Management accounting graduates' technical skills to meet banking employers' expectations: an Open Distance eLearning (ODeL) University perspective

Abstract

One of the most critical challenges facing South Africa is the shortage of skills. The Financial Services Sector, of which banks form part, is also affected by this problem and this poses a risk in achieving the targeted Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The quality and level of education offered in South African Higher Education Institutions is perceived as being insufficient to that which is required in the industry and is a possible contributing factor towards the skills shortage problem. The study was motivated by the concerns raised by some scholars concerning the relevance of the management accounting syllabus as compared with the technical skills required in the banking industry. Investigating this is important as the Financial Services Sector, which includes the banking industry, is one of the largest employers of management accountants in South Africa and there is a paucity of research in this area. The aim of the study was to determine whether management accounting technical skills provided by an ODeL University in South Africa meet banking employers’ expectations. A qualitative research approach was used to conduct interviews with nineteen participants from three banks and ten academics from the ODeL University and includes a qualitative documentary analysis to review and analyse the study material for four management accounting modules and the mapping of the management accounting syllabus to the SAICA competency framework. The results reflect the data obtained from the interviews. The analysis of the interviews is organised under five main themes as follows: Function of management accounting within the banking sector; recruitment of graduates and development of management accounting technical skills; identified technical skills lacking in new graduates employed by banks; bank specific training at an ODeL institution (an academic perspective) and strategies to bridge the gap. The results of the analysis conducted on the management accounting study material from the ODeL University are presented in four categories; Costing, Financial Management, Accounting Data Processing and the SAICA Competency Framework. The results indicate that bank employers acknowledge the work achieved by higher education institutions in providing students with basic management accounting skills, which enable them to start working in management accounting positions in banks. However, bank participants were concerned with graduates’ inability to link theory with practical application and further confirmed that graduates lack a number of relevant technical skills. Academics confirmed that the management accounting syllabus does not give much attention to banks and other financial service industries; it is dominated by activities and case studies related to manufacturing industries. The analysis of the prescribed study material supports this and indicates that there are insufficient activities related to service companies and very few references to financial services sector entities. Several recommendations were made by participants which, inter alia include incorporating relevant activities and case studies into the management accounting syllabus and greater reciprocity between the banking industry and universities. This study contributes to the literature on management accounting technical skills’ relevance to banks and by extension, the financial services sector. It provides insights on the management accounting technical skills that are currently lacking in graduates. Additional areas warranting further research are also identified.

