Ranking the Expected Utilities of Practical Training in the Employment of Qualified Workforce in The Field of Accounting with Fuzzy Swara
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18137977Keywords:
Qualified Workforce, Employment, Practical Training, Fuzzy SWARAAbstract
To overcome the challenges encountered in today's business world, a workforce with only professional and technical knowledge is not enough. For this reason, the business world needs a qualified workforce that has sufficient professional and technical knowledge as well as some personal competencies. Having a workforce with many competencies is a high preference for employers as it will help them cope with the various challenges of business life. In this framework, the basic indicator of the quality of education provided in higher education institutions depends on the fact that graduates are suitable for the demands of the business world and can be employed as qualified workforce in their fields. However, it is known that the accounting education given in the undergraduate programs of faculties of economic and administrative sciences in Turkey remains largely theoretical and does not meet the expectations of the business world. In this context, the benefits expected from practical training in accounting field should be identified and implemented in all higher education institutions.
This study aims to identify the priorities of the business world by ranking the expected benefits of practical training for final-year university students from the practical training program in the field of accounting based on factors. The expected utilities are determined by a literature review and face-to-face interviews conducted with the managers responsible for the students in their workplaces. The data obtained from the interviews were analyzed with the fuzzy SWARA method and the expected utilities were listed based on identified factors. According to the results the most important expected benefit, with a weight of 20.44%, is “Improving the ability to master legal regulations”. This factor was followed by ‘’Improving Skills of Internal and External Reporting‘’ with 15.65%, “Improving the skills of social responsibility and ethics” with 13.49%, “Improving skills of control” with 11.53%, “Improving the skills of partnership and teamwork with 11.20%”; “Improving analytical thinking skills” with 10.99%;’’Improving skills in using Information Systems” with 8.77 and finally “Improving communication skills” with 7.92%.
References
Aghdaie, M. H., Zolfani, S. H., & Zavadskas, E. K. (2013). Decision making in machine tool selection: An integrated approach with SWARA and COPRAS-G methods. Inzinerine Ekonomika–Engineering Economics, 24(1), 5–17.
AICPA. (2023). Revised interpretation professional qualifications or competencies. https://www.aicpacima.com/resources/download/revised-interpretation-professional-qualifications-or-competencies-formerly-uniform-cpa-examination-and-continuing-professional-education
Akkaya, B. (2019). The effect of accountants' soft skills on professional success. Journal of Business and Economics Research, 10(1), 45–60.
Almeida, V. V. A., Gomes, C. F. S., Pinochet, L. H. C., & Santos, M. (2025). Prioritization of investment order in Brazil among renewable energy sources: An analysis using the SWARA-MOORA-3NAG method. Journal of Modelling in Management, 20(2), 620–647.
Basirat, S., Raoufi, S., Bazmandeh, D., Khamoushi, S., & Entezami, M. (2025). Ranking of AI-based criteria in health tourism using fuzzy SWARA method. Computer and Decision Making – An International Journal, 2, 530–545.
Boyatzis, R. E. (2008). Competencies in the 21st century. Journal of Management Development, 27(1), 5–12.
Brewer, P. C., Sorensen, J. E., & Stout, D. E. (2014). The future of accounting education: Addressing the competency crisis. Strategic Finance, (August), 28–37.
Bui, B., & Porter, B. (2010). The expectation–performance gap in accounting education: An exploratory study. Accounting Education, 19(1–2), 23–50.
Büyükmirza, K. (2016). Accounting Theory. Gazi Publishing House.
Chang, D. Y. (1996). Applications of the extent analysis method on fuzzy AHP. European Journal of Operational Research, 95(3), 649–655.
Gheibdoust, H., Gilaninia, S., & Taleghani, M. (2024). Identification and prioritization of the factors influencing service quality in the hotel industry by SWARA and ARAS methods during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Quality Assurance in Hospitality & Tourism, 25(6), 1918–1940.
Gücenme Gençoğlu, Ü. (2017). Accounting Information System and Digital Transformation. Beta Publications.
IFAC – International Federation of Accountants. (2021). International Education Standards. https://www.ifac.org
Jackling, B., & De Lange, P. (2009). Do accounting graduates’ skills meet the expectations of employers? A matter of convergence or divergence. Accounting Education, 18(4–5), 369–385.
Kaya, C. (2022). Digitalization and new qualification requirements in the accounting profession. Journal of Social and Human Sciences, 14(3), 112–130.
Keršuliene, V., Zavadskas, E. K., & Turskis, Z. (2010). Selection of rational dispute resolution method by applying new step-wise weight assessment ratio analysis (SWARA). Journal of Business Economics and Management, 11(2), 243–258.
Koçak, K. (2023). Evaluating Universities’ Performance With Fuzzy AHP, Fuzzy SWARA and TOPSIS. Unpublished Master Thesis. Hacettepe University, Educational Sciences Institute.
Lawson, R. A., Blocher, E. J., Brewer, P. C., Cokins, G., Sorensen, J. E., Stout, D. E., Sundem, G. L., Wolcott, S. K., & Wouters, M. J. F. (2014). Focusing accounting curricula on students’ long-run careers: Recommendations for an integrated competency-based framework for accounting education. Issues in Accounting Education, 29(2), 295–317.
Lucas, U., Cox, P., Croudace, C., & Milford, P. (2004). Who writes this stuff?: Students’ perceptions of their skills development. Teaching in Higher Education, 9(1), 55–68.
