The Evolution Of An Accounting Information Systems Concentration: Concepts And An Example

Abstract

There is no doubt accounting educators need to better prepare students for the information age. However, when accounting faculty begin to address the improvement issues, they realize two daunting truths. First, there is a shortage of talent in the area lying between the fields of MIS (whose professionals often know little accounting) and accounting (whose professionals are not always proficient in systems development and design), especially when it comes to integrating MIS and technology concepts with accounting material as required by an AIS program. Second, the demand for such hybrid expertise is higher today than ever in the past. The demand creates wonderful opportunities for institutions seeking to improve their program and market their students to the accounting and MIS professions. But the lack of expertise means that assembling a qualified faculty to achieve such improvement may provide a daunting task. This article describes one approach which has been successful in developing an Accounting Information Systems program at an institute in spite of such problems.