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Impact of Accounting Innovation Competitions on Creative Problem-Solving Skills among Accounting Education Students in Nigerian Universities

Abstract

Creative problem-solving skills are increasingly important for Accounting Education students because contemporary accounting practice requires professionals to identify financial problems, evaluate alternative solutions, apply accounting knowledge to unfamiliar situations, and develop innovative approaches to accounting and business challenges. Traditional accounting instruction may emphasize established procedures and routine problem-solving activities, which may provide limited opportunities for students to experiment with alternative solutions, generate original ideas, collaborate, and apply accounting knowledge creatively. Accounting Innovation Competitions provide students with opportunities to address practical accounting and business problems through competitive, collaborative, and solution-oriented activities. Such competitions may encourage students to analyse problems, generate alternative solutions, apply accounting principles, use technology, communicate ideas, and develop innovative responses to practical challenges. Against this background, this study investigates the impact of Accounting Innovation Competitions on creative problem-solving skills among Accounting Education students in Nigerian universities. The study will be anchored on Experiential Learning Theory, Constructivist Learning Theory, and Social Cognitive Theory. Experiential Learning Theory explains how students develop practical competencies through concrete experiences, reflection, conceptualization, and active experimentation. Constructivist Learning Theory emphasizes the active construction of knowledge through problem-solving, collaboration, inquiry, and interaction with meaningful learning situations. Social Cognitive Theory emphasizes observational learning, modelling, self-efficacy, feedback, reinforcement, and interaction between learners and their learning environments. Collectively, these theoretical perspectives provide a suitable framework for explaining how Accounting Innovation Competitions may influence creative problem-solving skills among Accounting Education students. The study will adopt a quantitative quasi-experimental research design. The population will comprise Accounting Education students enrolled in selected Nigerian universities. A multistage sampling technique will be used to select geopolitical zones, states, universities, departments, levels of study, classes, and eligible students. Data will be collected using structured questionnaires, creative problem-solving skills assessment scales, accounting innovation competition tasks, practical performance rubrics, observation checklists, innovation-project assessment scores, judges’ evaluation forms, and pre-test and post-test assessments. Accounting Innovation Competitions will be assessed using indicators such as participation in accounting innovation competitions, frequency of competition activities, exposure to accounting problem-solving challenges, case-based accounting challenges, financial-analysis challenges, bookkeeping challenges, auditing challenges, taxation challenges, management-accounting challenges, entrepreneurship-related accounting challenges, accounting-technology challenges, financial-reporting challenges, accounting-data analysis challenges, digital accounting challenges, business-solution development, accounting software application, spreadsheet application, financial-technology application, research activities, information-search activities, idea generation, brainstorming, team-based problem-solving, independent problem-solving, competition preparation, practical demonstrations, project development, presentation activities, peer collaboration, mentorship, lecturer guidance, industry interaction, feedback, judging, reflection, revision of proposed solutions, repeated competition activities, and exposure to real-world accounting problems. Students’ creative problem-solving skills will be assessed using indicators such as problem identification, problem definition, information gathering, financial-data interpretation, accounting-data analysis, critical thinking, analytical reasoning, logical reasoning, idea generation, brainstorming ability, originality, fluency of ideas, flexibility of thinking, alternative-solution generation, solution evaluation, decision-making, application of accounting principles, application of accounting standards, practical accounting knowledge, numerical reasoning, financial reasoning, risk identification, error identification, error analysis, error correction, creative use of accounting information, technology utilization, digital problem-solving, research ability, information-search ability, evidence evaluation, innovation, adaptability, experimentation, solution testing, solution improvement, teamwork, communication, presentation, collaboration, negotiation, leadership, time management, confidence, self-efficacy, persistence, independent thinking, reflective thinking, and overall creative problem-solving competence. Descriptive statistics will be used to summarize students’ demographic and academic characteristics, participation in Accounting Innovation Competitions, competition experiences, and creative problem-solving skill levels. Inferential statistical techniques, including paired and independent t-tests, analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis where appropriate, will be used to determine the impact of Accounting Innovation Competitions on students’ creative problem-solving skills. Where a quasi-experimental design is adopted, creative problem-solving scores before and after participation in the competitions may be compared with those of a control group receiving conventional accounting instruction to determine changes associated with the intervention. Diagnostic tests will also be conducted to assess the reliability, validity, and robustness of the findings. The study is expected to find that Accounting Innovation Competitions have a significant positive impact on creative problem-solving skills among Accounting Education students in Nigerian universities. Students exposed to structured accounting innovation competitions are expected to demonstrate improved ability to identify accounting problems, analyse financial information, generate alternative solutions, evaluate possible approaches, and develop practical responses to accounting and business challenges. Participation in accounting problem-solving challenges may strengthen students’ ability to apply theoretical knowledge to unfamiliar situations. Case-based accounting challenges may improve students’ ability to analyse practical financial problems. Financial-analysis activities may strengthen students’ ability to interpret accounting