Mavi, R., Goh, M., & Zarbashnia, N. (2017). Sustainable third-party reverse logistic provider selection with fuzzy SWARA and fuzzy MOORA in plastic industry. International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology, 91, 2401–2418.
Milner, M., & Hill, W. Y. (2008). Examining the skills debate in Scotland. International Journal of Management Education, 6(3), 13–20.
OECD – Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. (2011). Towards an OECD skills strategy. https://www.oecd.org
OECD. (2020). The future of work: Accounting and finance. OECD Publishing.
Pandey, B., & Khurana, M. K. (2024). An integrated Pythagorean fuzzy SWARA–COPRAS framework to prioritise the solutions for mitigating Industry 4.0 risks. Expert Systems with Applications, 254, 124412.
Pincus, K. V., Stout, D. E., Sorensen, J. E., Stocks, K. D., & Lawson, R. A. (2017). Forces for change in higher education and implications for the accounting academy. Journal of Accounting Education, 40, 1–18.
Prajapati, H., Kant, R., & Shanka, R. (2019). Prioritizing the solutions of reverse logistics implementation to mitigate its barriers: A hybrid modified SWARA and WASPAS approach. Journal of Cleaner Production, 240, 118219.
Practical Training Framework Regulation in Higher Education. (2021, June 17). Official Gazette, No: 31514. https://mevzuat.gov.tr/mevzuat?MevzuatNo=38922&MevzuatTur=7&MevzuatTertip=5
Santos, F. J. J., & Camargo, H. A. (2010). Fuzzy systems for multicriteria decision making. CLEI Electronic Journal, 13(3), Article 4.
Schultz, T. W. (1966). Beşeri sermayeye yapılan yatırım. In M. Berk, F. Gönün & S. İlkin (Eds.), İktisadi Kalkınma Seçme Yazılar (pp. 406–424). Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi İdari İlimler Fakültesi Yayınları.
Siegel, G., & Sorensen, J. E. (1994). What corporate America wants in entry-level accountants: Some methodological concerns. Journal of Accounting Education, 14(1), 1–16.
Siegel, G., Sorensen, J. E., Klammer, T., & Richtermeyer, S. B. (2010). The ongoing preparation gap in accounting education: A call to action. Management Accounting Quarterly, 11(3), 41–52.
Şimşek, H. (1995). Economics of education theories, sources of inequality and youth unemployment. Education Administration, 1(3).
Stanujkic, D., Karabasevic, D., & Zavadskas, E. K. (2015). A framework for the selection of a packaging design based on the SWARA method. Inzinerine Ekonomika–Engineering Economics, 26(2), 181–187.
Tosunoğlu, B., & Cengiz, S. (2020). Accounting education in Turkey: Review of undergraduate curriculum and evaluation within the scope of developments. Journal of Economics, Business and Political Researches, 6(2), 194–214.
TÜRMOB. (2020). Ethical Principles and Practices of Accounting Professionals. TÜRMOB Publications.
Yaşar, R. Ş. (2019). Thinking outside the box: Competency-oriented accounting education. Journal of Accounting and Finance, 81, 85–100.
Zarbakhshnia, N., Soleimani, H., & Ghaderi, H. (2018). Sustainable third-party reverse logistics provider evaluation and selection using fuzzy SWARA and developed fuzzy COPRAS in the presence of risk criteria. Applied Soft Computing, 70, 307–319.
Zolfani, S. H., Görçün, Ö. F., & Küçükönder, H. (2021). Evaluating logistics villages in Turkey using hybrid improved fuzzy SWARA (IMF SWARA) and fuzzy MABAC techniques. Technological and Economic Development of Economy, 27(6), 1582–1612.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 International Journal of Contemporary Economics and Administrative Sciences

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
The Author(s) must make formal transfer of copyright for each article prior to publication in the International Journal of Contemporary Economics and Administrative Sciences. Such transfer enables the Journal to defend itself against plagiarism and other forms of copyright infringement. Your cooperation is appreciated. You agree that copyright of your article to be published in the International Journal of Contemporary Economics and Administrative Sciences is hereby transferred, throughout the World and for the full term and all extensions and renewals thereof, to International Journal of Contemporary Economics and Administrative Sciences.
The Author(s) reserve(s): (a) the trademark rights and patent rights, if any, and (b) the right to use all or part of the information contained in this article in future, non-commercial works of the Author's own, or, if the article is a "work-for-hire" and made within the scope of the Author's employment, the employer may use all or part of the information contained in this article for intra-company use, provided the usual acknowledgements are given regarding copyright notice and reference to the original publication.
The Author(s) warrant(s) that the article is Author's original work, and has not been published before. If excerpts from copyrighted works are included, the Author will obtain written permission from the copyright owners and shall credit the sources in the article. The author also warrants that the article contains no libelous or unlawful statements, and does not infringe on the rights of others. If the article was prepared jointly with other Author(s), the Author agrees to inform the co-Author(s) of the terms of the copyright transfer and to sign on their behalf; or in the case of a "work-for-hire" the employer or an authorized representative of the employer.
The journal is registered with the ISSN : 1925-4423.
IJCEAS is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
This license lets others distribute, remix, tweak, and build upon your work, even commercially, as long as they credit you for the original creation. This is the most accommodating of licenses offered. Recommended for maximum dissemination and use of licensed materials.
