Creating value in accounting education with a qualitative research methodology

Abstract

This article reports on the transformative design principles that were generated during the process of better aligning accounting education with accounting practice. Managing the risk of a disparity between accounting education and practice by matching the dynamics of the workplace and education arena could create value for the accounting graduate and the employer. In the process of change necessary for the integration of accounting software skills in accounting education transformation design principles were identified as imperative ground rules. The development and conceptualisation of the transformation design principles were drawn from iterative cycles, unique coding and analysis from the infusion of two research methods. The infusion of the two research methods contributed to the development of the transformative design principles, which led to the reform of accounting education in higher education. The transformative design principles developed are demonstrated to have generic properties that could be applied to other environments.