information and identify possible solutions. Bookkeeping challenges may improve students’ ability to identify recording problems and develop appropriate corrections. Auditing challenges may strengthen students’ ability to investigate financial irregularities and propose appropriate solutions. Taxation challenges may improve students’ ability to analyse tax-related problems and evaluate alternative approaches. Management-accounting challenges may strengthen students’ ability to use accounting information for planning, control, and decision-making. Entrepreneurship-related challenges may improve students’ ability to apply accounting knowledge to business problems. Accounting-technology challenges may strengthen students’ ability to use digital tools in solving accounting problems. Financial-reporting challenges may improve students’ ability to analyse reporting problems and develop appropriate accounting responses. Accounting-data analysis activities may strengthen students’ ability to extract useful information from financial data. Digital accounting challenges may improve students’ technological problem-solving competence. Business-solution development may encourage students to connect accounting knowledge with practical organizational needs. Accounting-software activities may strengthen students’ ability to use technology to address accounting problems. Spreadsheet activities may improve students’ ability to organize, analyse, and manipulate financial information. Financial-technology activities may expose students to innovative approaches to accounting and financial challenges. Research activities may strengthen students’ ability to search for information and identify evidence-based solutions. Information-search activities may improve students’ ability to locate relevant accounting information. Idea-generation and brainstorming activities may increase the number and variety of solutions students can produce. Team-based problem-solving may expose students to different perspectives and encourage collaborative solution development. Independent problem-solving may strengthen students’ confidence in developing solutions without direct assistance. Competition preparation may improve students’ ability to organize information and develop strategies for solving accounting problems. Practical demonstrations may provide opportunities for students to test proposed solutions. Project-development activities may strengthen students’ ability to transform ideas into practical accounting solutions. Presentation activities may improve students’ ability to explain and defend innovative solutions. Peer collaboration may encourage students to exchange ideas and evaluate alternative approaches. Mentorship and lecturer guidance may provide constructive support during problem-solving activities. Industry interaction may expose students to realistic accounting and business problems. Feedback from lecturers, peers, and competition judges may help students identify weaknesses and improve proposed solutions. Judging activities may encourage students to evaluate the practicality, originality, feasibility, and effectiveness of different solutions. Reflection may help students learn from successful and unsuccessful approaches. Revision activities may strengthen students’ ability to improve solutions based on feedback. Repeated competition participation may improve students’ confidence, flexibility, persistence, and independence in solving accounting problems. Exposure to real-world accounting problems may strengthen students’ ability to transfer classroom knowledge to practical situations. However, the effectiveness of Accounting Innovation Competitions may be constrained by inadequate funding, limited access to accounting technology, insufficient competition facilities, large student populations, limited lecturer involvement, inadequate industry partnerships, insufficient time for competition preparation, limited access to realistic accounting cases, inadequate mentoring, weak institutional support, limited availability of innovation programmes, students’ fear of competition, low participation, inadequate feedback mechanisms, and insufficient integration of innovation-based activities into university Accounting Education programmes. The study therefore expects well-organized, practical, collaborative, technology-supported, industry-relevant, and adequately supervised Accounting Innovation Competitions to contribute significantly to improved creative problem-solving skills among Accounting Education students in Nigerian universities. The study is expected to contribute to the literature on Accounting Innovation Competitions, creative problem-solving skills, Experiential Learning Theory, Constructivist Learning Theory, Social Cognitive Theory, accounting education, practical accounting education, accounting innovation, creative thinking, critical thinking, analytical reasoning, accounting problem-solving, financial analysis, bookkeeping, auditing, taxation, management accounting, financial reporting, accounting technology, digital accounting, accounting software, spreadsheet skills, financial technology, business problem-solving, innovation education, experiential learning, collaborative learning, student competitions, employability skills, workplace readiness, professional competence, Accounting Education students, Nigerian universities, and Accounting Education in Nigeria. The findings will provide useful information to the National Universities Commission, university administrators, Accounting Education departments, accounting educators, curriculum developers, professional accounting bodies, employers, accounting firms, financial-technology organizations, industry partners, and policymakers regarding strategies for strengthening students’ creative and practical accounting competencies. The study will also provide evidence-based recommendations for integrating Accounting Innovation Competitions into Accounting Education programmes, developing realistic accounting innovation challenges, strengthening students’ exposure to practical accounting problems, providing modern accounting technology and software, increasing collaboration between universities and accounting organizations, establishing effective mentorship and feedback systems, encouraging student participation in accounting innovation activities, and aligning Accounting Education programmes with the creative problem-solving and innovation requirements of contemporary accounting practice in Nigeria.

Keywords: Accounting Innovation Competitions, creative problem-solving skills, accounting education, accounting innovation, creative thinking, critical thinking, financial analysis, practical accounting education, accounting technology, digital accounting, accounting software, financial technology, student competitions, employability skills, Accounting Education students, Nigerian universities, Nigeria.