Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The New Researcher, Graham Bowrey

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

Purpose This poem is a reflection of the processes and associated emotions early career academic researchers may experience in preparing, presenting and publishing their research. Design/methodology/approach: Fictional poem Findings: This poem highlights that the processes an early career academic researcher undertakes to publish his/her research isn’t necessarily the hardest lesson to learn. Rather the hardest lesson is learning to cope with the mix of emotions they will experience during the process. Research Implications: Provides early career academic researchers, and their supervisors, a guide of what they can expect to experience during the first few years during their research. Originality/Value A …

Preparing Accountants For Today’S Global Business Environment: The Role Of Emotional Intelligence In Accounting Education, G. E. Jones, A. Abraham

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

The tasks and skills that are required of accounting practitioners in today’s global business environment have changed significantly since the early 1990s. Accounting practitioners are no longer merely required to undertake the tasks necessary for information provision, such as bookkeeping, data analysis and tax preparation. Instead, their roles are now extended to encompass information facilitation, thus repositioning them as knowledge professionals rather than accounting technicians. This includes a greater emphasis on the components of emotional intelligence. However, accounting students are generally not aware of this expanded role. Thus students who are attracted into accounting courses may not possess the appropriate …

Mentoring In Academe: An Australian Response To The Drought Of Senior Accounting Academics, H. J. Irvine, L. Moerman, Kathy Rudkin

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

The purpose of this paper is to expose the shortage of senior academics in Australian accounting schools, to relate the way one school is addressing this crisis through an innovative mentoring program, and to challenge existing institutional arrangements. This is a qualitative case study of one mentoring program set within the institutional context of Australian accounting schools. Data collected from semi-structured interviews, archival sources and personal reflections, is presented using metaphor to theorize (Llewellyn 2003). The scheme achieved some notable individual successes, but raised many issues and challenges to extant mentoring models and existing structures. Mentoring is a multifaceted investment …

Submission To The Independent Review Of The Environment Protection And Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, Graham Bowrey, Ciorstan J. Smark

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

Please find following a submission to the Independent Review of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act 1999. This submission focuses on reviewing the level of compliance with Section 516A (Annual reports to deal with environmental matters) of the EPBC Act 1999 by addressing the following questions raised in the Independent Review of the EPBC Act’s Discussion Paper: Question 37 – Does the Act contain sufficient comprehensive and appropriate range of enforcement mechanisms? Are those mechanisms capable of deterring and responding to contraventions of the Act? Question 40 – Does the Act provide sufficient guidance for decision makers in …

Customer Loyalty Programmes: Ifric13 And The Ambiguities Of Revenue Cecognition, S. Chapple, L. Moerman, Kathy Rudkin

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

From 1 July 2008 IFRIC 13 becomes mandatory in Australia, requiring a standardised deferred revenue treatment to account for a plethora of Customer Loyalty Programmes (CLP). This paper highlights the diverse views of appropriate classification, and the ambiguities faced by those accounting for CLP. A text based analysis of documents pertaining to IFRIC 13 shows the International Financial Reporting Interpretations Committee (IFRIC) to be committed to a principles based approach in making its interpretation. While IFRIC members were responsive to the concerns of interested parties, they were not subservient to the ensuing lobbying process.

The Sustainability Of Public Sector Ecological Sustainable Development Reporting, Graham Bowrey

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

Over the past two decades there has been significantly increased public awareness of and focus on the environmental impact of organisations operations. However, in spite of this increased focus on the environment, most organisations in Australia are not required by regulation to outline the impact of their organisations on the environment nor the measures they are taking to contain or reduce their impact on the environment. To be fair many private sector organisations have been voluntarily providing reports to varying degrees on their environmental performance and management. For example there has been the development and implementation of triple bottom-line reporting, …

Intellectual Capital Practices Of Firms And The Commodification Of Labour, Indra Abeysekera

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the nature and implications of the actual techniques used in the measuring and reporting of intellectual capital.

Design/methodology/approach – The paper takes the form of a literature review.

Findings – The paper demonstrates that the commodification of intellectual capital, rather than solving the contradictions accompanying market value maximisation, simply shifts these contradictions to a new location.

Practical implications – The wide range of intellectual capital definitions, frameworks, and indices allow firms to choose intellectual capital reporting which will justify maximising their market value, resulting in the construction of data in …

Intellectual Capital Disclosure Trends: Singapore And Sri Lanka, Indra Abeysekera

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

Purpose - This paper investigates the intellectual capital disclosure trends and disclosure category differences of top 20 listed firms in a developing nation, Sri Lanka, and moderately developed nation, Singapore. The aim of this study is to highlight the differences in IC disclosure practice between developing and developed nations.

