Technology Analysis & Strategic Management, Oct 5, 2017
ABSTRACT This study investigates the adoption of Twitter by Australian listed companies for disse... more ABSTRACT This study investigates the adoption of Twitter by Australian listed companies for disseminating marketing information (including corporate promotion) and for directly interacting with consumers. Based on a sample of the Top 200 Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) listed companies, we find that companies with larger market capital are more likely to adopt Twitter for static advertising, a one-way communication approach, and direct interaction with consumers, a two-way communication approach. Companies with smaller market capital that adopt Twitter for marketing communication appear to disseminate more corporate promotion information, a static advertising approach. Overall, our results indicate that the level of a company's access to resources can influence their adoption of a new technology and the manner in which it is used. This study calls for further clarification of regulation regarding marketing communication on social media and experience sharing between industry practitioners.
The Altman (1968) bankruptcy prediction model (BPM), based on financial statement data from manuf... more The Altman (1968) bankruptcy prediction model (BPM), based on financial statement data from manufacturing firms in the USA, has been widely applied. It does not, however, consider the differences in accounting practices for intangible assets (IAs) between countries. This paper investigates the effect of changes in how intangible assets are reported in Australia, pre- and post- AIFRS, on the accounting ratios in Altman’s (1968) BPM and the model’s prediction accuracy. Specifically, the paper compares the ratios and Altman’s Z scores, calculated under three different strategies based on the (i) original unadjusted data; (ii) data adjusted excluding all identifiable and unidentifiable IAs; and (iii) data adjusted by excluding all identifiable IAs only. The research uses data from 46 bankrupt firms matched to 46 non bankrupt firms based on size, GICS Industry and principal activity over fourteen years prior to the adoption of AIFRS in 2005. The results show marked differences across the three strategies, thus supporting consideration of these reporting changes in future modelling of bankruptcy.
Bankruptcy remains an important subject especially since the major collapses of several high-prof... more Bankruptcy remains an important subject especially since the major collapses of several high-profile multinational corporations that were implicated in part due to accounting irregularities concerning intangibles (ASIC, 1998; Lev, 2002; McRobert, 2009). The notable cases of Enron and WorldCom in the United States (US) and One.Tel, HIH in Australia have led to the perception that manipulation of the financial statements is on the rise. Understanding bankruptcy in this context presents an enormous theoretical challenge. Past efforts to provide stakeholders with the most accurate early warning signals of imminent failure have focused on either the development of predictive models using various statistical techniques, selected financial ratios or a combination of both. To date none of these approaches have been able to capture the ever-changing regulatory environment and the subsequent diversity in accounting practices, such as the non-restrictive rules for Intangible Assets in Australia compared with the restrictive rules in the US. It is not difficult to comprehend why researchers were unable to produce that elusive robust bankruptcy prediction model (BPM). A key area for new research is whether the non-restrictive accounting rules under Australian generally accepted accounting principles (AGAAP) or the restricted rules for intangibles under IFRS (much like the non-restrictive rules in the US GAAP prior to 2005) improves the predictive ability of financial ratios with respect to bankruptcy. The approach adopted in the study contrasts from others by adding the firm’s principal activities (using sales from operating activities) as a matching criterion to control for firms intra-industry competitiveness (Sheppard, 1994a, 1994b; Sheppard, 1995).
Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to investigate students’ experiences of, and attitudes on,... more Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to investigate students’ experiences of, and attitudes on, the use of technology – in the form of ePortfolio – as an assessment tool. The authors seek to determine whether ePortfolios aid students in facilitating critical reflection on their learning and academic skill development. The authors also determine whether ePortfolios can provide an alternative assessment tool to the traditional assessment practices in the accounting and business discipline. Design/methodology/approach - This study surveys students enrolled in an indigenous business course using questions on the usability of ePortfolios, technical support and effectiveness in critical reflection and learning. Formal evaluations were included to capture students’ self-reflections on their ePortfolio experience. The analysis included analysis of variance, Findings - Results indicated that students show positive attitudes toward ePortfolios even after controlling for possible confounding variables such as previous experience, attitudes and accessibility. The authors also found that ePortfolios are a useful vehicle for enhancing students’ learning and understanding of indigenous knowledge in a business context. They were also found to facilitate students’ ability to critically reflect, engage in learning and develop their academic skills. Research limitations/implications - The findings of this study could benefit those working in higher education, particularly accounting academics in Australian universities, and the adaptation of ePortfolios in a blended learning environment, and contribute to pedagogical knowledge regarding indigenous business issues. Academics could design the curriculum of the accounting courses within the commerce programme that addresses programme learning objectives to align with graduate employability outcomes. Practical implications - This study provides a foundation for improving the design and assessment of written communication activities in accounting courses to achieve employability skills outcomes commensurate with university accreditation criteria. This could be achieved with the development of a community of practice developed by the professional accounting bodies in collaboration with Australian universities. Originality/value - The research is not wholly new, although the use of ePortfolios in accounting education is not widely reported and, therefore, may be of interest to those in advancing the accounting education agenda. In light of the recent call by Australian professional accounting bodies, ePortfolios can provide accounting graduates the non-technical or soft skills such as communication, interpersonal and critical thinking.
Indigenous employment has been the subject of numerous policies in Australia, with governments ai... more Indigenous employment has been the subject of numerous policies in Australia, with governments aiming to increase the workforce participation rate amongst Indigenous people in recent years. Indigenous‐owned businesses, formally defined as businesses that are at least 50% Indigenous‐owned, have been demonstrated in previous research to maintain substantially higher levels of proportional Indigenous employment than non‐Indigenous businesses. This suggests that Indigenous‐owned businesses maintain work environments that are more supportive of and conducive to Indigenous employment, meriting the influence of Indigenous‐owned businesses' workplace practices in future Indigenous employment policy design. Using administrative data from two Indigenous business registries (Black Business Finder and Supply Nation), this paper provides an updated empirical analysis of the Indigenous business sector. This paper demonstrates that Indigenous‐owned businesses of all sizes, industries, location...
Although the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (hereafter Indigenous) people comple... more Although the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (hereafter Indigenous) people completing undergraduate degrees has improved markedly in recent years, Indigenous people remain under-represented in higher degree research (HDR) programs, which limits progression into academic careers. This paper explores factors affecting Indigenous people's commencement and completion of HDR programs. The research was undertaken at a large, multi-campus, metropolitan Australian university and involved a qualitative, culturally appropriate research design based on yarning circles and interviews with Indigenous HDR candidates and interviews with HDR supervisors. The research was undertaken by Indigenous and non-Indigenous researchers with advice provided by the Indigenous community at the university to ensure cultural safety. Highlighting the central role of supervisors and system-wide university support, the most significant finding of the research is that although additional research ...
Research has identified the need for further work to develop modelling processes and accounting t... more Research has identified the need for further work to develop modelling processes and accounting tools that are compatible with Australia’s First Peoples’ (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) worldviews and socio-economic systems. While Environmental Management Accounting (EMA) processes have been instrumental in providing a means for corporations to report on performance against environmental measures, and the sustainability or social enterprise balanced scorecard (BSC) has introduced a social dimension, there remains a gap in processes that meet the reporting requirements of First Nation Social Enterprises (FNSE). Distinguishing features of FNSE that require further consideration include communally held assets that comprise both tangible and intangible cultural heritage; access and use protocols that require extensive negotiation within and between groups; and accountability for outcome improvements in economic participation and other social and wellbeing indicators. This paper ...
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Purpose: This paper aims to understand the challenges to healthy eating for Indigenous Australian... more Purpose: This paper aims to understand the challenges to healthy eating for Indigenous Australians using a Social Cognitive Theory lens. Understanding the environmental, cognitive, and behavioural barriers to healthy eating for Indigenous populations in Australia will help identify current gaps and highlight future actions needed in this area to close the gap for Indigenous Australians. Study design: Narrative review of interventions of healthy eating programs in Australian Indigenous communities sourced using a systematic search protocol to understand the environmental, cognitive, and behavioural barriers to healthy eating among Indigenous Australians and to identify gaps and future actions needed to address this from 2010–2020. Results: The search produced 486 records, after duplicates were removed and the inclusion and exclusion process were utilised, seven interventions were retained in nine studies. The seven interventions had multiple study designs, from randomised control tri...
