What skills and attributes does an accounting graduate need? Evidence from student perceptions and employer expectations Marie H. Kavanagha , Lyndal Drennanb The accounting profession worldwide has come under close scrutiny in the last decade as a result of a series of high-profile corporate failures, changingtechnology and globalization of the world economy. These change drivers have reduced the cost of information and increased the level of competition among organizations. This has resulted in a need for quicker and more decisive action by management, an emergence of new companies or industries and a requirement for new professional services and skills (Albrecht and Sack, 2000).As a result, employers are seeking a diverse range of skills and attributes in new accounting graduates to maintain a competitive advantage despite the fact that many countries are facing a skills shortage in the area (Birrell, 2006). Recently, the training and education of accountants worldwide has been...