Ten years of Qualitative Research in Accounting & Management: celebrations and reflections

Citation

Northcott, D. (2014), "Ten years of Qualitative Research in Accounting & Management: celebrations and reflections", Qualitative Research in Accounting & Management, Vol. 11 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/QRAM-03-2014-0025

Ten years of Qualitative Research in Accounting & Management: celebrations and reflections

Article Type:

Editorial

From:

Qualitative Research in Accounting & Management, Volume 11, Issue 1

It is my great pleasure to introduce this tenth anniversary special issue of Qualitative Research in Accounting & Management (QRAM). This issue comprises six invited contributions that both celebrate and reflect upon the past decade of qualitative research published in this journal.

Summarising this special issue

The first of these contributions, by Keith Hooper, traces the genesis of QRAM and the reasons why Keith and I established the journal ten years ago. Taking a perspective informed by the theories of Bourdieu and Plantinga, Hooper aims to provoke us into considering means of eschewing the “levels of dominance” that exist in the world of accounting publishing and ensuring that new researchers can find their own voice, rather than needing to travel on the coat tails of a “Big Name” in accounting research. In doing so, Hooper underlines that a key aim of QRAM has always been to provide an outlet for new (and also not-so-new) researchers to challenge dominant modes of research and outlets for publishing.

In the second paper, Lee Parker reviews the range of qualitative methodologies employed in QRAM papers over the past decade. His aim is to analyse the methodological discourse and how it has contributed to “the armoury available to qualitative researchers” (Parker, 2014, p. 13). Parker also reflects on opportunities for expanding the range of methodologies employed in accounting and management research and the relationship between theory and methodology. Parker’s focus on methodology thus highlights QRAM’s aims and contributions in regard to providing a forum for work that enhances the rigour and versatility of qualitative research methodologies.

Hanne Nørreklit draws on Wittgenstein’s language game theory and her own prior work on pragmatic constructivism to analyse the practice-relevance and quality of a set of QRAM articles. In doing so, she offers a framework for considering the accumulation of practice-relevant knowledge and identifying future research areas in management accounting. Nørreklit also reflects on QRAM’s contributions to publishing research of relevance for practice.

The theme of practice-relevant research is further explored by Henk J. ter Bogt and G. Jan van Helden in their reflection on the need for engaged accounting scholarship that addresses the practical problems of organisations. Noting that qualitative methods often seem most appropriate for research aimed at practice-relevance, ter Bogt and van Helden argue that academic institutional settings – including the views of university officials and journal editors on research “excellence” – need to change so that practice-relevance and academic rigour can be valued equally as research goals.

Christopher Humphrey adds to this call for change. Expressing his “mixed emotions” about the contributions and challenges of qualitative research, Humphrey draws on his analysis of the past decade of QRAM papers to highlight challenges, priorities and opportunities for qualitative research. In doing so, he calls for greater diversity, flexibility and creativity in the conduct and use of qualitative accounting research. He also contemplates how this journal might contribute to this project and lays down some challenges to QRAM’s community of qualitative researchers (and especially the editorial board).

In his review of QRAM’s contributions over the past decade, John Burns also suggests some future directions. In particular, he advocates for more qualitative processual research and greater connectivity between management accounting and other relevant disciplines. Taking a somewhat different stance to Nørreklit, and ter Bogt and van Helden, Burns calls for qualitative management accounting research to focus primarily on achieving academic rigour and theoretical development rather than practical relevance. He also notes the potential for QRAM to build on its “qualitative uniqueness in the management accounting area” (Burns, 2014, p. 71) and for its authors to extend their contributions beyond management accounting to connect with the broader academic management field.

I would like to thank all of these contributors to this tenth anniversary special issue. Each one has offered careful reflections and suggestions on the contributions made to accounting and management research by this journal and by qualitative research more generally. Together, these papers provide important analysis, inspiration and provocation for those who aspire to engage in high quality qualitative research that informs both theory and practice.

Thank yous

Thanks are also due to those who have helped to shape QRAM in its first decade. First, the work of QRAM’s contributing authors has been the life-blood of this journal and is the reason why QRAM is recognised as an outlet for high quality research. Thank you to those authors for your faith in QRAM and I hope your journey with us has been a positive and rewarding one.

Together, these contributing authors and I owe a huge thanks to the editorial board members and ad hoc reviewers who have worked hard to maintain a high quality standard for the papers published in QRAM. Their wisdom, experience and encouragement have served to improve all of these papers during the review process and to help QRAM’s authors to present their excellent work to best effect.

Without the foresight of my colleague Keith Hooper, QRAM would not be here today. It was he who recognised both the need for a qualitatively-focused journal in this research space and the potential for us to create one. As my co-editor for the first 18 months of QRAM’s life, Keith played a huge role in breathing life into this journal. For Volumes 2-6, I was joined by a new Co-editor, Bill Doolin, to whom thanks are also due for his hard work and his profiling of QRAM amongst international management researchers working in the qualitative space. QRAM has also been fortunate to have marvellous guest editors who have assembled interesting and well-received issues on topics of interest to the journal’s readers. My thanks go to all of these past editors for their hard work and their support for this journal.

Similarly, the advice and support of other senior international researchers (you know who you are!) have been constants in QRAM’s journey. Particular thanks go to Lee Parker, whose willingness to share his considerable experience and knowledge as Editor of Accounting, Auditing & Accountability, our Emerald “big sister” journal, has contributed much to QRAM’s development and success.

Finally, thanks are due to QRAM’s publishers. In 2004, the Business Faculty of the Auckland University of Technology had the vision and faith to get behind a fledgling journal, providing the financial and administrative support needed to make its launch and publication possible. In late 2005, Emerald Publishing took QRAM to the next level as an international journal. The support and guidance since provided by Emerald Managing Editors and Publishers has been an essential and valued element of QRAM’s development; I look forward to our continued partnership as QRAM enters its next decade.