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate students’ experiences of, and attitudes on, t... more Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate students’ experiences of, and attitudes on, the use of technology – in the form of ePortfolio – as an assessment tool. The authors seek to determine whether ePortfolios aid students in facilitating critical reflection on their learning and academic skill development. The authors also determine whether ePortfolios can provide an alternative assessment tool to the traditional assessment practices in the accounting and business discipline. Design/methodology/approach This study surveys students enrolled in an indigenous business course using questions on the usability of ePortfolios, technical support and effectiveness in critical reflection and learning. Formal evaluations were included to capture students’ self-reflections on their ePortfolio experience. The analysis included analysis of variance, t-tests, correlations and hierarchical regression. Findings Results indicated that students show positive attitudes toward ePortfolios ev...
The Altman (1968) bankruptcy prediction model (BPM) utilised financial statement data from manufa... more The Altman (1968) bankruptcy prediction model (BPM) utilised financial statement data from manufacturing firms in the USA and has been applied worldwide without consideration of the differences in accounting practices for intangible assets (IAs). The primary purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of the conservative accounting treatment of intangible assets on accounting ratios in Altman's (1968) BPM pre and post IFRS – specifically in Australia. A paired sample design was employed resulting in 46 bankrupt firms matched to 46 non-bankrupt firms on the basis of size, GICS Industry and principal activity. We use three strategies to measure bankruptcy risk using Australian financial data between 1996 and 2004 including (i) original unadjusted data; (ii) data adjusted excluding all IAs; and (iii) data adjusted for exclusion of all IAs except goodwill which is added back. The results support consideration of these reporting changes in future modelling of bankruptcy. No Yes
Technology Analysis & Strategic Management, Oct 5, 2017
ABSTRACT This study investigates the adoption of Twitter by Australian listed companies for disse... more ABSTRACT This study investigates the adoption of Twitter by Australian listed companies for disseminating marketing information (including corporate promotion) and for directly interacting with consumers. Based on a sample of the Top 200 Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) listed companies, we find that companies with larger market capital are more likely to adopt Twitter for static advertising, a one-way communication approach, and direct interaction with consumers, a two-way communication approach. Companies with smaller market capital that adopt Twitter for marketing communication appear to disseminate more corporate promotion information, a static advertising approach. Overall, our results indicate that the level of a company's access to resources can influence their adoption of a new technology and the manner in which it is used. This study calls for further clarification of regulation regarding marketing communication on social media and experience sharing between industry practitioners.
The Altman (1968) bankruptcy prediction model (BPM), based on financial statement data from manuf... more The Altman (1968) bankruptcy prediction model (BPM), based on financial statement data from manufacturing firms in the USA, has been widely applied. It does not, however, consider the differences in accounting practices for intangible assets (IAs) between countries. This paper investigates the effect of changes in how intangible assets are reported in Australia, pre- and post- AIFRS, on the accounting ratios in Altman’s (1968) BPM and the model’s prediction accuracy. Specifically, the paper compares the ratios and Altman’s Z scores, calculated under three different strategies based on the (i) original unadjusted data; (ii) data adjusted excluding all identifiable and unidentifiable IAs; and (iii) data adjusted by excluding all identifiable IAs only. The research uses data from 46 bankrupt firms matched to 46 non bankrupt firms based on size, GICS Industry and principal activity over fourteen years prior to the adoption of AIFRS in 2005. The results show marked differences across the three strategies, thus supporting consideration of these reporting changes in future modelling of bankruptcy.
