International Journal of Innovative Research and Development

Abstract

The study sought to investigate factors influencing academic performance in introductory Accounting courses at Universities in Zimbabwe. The focus of the research was on getting a non–accounting major students’ perspective on the association between learner’s background, institutional factors, attitude towards accounting courses and lecturer related issues to their success or failure in foundational accounting courses.  Out of around thirteen universities in Zimbabwe, a convenience sample of five universities was done due to financial constraints. A sample of thirty students from each university was given the questionnaire, giving a total of 150 students. Since data collected was categorical the chi-square test was used to determine whether there is a significant association between passing an introductory accounting course and the various factors.  The relative strength of an association was measured using Cramer’s V. Coefficient since it is not affected by sample size. The findings were that there is a strong association between success in foundational accounting courses and students thoroughness in examination preparation, quality of the accounting lecturer’s preparation, quality of learning resources, use of technology to enhance understanding of concepts and a conducive classroom environment. Social factors such as alcohol consumption, number of sexual partners, level of family material and moral support had no association to student’s performance. However, the sample size was too small and future studies may thrust on specific factors in detail.  The researchers recommended that universities should invest in improving the classroom environment by reducing the lecturer- student ratio and offer compulsory accounting education pedagogies to lecturers in introductory accounting courses. 

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