Accounting, often described as the language of business , requires a diverse set of written, listening and oral communication skills if those who practise it are to be effective. Given the pace of change relating to, for example, the evolution of international accounting standards and the demands for greater transparency, accountants must be clear, responsive, and audience-focussed communicators.

Employers of accountants consistently comment on the need for their new graduate recruits and trainees to have strong written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills. In this light, accounting educators face the challenge of designing and delivering programmes that reflect professional expectations on the part of employers and clients, and educating students on how to make informed communication choices in order to achieve desired results and to build good working relationships.

The chapters in this book deal with such topics as accounting students’ perceptions of oral communication skills; competence-based writing skills; and the development of listening skills.

This book is derived from articles originally published in Accounting Education: an international journal.