Bankruptcy remains an important subject especially since the major collapses of several high-prof... more Bankruptcy remains an important subject especially since the major collapses of several high-profile multinational corporations that were implicated in part due to accounting irregularities concerning intangibles (ASIC, 1998; Lev, 2002; McRobert, 2009). The notable cases of Enron and WorldCom in the United States (US) and One.Tel, HIH in Australia have led to the perception that manipulation of the financial statements is on the rise. Understanding bankruptcy in this context presents an enormous theoretical challenge. Past efforts to provide stakeholders with the most accurate early warning signals of imminent failure have focused on either the development of predictive models using various statistical techniques, selected financial ratios or a combination of both. To date none of these approaches have been able to capture the ever-changing regulatory environment and the subsequent diversity in accounting practices, such as the non-restrictive rules for Intangible Assets in Australia compared with the restrictive rules in the US. It is not difficult to comprehend why researchers were unable to produce that elusive robust bankruptcy prediction model (BPM). A key area for new research is whether the non-restrictive accounting rules under Australian generally accepted accounting principles (AGAAP) or the restricted rules for intangibles under IFRS (much like the non-restrictive rules in the US GAAP prior to 2005) improves the predictive ability of financial ratios with respect to bankruptcy. The approach adopted in the study contrasts from others by adding the firm’s principal activities (using sales from operating activities) as a matching criterion to control for firms intra-industry competitiveness (Sheppard, 1994a, 1994b; Sheppard, 1995).
Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to investigate students’ experiences of, and attitudes on,... more Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to investigate students’ experiences of, and attitudes on, the use of technology – in the form of ePortfolio – as an assessment tool. The authors seek to determine whether ePortfolios aid students in facilitating critical reflection on their learning and academic skill development. The authors also determine whether ePortfolios can provide an alternative assessment tool to the traditional assessment practices in the accounting and business discipline. Design/methodology/approach - This study surveys students enrolled in an indigenous business course using questions on the usability of ePortfolios, technical support and effectiveness in critical reflection and learning. Formal evaluations were included to capture students’ self-reflections on their ePortfolio experience. The analysis included analysis of variance, Findings - Results indicated that students show positive attitudes toward ePortfolios even after controlling for possible confounding variables such as previous experience, attitudes and accessibility. The authors also found that ePortfolios are a useful vehicle for enhancing students’ learning and understanding of indigenous knowledge in a business context. They were also found to facilitate students’ ability to critically reflect, engage in learning and develop their academic skills. Research limitations/implications - The findings of this study could benefit those working in higher education, particularly accounting academics in Australian universities, and the adaptation of ePortfolios in a blended learning environment, and contribute to pedagogical knowledge regarding indigenous business issues. Academics could design the curriculum of the accounting courses within the commerce programme that addresses programme learning objectives to align with graduate employability outcomes. Practical implications - This study provides a foundation for improving the design and assessment of written communication activities in accounting courses to achieve employability skills outcomes commensurate with university accreditation criteria. This could be achieved with the development of a community of practice developed by the professional accounting bodies in collaboration with Australian universities. Originality/value - The research is not wholly new, although the use of ePortfolios in accounting education is not widely reported and, therefore, may be of interest to those in advancing the accounting education agenda. In light of the recent call by Australian professional accounting bodies, ePortfolios can provide accounting graduates the non-technical or soft skills such as communication, interpersonal and critical thinking.
Indigenous employment has been the subject of numerous policies in Australia, with governments ai... more Indigenous employment has been the subject of numerous policies in Australia, with governments aiming to increase the workforce participation rate amongst Indigenous people in recent years. Indigenous‐owned businesses, formally defined as businesses that are at least 50% Indigenous‐owned, have been demonstrated in previous research to maintain substantially higher levels of proportional Indigenous employment than non‐Indigenous businesses. This suggests that Indigenous‐owned businesses maintain work environments that are more supportive of and conducive to Indigenous employment, meriting the influence of Indigenous‐owned businesses' workplace practices in future Indigenous employment policy design. Using administrative data from two Indigenous business registries (Black Business Finder and Supply Nation), this paper provides an updated empirical analysis of the Indigenous business sector. This paper demonstrates that Indigenous‐owned businesses of all sizes, industries, location...