Introducing the new editorial team

As a final point of celebration on this tenth anniversary of QRAM, I am delighted to introduce the new editorial team that will guide this journal into its teenage years (see below). This team includes 14 associate editors who will provide support in developing and promoting QRAM, contributing review advice and leading special issues. In addition, the expanded editorial board will greatly enhance the expertise and international reach of QRAM’s editorial team. Many thanks to all those who have agreed to join this refreshed editorial board and many, many thanks to those who have agreed to continue their contribution to QRAM having already supported the journal as long-serving editorial board members.

Final note

As QRAM enters its next decade, the community of scholars that supports this journal as contributors, reviewers, readers and advisors is sure to build and strengthen. I am proud to be associated with a journal that is celebrating ten years within that community, and which continues to support qualitative research that seeks to answer important, relevant and interesting research questions.

QRAM Editorial Board

Associate Editors

• John Burns, University of Exeter, UK

• Henk ter Bogt, University of Groningen, The Netherlands

• Wai Fong Chua, University of New South Wales, Australia

• Jonas Gerdin, Örebro University, Sweden

• Matthew Hall, London School of Economics, UK

• Trevor Hopper, University of Sussex, UK, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand and Stockholm School of Economics, Sweden

• Chris Humphrey, Manchester Business School, UK

• Irvine Lapsley, University of Edinburgh, UK

• Kari Lukka, University of Turku, Finland

• Sven Modell, Manchester Business School, UK

• David Otley, Lancaster University, UK

• Hanno Roberts, Norwegian Business School, Norway

• Robert Scapens, Manchester Business School and Birmingham Business School, UK

• Ian Thomson, Heriot-Watt University, UK

Editorial Board Members

• Thomas Ahrens, United Arab Emirates University, UAE

• Pedro Araujo Pinzon, University of Cadiz, Spain

• Manzurul Alam, Murdoch University, Australia

• Marcia Annisette, York University, Canada

• Michela Arnaboldi, Politecnico di Milano, Italy

• Richard Baker, Adelphi University, USA

• Gudrun Baldvinsdottir, Trondheim Business School, Norway

• Nicolas Berland, Paris Dauphine University, France

• Gordon Boyce, La Trobe University, Australia

• David Brown, University of Technology, Sydney, Australia

• Cristiano Busco, NUI Galway, Ireland

• Ariela Caglio, Bocconi University, Italy

• Salvador Carmona, IE Business School, Madrid, Spain

• Lino Cinquini, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Italy

• Martine Cools, KU Leuven, Belgium

• Christine Cooper, University of Strathclyde, UK

• Suresh Cuganesan, University of Sydney, Australia

• John Cullen, University of Sheffield, UK

• Jesse Dillard, Queen’s University Belfast, Northern Ireland

• Lukas Goretzski, University of Innsbruck, Austria

• Jennifer Grafton, University of Melbourne, Australia

• Hans Englund, Orebro University, Sweden

• Warwick Funnell, University of Kent, UK

• Allan Hansen, Copenhagen Business School, Denmark

• Elaine Harris, University of Roehampton, UK

• Jan van Helden, University of Groningen, The Netherlands

• Keith Hooper, Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand

• Zahirul Hoque, La Trobe University, Australia

• Noel Hyndman, Queen’s University Belfast, Northern Ireland

• Timo Hyvonen, University of Turku, Finland

• Kerry Jacobs, UNSW Canberra, Australia

• Marko Järvenpää, University of Jyvaskyla, Finland

• Ingrid Jeacle, University of Edinburgh, UK

• Ralph Kober, Monash University, Australia

• Katsuhiko Kokubu, Kobe University, Japan

• Kristian Kreiner, Copenhagen Business School, Denmark

• Pingli Li, Middlesex University, UK

• Johnny Lind, Stockholm School of Economics, Sweden

• Ivo de Loo, Nyenrode Business Universiteit, The Netherlands

• Habib Mahama, United Arab Emirates University, UAE

• Maria Major, ISCTE Business School, Portugal

• Jeltje van der Meer-Kooistra, University of Groningen, The Netherlands

• Martin Messner, University of Innsbruck, Austria

• Jodie Moll, Manchester Business School, UK

• Siti Nabiha, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Malaysia

• Hanne Nørreklit, Aarhus University, Denmark

• Brendan O’Dwyer, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands

• Hiroshi Okano, Osaka City University, Japan

• João Oliveira, University of Porto, Portugal

• Lee Parker, RMIT University, Australia

• Jukka Pellinen, University of Jyvaskyla, Finland

• Paolo Quattrone, University of Edinburgh, UK

• Martin Quinn, Dublin City University, Ireland

• Carlos Ramirez, HEC, Paris, France

• João Ribeiro, University of Porto, Portugal

• John Roberts, University of Sydney, Australia

• Norio Sawabe, Kyoto University, Japan

• Peter Skærbæk, Copenhagen Business School, Denmark

• Will Seal, Loughborough University, UK

• David Smith, Monash University, Australia

• Kim Soin, University of Exeter, UK

• Crawford Spence, University of Warwick, UK

• Gary Spraakman, York University, Canada

• Ileana Steccolini, Bocconi University, Italy

• Martijn van der Steen, University of Groningen, The Netherlands

• Erik Strauss, University of Witten/Herdecke, Germany

• Zhiyuan Simon Tan, King’s College London, UK

• Sophie Tessier, HEC Montréal, Canada

• Helen Tregidga, Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand

• Juhani Vaivio, Aalto University, Finland

• Ed Vosselman, Radboud University, The Netherlands

• Danture Wickramsinghe, University of Glasgow, UK

Deryl Northcott