Why Choose Accounting as an Undergraduate Major? - A Malaysian Perspective

Abstract

The talent shortage in the accounting profession is a serious problem in Malaysia. It is important to address this question through a better understanding of the various factors that are considered when choosing to major in accounting. The main purpose of this study is to discover the factors which affect students' admission to accounting-related majors. Several factors were used in this study, including parental influence, peer influence and pressure, family history, students' views, media, automation in the accounting profession, and economic stability. The research was done by distributing 302 questionnaires to accounting students from various universities in Malaysia, including 20 employed persons who graduated in accounting. Data collected from the surveys were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Respondents' feedback was presented through descriptive analysis, reliability analysis, coefficient analysis, and others. The findings suggest that parental influence, peer influence and pressure, and family history are significantly associated with students' choice to major in accounting.