Design/methodology/approach - The study investigates the top 20 firms by market capitalization listed on the Colombo stock exchange in 1998 to 2000. Using the content analysis method, it reviews the annual reports of these firms to determine intellectual capital disclosure trends in Sri Lanka. It then compares these findings with a …

Accounting Meets Politics: Theoretical Interpretation Of Key Events (1940 To 2003) Of The Accounting Profession In Australia, Indra Abeysekera

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

This paper examines some key developments in the Australian accounting profession and the changing nature of the authoritative influence of that profession on accounting and auditing activities. The purpose of this investigation is to demonstrate the shift in power between the political constituent (the government) and the accounting profession. The paper attempts to demonstrate how the corporatist view can help us understand the social nature of accounting and how the accounting profession can gain a greater awareness of this reality. Finally, the paper questions whether the accounting profession in Australia has entered an episode of liberal ideals imposed by the …

Motivations Behind Human Capital Disclosure In Annual Reports, Indra Abeysekera

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

Although much has been discussed about voluntary disclosure of human capital in annual reports there has been limited examination of the motivations behind such disclosure. This study uses the perspective of the political economy of accounting to understand motivations. Using the method of content analysis, this paper examines human capital disclosure practices in annual reports of a sample of firms in Sri Lanka, a developing nation. Eleven case study interviews from the sample explore the motivations behind the disclosure practices of firms. Findings reveal that firms use disclosure to reduce tension between firms and their constituents, in the interest of …

Preferred Learning Methods: Comparisons Between International And Domestic Accounting Students, Indra Abeysekera

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

This study provides a comparison between the preferred learning modes (traditional, interactive, group case-based lectures) of international and domestic students undertaking a new undergraduate accounting topic at an Australian university. A Likert-scale survey questionnaire was used to determine the differences and similarities between the two groups. When the results are analysed using the Hofstede model of societal cultural dimensions, they indicate significant differences between the two groups of students with regard to their preferences for formal versus interactive and group case-based lectures. The paper provides a discussion of the implications of these findings for teaching methods, assessment and curriculum development.

Keeping Up Appearances: The Quest For Governance Legitimacy, Graham Bowrey

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

An effective corporate governance structure is as crucial to a public sector organisation as it is to a private sector organisation. This paper reviews the profile of directors on governance boards of government controlled organisations and finds that, while the governance structures are similar with those in the private sector, the real power to set the strategic, financial and operational directions of these organisations is not in the hands of the directors, as it is in the private sector, but in the hands of the responsible ministers. This de-coupling, it is argued, is due to the perception that private sector …

An Explanation Of Human Capital Disclosure From The Resource Based Perspective, S. Abhayawansa, Indra Abeysekera

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

Though the importance of human capital (HC) in firm value creation is firmly established in the literature the level of emphasis placed on human capital disclosure (HCD) by preparers of financial statements and sell-side analysts is minimal. The purpose of this paper is to address this dilemma by critically analysing the conceptualisation of human capital in disclosure literature and introduce a more germane explanation.

Intellectual Capital Reporting Between A Developing And Developed Nation, Indra Abeysekera

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

Purpose - This paper examines the patterns of intellectual capital reporting (ICR) of large listed firms in a developing nation, Sri Lanka. The aim of this study is to highlight the differences in ICR practice between developing and developed nations.
Design/methodology/approach - The paper begins by examining each of the top 30 firms by market capitalization listed on the Colombo stock exchange in 1998/1999 and 1999/2000. Using the content analysis method, it reviews the annual reports of these firms to determine the types of intellectual capital (IC) items reported in Sri Lanka. It then compares these findings with a similar …

Human Capital Value Creation Practices Of Software And Service Exporter Firms In India, V. Murthy, Indra Abeysekera

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

This study explored the human capital (HC) value creation practices of the top seventeen software and service exporter firms in India. The study used HC disclosure attributes as a tool to the contents of the annual reports for the year 2003-04, to evaluate the type and amount of HC disclosed by the software firms. The study conducted semi-structured interviews with the Heads of Human Resources of fourteen software firms to obtain a greater understanding of the similarities between reporting and managed HC practices. The study identified most reported and least reported attributes of HC using content analysis and explained their …

The Project Of Intellectual Capital Disclosure: Researching The Research, Indra Abeysekera

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

This paper examines a number of key issues relating to intellectual capital (IC) disclosure by addressing some of the strengths, weaknesses and gaps of the extant research. The paper begins by examining the definitions of intellectual capital and intellectual capital disclosure currently in use. Methodological issues are examined in relation to the use of source documents, coding frameworks, and research methods. Both positivist and critical theoretical perspectives used to provide a theoretical underpinning of IC disclosure analysis are reviewed. The paper concludes by arguing for the importance of addressing these issues in order to improve the credibility of IC disclosure, …

Managing Human Capital In A Privately Owned Public Hotel Chain, Indra Abeysekera

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

This study analyses human capital (HC) management practices in a small privately owned public hotel group, in the context of intellectual capital (IC). Previous studies have highlighted how firms measure and report HC, however few studies have examined the HC management practices of firms. This study analyses these practices using multiple data methods – namely, observation, interaction with staff, examination of internal financial and management reports, and semi-structured case study interviews - on a continuous basis over a one-year period. The results of this study indicate that, through HC management practices, this group of hotels engaged in value extraction rather …

Issues Relating To Designing A Work-Integrated Learning (Wil) Program In An Undergraduate Accounting Degree Program And Its Implications For The Curriculum, Indra Abeysekera

