I and that entry status is not a factor in this performance. This finding leads to the question of whether or not a user-approach would better service those students in our introductory accounting courses who are not accounting majors.     

Entebbe Ltd.: A Tax Case

This case is designed to integrate two major tax issues—wind‐up of a company versus sale of shares—with business valuations. Thus, it is designed to incorporate key tax and finance CPA competency areas. There are two valuations required in this case. One is the valuation of shares; the other is the valuation of an intangible asset (a patent). Students have to recognize that before they can decide whether a wind‐up or sale of shares is preferred, they first need to determine the fair market value (FMV) of the shares. However, to determine the FMV of the shares, the valuation of a patent must be done first, as its value will impact the FMV of the shares. Thus, this case requires students to sequence their analysis. Residency issues (“departure tax”) upon leaving Canada permanently are also indirectly identified in the case.     

Sustainability Northwest: An Integrative Case of a Not‐for‐Profit Organization

Sustainability Northwest (SNW) is a fictional not‐for‐profit organization (NPO) that seeks to develop thought leaders for a sustainable future. This instructional case allows professors to assign students with up to six different roles, including SNW's chair of the board, executive director, volunteer treasurer, and the external auditor. Unique learning objectives include (i) the application of the CPA Canada Handbook, Accounting—Part III to prepare an NPO's financial statements using fund accounting, (ii) the development of recommendations to improve an NPO's board of directors, (iii) the analysis of system flow documents to identify control weaknesses, and (iv) the preparation of an audit planning memo. Instructors can use this case in several milieus. First, professors can foster a student's ability to integrate technical knowledge by (i) assigning students all six roles in a capstone course to promote integration within an individual course or (ii) assigning multiple roles across multiple courses to promote integration across a program of studies. Second, instructors can focus on a particular technical skill by assigning specific roles. This case is ideal for senior‐level undergraduate students or graduate students.