Accountants' Perspectives on Essential Skills for Digital Accountants that Enhance the Operational Performance of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises in Bangkok and Vicinity
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
This study examined accountants' perspectives on essential digital skills that enhance the operational performance of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Bangkok and its surroundings. Data was collected from 330 full-time accountants using stratified random sampling. Multiple regression analysis revealed that digital communication (β = 0.582), data analytics (β = 0.300), and technological proficiency (β = 0.220) had significant positive relationships with perceived operational performance, while accounting knowledge showed a negative relationship (β = -0.137). The application of an ethical framework was statistically insignificant. These findings suggest that sole reliance on traditional skills is inadequate for accountants operating in the contemporary business environment. Therefore, developing digital expertise alongside traditional accounting competencies is critical for enhancing SME performance in the digital environment. This study contributes to accounting literature by providing empirical evidence of the perceived hierarchy of digital skills needed in contemporary accounting practice and offers practical insights for accounting education and professional development.
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
The manuscript submitted for publication must be the original version, submitted only to this particular journal with no prior acceptance for publication elsewhere in other academic journals. The manuscript must also not violate the copyright issue by means of plagiarism.
References
Anggadwita, G., & Mustafid, Q. Y. (2014). Identification of factors influencing the performance of small medium enterprises (SMEs). Procedia Social and Behavior Sciences, 115, 415–423. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.02.448
Arkhipova, D., Montemari, M., Mio, C., & Marasca, S. (2024). Digital technologies and the evolution of the management accounting profession: A grounded theory literature review. Meditari Accountancy Research, 32(7), 35-64. https://doi.org/10.1108/MEDAR-07-2023-2097
Barney, J. B. (1991). Firm resources and sustained competitive advantage. Journal of Management, 17(1), 99–120. https://doi.org/10.1177/014920639101700108
Bhimani, A., & Willcocks, L. (2014). Digitisation,‘Big Data’and the transformation of accounting information. Accounting and Business Research, 44(4), 469–490. https://doi.org/10.1080/00014788.2014.910051
Carnegie, G., Parker, L., & Tsahuridu, E. (2021). It’s 2020: What is accounting today?. Australian Accounting Review, 31(1), 65-73. https://doi.org/10.1111/auar.12325
Ciba, K. (2024, October 23). Number of MSMEs Thailand 2019-2023. Statista. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1337417/thailand-number-of-msmes
Cicea, C., Popa, I., Marinescu, C., & Ştefan, S. (2019). Determinants of SMEs’ performance: Evidence from European countries. Economic Research-Ekonomska Istraživanja, 32(1), 1602–1620. https://doi.org/10.1080/1331677X.2019.1636699
Coman, D. M., Ionescu, C. A., Duică, A., Coman, M. D., Uzlau, M. C., Stanescu, S. G., & State, V. (2022). Digitization of accounting: The premise of the paradigm shift of role of the professional accountant. Applied Sciences, 12(7), 3359. https://doi.org/10.3390/app12073359
Coreynen, W., Matthyssens, P., & Bockhaven, W. V. (2017). Boosting servitization through digitization: Pathways and dynamic resource configurations for manufacturers. Industrial Marketing Management, 60, 42-53. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indmarman.2016.04.012
Efosa, E. E., & Eromonsele, A. (2023). Data analytics in advancing accounting profession and business information for decision making. GPH-International Journal of Business Management, 6(5), 17-37. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7952704
Fornell, C., & Larcker, D. F. (1981). Evaluating structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error. Journal of Marketing Research, 18(1), 39-50. https://doi.org/10.1177/002224378101800104
Goh, C., Kusnadi, Y., Pan, G., & Seow, P. S. (2021). Enhancing cultural intelligence and digital literacy in accounting education: Insights from a university’s global student consulting programme. International Journal of Education, 9(2), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.5121/ije2021.9201
Hamdy, A., Diab, A., & Eissa, A. M. (2025). Digital transformation and the quality of accounting information systems in the public sector: Evidence from developing countries. International Journal of Financial Studies, 13(1), 30. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijfs13010030