Omnye weyona micelimngeni enobuzaza ojongene noMzantsi Afrika kukunqongophala kwezakhono. ICandelo leeNkonzo zezeMali, apho iibhanki ziyinxalenye zalo, nalo liyachaphazeleka yile ngxaki kwaye oku kubeka umngcipheko ekuphumezeni iMveliso yeKhaya ePheleleyo (iGDP). Umgangatho nenqanaba lemfundo ezinikezelwa kumaZiko eMfundo ePhakamileyo aseMzantsi Afrika zibonwa njengezingonelanga kwinto efunekayo kushishino, kwaye ibonwa iyinto enempembelelo kwingxaki yokunqongophalo lwezakhono. Uphando lwakhuthazwa yinkxalabo ephakanyiswe zezinye izifundiswa malunga nokuhambelana kolawulo lwesilabhasi yobalo-mali (accounting) xa kuthelekiswa nezakhono zobugcisa ezifunekayo kushishino lwebhanki. Ukuphanda oku kubalulekile njengeCandelo leNkonzo yezeziMali, nelibandakanya ishishini lebhanki, elingelinye labaqeshi abakhulu labacubunguli bobalo-mali eMzantsi Afrika, kwaye kukho ubuncinane bophando kulo mcimbi. Injongo yophando yayikukufumanisa ukuba ingaba izakhono zobuchule bokuphatha ezobalo-mali ezinikezwa yiYunivesithi ye-ODeL eMzantsi Afrika ziyahlangabezana nokulindelwe ngabaqeshi beebhanki. Inkqubo yophando esemgangathweni yasetyenziswa ukwenza udliwanondlebe nabathathi-nxaxheba abalishumi elinesixhenxe abaphuma kwiibhanki ezintathu kunye nabafundisi/abahlohli abalishumi kwiYunivesithi ye-ODeL, kwaye ibandakanya nokucazulula idotyhumentari esemgangathweni ukwenza isincomo-gxeko nokucazulula izixhobo zokufunda kwiimodyuli ezine zolawulo lwezobalo-mali kunye nokuzoba isilabhasi yolawulo lwezibalo-mali kwisakhelo sesikhokelo sezakhono kwi-SAICA. Iziphumo zibonisa idatha efunyenwe kudliwanondlebe. Ucazululo lodliwanondlebe luhlelwe phantsi kwezihloko ezihlanu eziphambili ngolu hlobo lulandelayo: Umsebenzi wolawulo lwezibalo-mali ngaphakathi kwecandelo lokulondoloza(banking); ukufunwa kwabafundi abathweswe izidanga kunye nokuphuhliswa kwezakhono zobalo-mali; ukuchongwa kwezakhono zobugcisa ezinqongopheleyo kubafundi abatsha abaqashwe ziibhanki; uqeqesho olukhethekileyo lwebhanki kwiyunivesithi ye-ODeL (umbono wemfundo) kunye nezicwangciso zokuvala isikhewu. Iziphumo zohlalutyo olwenziweyo kwizixhobo zokufunda zolawulo lwezobalo-mali kwiYunivesithi ye-ODeL zivezwa ngokwamanqanaba amane; Ukubiza indleko, ukuPhathwa kwezeMali, ukuPhathwa kweDatha yezoBalo-mali (Accounting) kunye neSakhelo sezakhono ze-SAICA. Iziphumo zibonisa ukuba abaqeshi bebhanki bawunika ingqalelo umsebenzi owenziweyo ngamaziko emfundo ephakamileyo ekuboneleleni ngezakhono zolawulo lwezemali, into eyenza abafundi ukuba bakwazi ukuqalisa ukusebenza kwizikhundla zobalo-mali kwiibhanki. Nangona kunjalo, abathathi-nxaxheba bebhanki babenenkxalabo yokungakwazi kwabafundi ukudibanisa i-thiyori kunye nendlela yokusebenza kwaye baphinda baqinisekisa ukuba abafundi abaphumeleleyo bayasilela kwizakhono ezininzi zobugcisa ezifanelekileyo. Abahlohli baqinisekisile ukuba isilabhasi yolawulo lobalo-mali ayiniki ngqalelo enkulu kwiibhanki nakwamanye amashishini enkonzo yezemali; ilawulwa yimisebenzi kunye nezifundo ezinxulumene nemizimveliso. Uhlalutyo lwezixhobo zokufunda ezimiselweyo ziyakuxhasa oku kwaye zibonisa ukuba ayonelanga imizekeliso esetyenziswayo enxulumene neenkampani zenkonzo kunye nezalathiso ezimbalwa kakhulu kumacandelo enkonzo yezemali. Izindululo ezininzi zaye zenziwa ngabathathi-nxaxheba bathi, phakathi kwezinye izinto zibandakanya ukongezwa kwemizekelo efanelekileyo kunye nezifundo zokufundwa (case studies) kwisilabhasi yolawulo lobalo-mali kunye nokusebenzisana okukuko phakathi kweshishini lebhanki neeyunivesithi. Olu phando lunegalelo kuncwadi lolawulo lwezakhono zobuchule bobugcisa bobalo-mali obufanelekileyo kwiibhanki nakwicandelo leenkonzo zezezimali jikelele. Lunika ingcaciso kwizakhono zolawulo zobalo-mali ezisasilelayo okwangoku kwabo banezidanga. Iindawo ezongeziweyo ezisafuna uphando olongeziweyo nazo zikwachongiwe.

Ye nngwe ya ditlhohlo tše di nyakago tekolo ka tlhokomedišišo tše Afrika Borwa e lebanego natšo ke tlhokego ya bokgoni. Lekala la Ditirelo tša Ditšhelete, leo dipanka di lego karolo ya lona, le lona le angwa ke bothata bjo gomme se se hlola tšhošetšo ya go fihlelela palomoka ya ditšhelete tša dithoto le ditirelo tšeo di tšweleditšwego nageng (GDP). Boleng le boemo bja thuto yeo e rutwago ka go Diinstitušene tša Thuto ya Godingwana tša Afrika Borwa di tšewa go ba tšeo di sa kgotsofatšego go ena le tše di nyakegago diintastering gape ke ntlha yeo e ka hlolago bothata bja tlhaelo ya bokgoni. Thutelo ye e hlohleleditšwe ke dipelaelo tšeo di hlagišitšwego ke baithuti ba bangwe malebana le maleba a lenaneothuto la tshekatsheko ya matlotlo a kgwebo go thuša bolaodi go dira diphetho ge go bapetšwa le bokgoni le tsebo tšeo di nyakegago go phethagatša mešongwana ye e itšeng intasering ya go panka ditšhelete. Go