Australian accounting academics: challenges and possibilities
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide a thought-provoking, attention-directing diegesis about the quality of the experience for those working as academic accounting scholars.
Design/methodology/approach
Using storytelling by the authors as narrators and a literature review, this paper examines challenges to, and possibilities for, accounting academics.
Findings
The study reveals a number of possibilities for the sustainability of the accounting academy in Australia, all of which rely on the symbiotic relations between the three elements of the profession – practitioners, policymakers and academics – to prepare accounting and business professionals for the future.
Research limitations/implications
The study is limited to the Australian context of academic accountants and, therefore, the identified possibilities for accounting academics in other contexts may differ.
Practical implications
This paper identifies the challenges for contemporary accounting academics in Australia and presents opportunities for sustainability of the Australian accounting academy.
Originality/value
This paper uses a story to explore its overarching theme of the quality of the academic experience for accounting academics in Australia. The story is developed from the authors’ combined experiences of > 80 years as accounting academics who are also actively engaged with the profession.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors benefited from Chris Humphrey’s comments on previous drafts, as well as views of participants at the plenary panel on the Sustainability of Accounting Academia held at the 2011 Annual Congress of the European Accounting Association (Rome). In addition, there were research seminars at Waikato University in November, New Zealand, and CAGS research seminar in Adelaide and a Heads of Accounting School forum in Sydney. Whilst the original plenary was delivered by James Guthrie, the academic leadership work over the past four years has been a joint effort by all three authors. The authors also gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Centre for Accounting, Governance and Sustainability (CAGS) at the University of South Australia and the Institute of Chartered Accountants Australia (ICAA), which jointly sponsored both the academic thought leadership forums, from which this work stems, and the Academic Leadership Series that followed. The authors are also indebted to the many people who made the forum and the Academic Leadership Series possible, especially the presenters and authors whose work contributed to the series. At each forum, there have been over 80 individuals representing academia, the profession and practice. Other stakeholders, including standard setters, government and policymakers, were included. The authors are also grateful for the many colleagues who continue to participate in contemporary debates about the sustainability of accounting academia within an Australian context. Finally, the authors are pleased to acknowledge the comments, suggestions and advice received from various reviewers. Thanks are also due to Fiona Crawford and Julz Stevens from Macquarie University and Dr Joanne Tingey-Holyoak from the University of South Australia for their editing and research support.
Citation
Guthrie, J., Evans, E. and Burritt, R. (2014), "Australian accounting academics: challenges and possibilities", Meditari Accountancy Research, Vol. 22 No. 1, pp. 20-37. https://doi.org/10.1108/MEDAR-09-2013-0038
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2014, Emerald Group Publishing Limited