Although the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (hereafter Indigenous) people comple... more Although the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (hereafter Indigenous) people completing undergraduate degrees has improved markedly in recent years, Indigenous people remain under-represented in higher degree research (HDR) programs, which limits progression into academic careers. This paper explores factors affecting Indigenous people's commencement and completion of HDR programs. The research was undertaken at a large, multi-campus, metropolitan Australian university and involved a qualitative, culturally appropriate research design based on yarning circles and interviews with Indigenous HDR candidates and interviews with HDR supervisors. The research was undertaken by Indigenous and non-Indigenous researchers with advice provided by the Indigenous community at the university to ensure cultural safety. Highlighting the central role of supervisors and system-wide university support, the most significant finding of the research is that although additional research ...
Research has identified the need for further work to develop modelling processes and accounting t... more Research has identified the need for further work to develop modelling processes and accounting tools that are compatible with Australia’s First Peoples’ (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) worldviews and socio-economic systems. While Environmental Management Accounting (EMA) processes have been instrumental in providing a means for corporations to report on performance against environmental measures, and the sustainability or social enterprise balanced scorecard (BSC) has introduced a social dimension, there remains a gap in processes that meet the reporting requirements of First Nation Social Enterprises (FNSE). Distinguishing features of FNSE that require further consideration include communally held assets that comprise both tangible and intangible cultural heritage; access and use protocols that require extensive negotiation within and between groups; and accountability for outcome improvements in economic participation and other social and wellbeing indicators. This paper ...
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Purpose: This paper aims to understand the challenges to healthy eating for Indigenous Australian... more Purpose: This paper aims to understand the challenges to healthy eating for Indigenous Australians using a Social Cognitive Theory lens. Understanding the environmental, cognitive, and behavioural barriers to healthy eating for Indigenous populations in Australia will help identify current gaps and highlight future actions needed in this area to close the gap for Indigenous Australians. Study design: Narrative review of interventions of healthy eating programs in Australian Indigenous communities sourced using a systematic search protocol to understand the environmental, cognitive, and behavioural barriers to healthy eating among Indigenous Australians and to identify gaps and future actions needed to address this from 2010–2020. Results: The search produced 486 records, after duplicates were removed and the inclusion and exclusion process were utilised, seven interventions were retained in nine studies. The seven interventions had multiple study designs, from randomised control tri...
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate students’ experiences of, and attitudes on, t... more Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate students’ experiences of, and attitudes on, the use of technology – in the form of ePortfolio – as an assessment tool. The authors seek to determine whether ePortfolios aid students in facilitating critical reflection on their learning and academic skill development. The authors also determine whether ePortfolios can provide an alternative assessment tool to the traditional assessment practices in the accounting and business discipline. Design/methodology/approach This study surveys students enrolled in an indigenous business course using questions on the usability of ePortfolios, technical support and effectiveness in critical reflection and learning. Formal evaluations were included to capture students’ self-reflections on their ePortfolio experience. The analysis included analysis of variance, t-tests, correlations and hierarchical regression. Findings Results indicated that students show positive attitudes toward ePortfolios ev...
The Altman (1968) bankruptcy prediction model (BPM) utilised financial statement data from manufa... more The Altman (1968) bankruptcy prediction model (BPM) utilised financial statement data from manufacturing firms in the USA and has been applied worldwide without consideration of the differences in accounting practices for intangible assets (IAs). The primary purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of the conservative accounting treatment of intangible assets on accounting ratios in Altman's (1968) BPM pre and post IFRS – specifically in Australia. A paired sample design was employed resulting in 46 bankrupt firms matched to 46 non-bankrupt firms on the basis of size, GICS Industry and principal activity. We use three strategies to measure bankruptcy risk using Australian financial data between 1996 and 2004 including (i) original unadjusted data; (ii) data adjusted excluding all IAs; and (iii) data adjusted for exclusion of all IAs except goodwill which is added back. The results support consideration of these reporting changes in future modelling of bankruptcy. No Yes
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