nyakišiša se go bohlokwa ka ge Lekala la Ditirelo tša Ditšhelete, le le akaretšago intasteri ya go panka ditšhelete, e le ye nngwe ya bathapi ba bantšintši ba batho bao ba fago khamphani datha le tshedimošo ka ditšhelete gore di dirišwe kgodišong ya kgwebo ya yona ka Afrika Borwa efela go na le dinyakišišo tšeo di sego tše ntši go sehlogo se. Maikemišetšo a thutelo ye e be e le go šupa ge eba bokgoni le tsebo tšeo di nyakegago go phethagatša tshekatsheko ya matlotlo a kgwebo go thuša bolaodi go dira diphetho bjoo bo rutwago ke yunibesithi ya ODeL ka Afrika Borwa bo kgotsofatša ditetelo tša bathapi ba dipankeng. Mokgwatebelelo wa nyakišišo ka go utolla mokgwa wa bophelo bja setšhaba se itšeng o dirišitšwe go phethagatša ditherišano le batšeakarolo ba lesomesenyane go tšwa dipankeng tše tharo le dirutegi tše lesome go tša yunibesithing ya ODeL gomme o akaretša tshekatsheko ya kanegelo ya ditiragalo ya go kwešiša mabaka le dikgopolo go lebelela le go sekaseka ditlakelo tša thuto tša mebotšulo ya tshekatsheko ya matlotlo a kgwebo go thuša bolaodi go dira diphetho le go tswalanya lenaneothuto la tshekatsheko ya matlotlo a kgwebo go thuša bolaodi go dira diphetho le tlhako ya botsebi ya SAICA. Dipoelo di laeditše datha yeo e hweditšwego go tšwa ditherišanong. Tshekatsheko ya ditherišano e beakantšwe go ya ka merero ye mene ka mo go latelago: Tiro ya tshekatsheko ya matlotlo a kgwebo go thuša bolaodi go dira diphetho ka go lekala go panka ditšhelete; kalatšo ya dialoga le kgodišo ya bokgoni le tsebo tšeo di nyakegago go phethagatša tshekatsheko ya matlotlo a kgwebo go thuša bolaodi go dira diphetho; bokgoni le tsebo tšeo di nyakegago go phethagatša mešongwana ye e itšeng tšeo di šupilwego tšeo di se nago dialoga tše mpsha tšeo di thapilwego ke dipanka; tlhahlo ye e lebanego go tša dipanka institušeneng ya ODeL (tebelelo ya borutegi) le maano a go tswalela sekgala seo. Dipoelo tša tshekatsheko yeo e phethagaditšwego go ditlakelo tša thuto tša tshekatsheko ya matlotlo a kgwebo go thuša bolaodi go dira diphetho go tšwa yunibesithing ya ODeL di hlagišitšwe ka magoro a mane; Kakanyatshenyegelo, Bolaodi bja ditšhelete, Phetolelo ya datha go popego yeo e ka dirišwago ka go Tšhupamatlotlo le Tlhako ya Botsebi ya SAICA. Dipoelo di bontšha gore bathapi ba dipankeng ba amogela modiro wo o fihleletšwego ke diinstitušene tša thuto ya godingwana wa go fa baithuti bokgoni bja motheo bja tshekatsheko ya matlotlo a kgwebo go thuša bolaodi go dira diphetho bjoo bo ba kgontšhago go thoma go šoma maemong a tshekatsheko ya matlotlo a kgwebo go thuša bolaodi go dira diphetho dipankeng. Le ge go le bjalo, batšeakarolo dipankeng ba be ba tshwenywa ke go se kgone ga dialoga go tswalanya teori le tirišo ya ka mehla gape ba tiiša gore dialoga di hloka bokgoni le tsebo tšeo di nyakegago go phethagatša mešongwana ye e itšeng. Dirutegi di tiišitše gore lenaneothuto la tshekatsheko ya matlotlo a kgwebo go thuša bolaodi go dira diphetho ga e fe šedi ye ntši go dipanka le diintasteri tše dingwe tša tirelo ya ditšhelete; go go dirwago gagolo ke ditiro le dithutelo tša ditiragalo tše itšeng tšeo di sepelelanago le diintasteri tša tšweletšo. Tshekatsheko ya ditlakelo tša thuto tše di kgethetšwego baithuti di thekga ntlha ye le go šupa gore go na le ditiro tšeo e sego tše ntši tšeo di tswalanego le go direla dikhamphani le ditšhupetšo tše mmalwa go dipopego ka boikemelo bja tšona tša lekala la ditirelo tša ditšhelete. Batšeakarolo ba file ditšhišinyo tše mmalwa tšeo ka morago , gare ga tše dingwe, di akaretšago ditiro tša maleba le dithutelo go ditiragalo tše di bilego gona ka go lenaneothuto la tshekatsheko ya matlotlo a kgwebo go thuša bolaodi go dira diphetho le go fana ka bogolwane gare ga intasteri ya go panka le diyunibesithi. Thutelo ye e na le seabe go sengwalwa ka ga maleba a dipanka go bokgoni le tsebo tšeo di nyakegago go phethagatša mešongwana ye e itšeng tša tshekatsheko ya matlotlo a kgwebo go thuša bolaodi go dira diphetho gapegape le go Lekala la Ditirelo tša Ditšhelete. E fa tshedimošo ka ga bokgoni le tsebo tšeo di nyakegago go phethagatša tshekatsheko ya matlotlo a kgwebo go thuša bolaodi go dira diphetho tšeo di hlaelago go dialoga. Mafelo a tlaleletšo ao a hlokago dinyakišišo tše dingwe le ona a šupilwe.