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

Work-integrated learning (WIL) programs are becoming popular with students, government, employers, and universities. A major benefit of a WIL program is the increased employability of students, and this matches well with the present trend whereby students expect a pay-off from their investment in education. Although WIL programs are more common in some profession-based undergraduate courses than others, they have not been frequently discussed in relation to accounting in the Australian context. This paper discusses issues related to designing a WIL program for an undergraduate accounting program in an Australian context. The importance of WIL programs in general is followed by …

Content Analysis Of Social, Environmental Reporting: What Is New?, J. Guthrie, Indra Abeysekera

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

Purpose: The aim of this paper is to review the use of content analysis as a research method in understanding SEA and to examine current contemporary foci of this research tradition. Further, several research method issues relating to the use of content analysis are examined. Methodology: Contemporary focus and research issues are analyzed to provide some future directions for scholars in the field of SEA, by categorizing work in the SEA, social environmental reporting (SER) and intellectual capital reporting (ICR) literature, according to the following: normative literature/theory/commentaries; focus of empirical investigation; quality SER research; combined research methodologies; content analysis method …

Accounting: In Crisis Or Ascendancy?, Indra Abeysekera

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

Recent corporate failure has challenged the credibility of the accounting profession, leading many stakeholders to question the usefulness of financial reports for decision-making. This paper examines fluctuations in the accounting profession’s authoritative influence over accounting standard setting and financial reporting. It focuses on the period following the collapse of the HIH Group in 2002, with contextual reference to earlier periods. It then outlines the submissions made by the accounting profession, actuaries and regulatory institutions to the Royal Commission Inquiry into the collapse of the HIH Group. These submissions are analysed in relation to the profession promoting functionally defined interests and …

An Empirical Investigation Of Annual Reporting Trends Of Intellectual Capital In Sri Lanka, Indra Abeysekera, J. Guthrie

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

This study examines the annual reports of each of the top 30 firms listed on the Colombo Stock Exchange in the period 1998/1999 to 1999/2000, using the ‘content analysis’ method. The findings indicate that the most reported accounting category during this period was external capital and the second most reported was human capital. There was an increase in the frequency of intellectual capital reporting over the 2 years, which this paper explains using political economy of accounting theory. Interestingly, the individual intellectual capital items of each capital category reported by firms in Sri Lanka differed from those found in other …

Human Capital Reporting In A Developing Nation, Indra Abeysekera, J. Guthrie

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

In recent years, a trend in management has been the introduction of human capital (HC) management and accounting. As a result of this trend, there has been a demand from external stakeholders for a different sort of information, and many firms have, in an attempt to meet this demand, become more involved in the creation, measurement and reporting of information other than ‘financial’ data. Using the method of content analysis, this paper reports on human capital reporting (HCR) practices taken from a sample of firms in Sri Lanka, a developing nation. The paper aims first to examine the disclosure patterns …

How Is Intellectual Capital Being Reported In A Developing Nation?, Indra Abeysekera, J. Guthrie

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

To ascertain the status of intellectual capital reporting in a developing nation, this study examined annual reports of the top 30 companies in Sri Lanka. These were analysed using content analysis, and data were recorded in a theoretically backed coding framework with 45 intellectual capital items that were categorized into internal, external and human capital. The findings indicated that the most reported was external capital by frequency and human capital by line count. Only a small proportion of intellectual capital items reported were quantified.

Political Economy Of Accounting In Intellectual Capital Reporting, Indra Abeysekera

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

Several factors shaping intellectual capital reporting (ICR) in the context of the political economy of accounting (PEA) theory were discussed in relation to traditional accounting reporting system, intellectual capital and intellectual reporting definitions, techniques employed to report intellectual capital (IC), and theoretical classification of IC. Reporting intellectual capital enables firms to report them in a fashion that best suits the relationship between the firm and their political, economic, and social arrangement. The unregulated reporting can increase manipulation of ICR in a borderless reporting environment to reduce the tension between the firm and its political, social, and economic arrangement.

Intellectual Accounting Scorecard - Measuring And Reporting Intellectual Capital, Indra Abeysekera

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

Several indicators are constructed to measure intellectual capital at inter-organisational and inter-organisational level. The majority of models constructed so far have not established the link between individual intellectual items and organisational intellectual capital performance. The few models that establish such a link demand significant management time to monitor them, or have established indices outside the traditional accounting system. The Intellectual Accounting Scorecard integrates intellectual capital measuring and reporting into mainstream traditional accounting reporting. Firstly it identifies each intellectual capital item as an intellectual revenue and intellectual expenses having an impact on the statement of income, or as an intellectual assets …

A Framework To Audit Intellectual Capital, Indra Abeysekera

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

Until recently few firms have attempted to measure and assess Knowledge, the new intangible. Previous research shows that key components of intellectual capital are poorly understood, inadequately identified, inefficiently managed and inconsistently reported. Two types of audit are available: auditing by competence, and auditing individual or a spectrum of items. There are several methods for auditing these types, and selection depends both on the type of audit, and whether the aim is to quantify monetarily, to make comparisons, or to set benchmarks. A better way to approach the audit is to combine more than one method and audit object, so …