International Financial Reporting Standards [IFRS]. (2024). Conceptual framework for financial reporting. https://www.ifrs.org/issued-standards/list-of-standards/conceptual-framework/#standard
Jackson, D., Michelson, G., & Munir, R. (2022). New technology and desired skills of early career accountants. Pacific Accounting Review, 34(4), 548-568. https://doi.org/10.1108/PAR-04-2021-0045
Kádárová, J., Lachvajderová, L., & Sukopová, D. (2023). Impact of digitalization on SME performance of the EU27: Panel data analysis. Sustainability, 15(13), 9973. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15139973
Klynveld Peat Marwick Goerdeler [KPMG]. (2024). Digitalisation in accounting 2023/2024. https://kpmg.com/de/en/home/insights/2024/02/digitalisation-in-accounting-2023-2024.html
Knudsen, D. R. (2020). Elusive boundaries, power relations, and knowledge production: A systematic review of the literature on digitalization in accounting. International Journal of Accounting Information Systems, 36(1), 100441. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.accinf.2019.100441
Lau, A., & Höyng, M. (2023). Digitalization? A matter of trust: A double-mediation model investigating employee trust in management regarding digitalization. Review of Managerial Science, 17, 2165-2183. http://doi.org/10.1007/s11846-022-00598-6
Lokuge, S., & Duan, S. X. (2021). Towards understanding enablers of digital transformation in small and medium-sized enterprises. Australasian conference on information systems 2021. Sydney, Australia. http://dx.doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2111.05989
Murthy, U. (2016). Researching at the intersection of accounting and information technology: A call for action. Journal of Information Systems, 30(2), 159-167. https://doi.org/10.2308/isys-51413
Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development [OECD]. (2024, March 13). Financing SMEs and entrepreneurs 2024: An OECD scoreboard. http://doi.org/10.1787/fdacc78c-en
Phornlaphatrachakorn, K., & Na-Kalasindhu, K. (2021). Digital accounting, financial reporting quality and digital transformation: Evidence from Thai listed firms. Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business, 8(8), 409-419. http://doi.org/10.1007/s11846-022-00598-6
Ritter, T., & Pedersen, C. (2020). Digitization capability and the digitalization of business models in business-to-business firms: Past, present, and future. Industrial Marketing Management, 86(1), 180-190. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indmarman.2019.11.019
Sakthachak, K., & Sukwattanasinitt. K. (2019). Patčhai khō̜ng nak banchī yu khō̜di čhi than thī mī phon tō̜ phon samrit nai kān patibat ngān khō̜ng nūaingān rātchakān nai prathēt Thai [Factors affecting working efficiency of digital accountants working in Thai government offices]. Hatyai Academic Journal, 17(1), 17-31.
Siriwardane, H., & Durden, C. H. (2014). The communication skills of accountants: What we know and the gaps in our knowledge. Accounting Education, 23(2), 119–134. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09639284.2013.847329
Stancheva-Todorova, E. (2020). The knowledge and skills profile of accountant 4.0. Horizons-International Scientific Journal, 25(2), 79-95. https://doi.org/10.20544/HORIZONS.A.25.2.20.P05
The Office of SMEs Promotion [OSMEP]. (2023). Rāingān sathānakān SMEs pī sō̜ngphanhārō̜ihoksiphok [Situation report of MSMEs in 2023]. https://old.sme.go.th/upload/mod_download/download-20230904173524.pdf
Upradit, A. (2018). Khwāmsamphan khō̜ng čhanyāban wichāchīp banchī thī mī tō̜ phon kān patibat ngān khō̜ng phū tham banchī nai čhangwat Lampāng [The relationship of accounting professional ethics toward performance of bookkeeper in Lampang province]. Journal of Faculty of Applied Arts, 11(1), 81-91.
Wernerfelt, B. (1984). A resource-based view of the firm. Strategic Management Journal, 5(2), 171–180. https://doi.org/10.1002/smj.4250050207
Yahaya, H. D., & Nadarajah, G. (2023). Determining key factors influencing SMEs’ performance: A systematic literature review and experts’ verification. Cogent Business & Management, 10(3), 1-23. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2023.2251195
Yuen, T. M., & Baskaran, S. (2023). Going digital for SMES: Adapting business model and seizing opportunities to achieve sustainable business performance. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 13(2), 422-433. http://doi.org/10.6007/ijarbss/v13-i2/16370
Zhang, Y., Xiong, F., Xie, Y., Xuan, F., & Gu, H. (2020). The impact of artificial intelligence and blockchain on the accounting profession. IEEE Access, 8(1), 110461-110477. https://doi.org/10.1109/access.2020.3000505