Impact of Intelligent Decision Aids on Human Knowledge Acquisition. Our aim is to identify new factors that enhance learning and knowledge acquisition from an intelligent decision aid. The research will assess the ability of alternative designs of an intelligent decision aid's advanced explanation and learning facilities to affect the transfer of complex knowledge structures to novice insolvency practitioners. The result of the study is critical to understanding the factors necessary for succes ....Impact of Intelligent Decision Aids on Human Knowledge Acquisition. Our aim is to identify new factors that enhance learning and knowledge acquisition from an intelligent decision aid. The research will assess the ability of alternative designs of an intelligent decision aid's advanced explanation and learning facilities to affect the transfer of complex knowledge structures to novice insolvency practitioners. The result of the study is critical to understanding the factors necessary for successfully deploying and leveraging intelligent decision aids in practice.Read moreRead less
Accelerating Expertise Development Using Knowledge Structures and Expert Systems. There is a shortage of experts among many professional fields in Australia, a problem that is starting to be further exacerbated by a large number of pending retirements. Professions dependent on high-level experts operating in complex decision domains face potential devastation and may fail to continue to exist within Australia. The proposed research directly addresses this looming crisis by presenting a replicabl ....Accelerating Expertise Development Using Knowledge Structures and Expert Systems. There is a shortage of experts among many professional fields in Australia, a problem that is starting to be further exacerbated by a large number of pending retirements. Professions dependent on high-level experts operating in complex decision domains face potential devastation and may fail to continue to exist within Australia. The proposed research directly addresses this looming crisis by presenting a replicable methodology for rapid expertise development that is to be demonstrated within the Australian insolvency environment. However, the methodology will be easily portable to other knowledge work professions facing similar crisis conditions.Read moreRead less
Corporate Transparency in the Asia Pacific Region: Factors Explaining Differences in Financial Disclosure Levels. The adequacy of corporate transparency, as evidenced by relevant disclosures and accounting measurement policies, is of concern to investors and regulators worldwide but notably in respect of companies located in the Asia Pacific region following the Asian financial crisis. The aim of this project is to assess financial disclosure levels in major countries in the region against reco ....Corporate Transparency in the Asia Pacific Region: Factors Explaining Differences in Financial Disclosure Levels. The adequacy of corporate transparency, as evidenced by relevant disclosures and accounting measurement policies, is of concern to investors and regulators worldwide but notably in respect of companies located in the Asia Pacific region following the Asian financial crisis. The aim of this project is to assess financial disclosure levels in major countries in the region against recognised benchmarks especially International Accounting Standards and to evaluate the significance of factors associated with differences in disclosure levels. The results of this study will provide valuable insights for Australian standard setters as well as the IASB, IOSCO and the World Bank.Read moreRead less
Corporate governance, corporate disclosure policies and the timeliness of price discovery: How competitive is the Australian equity market? This project will help reduce the economic cost of poor corporate governance. It will facilitate more liquid financial markets and potentially it will increase the number and value of worthwhile investment opportunities by lowering the cost to finance them. It will assess Australia's competitive standing in the world's equity markets and establish whether ou ....Corporate governance, corporate disclosure policies and the timeliness of price discovery: How competitive is the Australian equity market? This project will help reduce the economic cost of poor corporate governance. It will facilitate more liquid financial markets and potentially it will increase the number and value of worthwhile investment opportunities by lowering the cost to finance them. It will assess Australia's competitive standing in the world's equity markets and establish whether our market is indeed transparent and a good place to raise risk capital. It will add needed credibility to corporate governance regulation. And it will enhance Australia's standing in the international research community because its research methods can be applied to almost any public capital market.Read moreRead less
Performance Management using Balanced Scorecards to Improve the Performance of Australian Manufacturing Organizations. The balanced scorecard is a performance management technique that has been promoted to assist managers of Australian manufacturing companies improve the performance of their organizations. However, there is little empirical evidence to support an association between scorecards and enhanced performance and there is much to be discovered about how they promote effective outcomes. ....Performance Management using Balanced Scorecards to Improve the Performance of Australian Manufacturing Organizations. The balanced scorecard is a performance management technique that has been promoted to assist managers of Australian manufacturing companies improve the performance of their organizations. However, there is little empirical evidence to support an association between scorecards and enhanced performance and there is much to be discovered about how they promote effective outcomes. This study provides a significant conceptual advance by proposing that scorecards will enhance performance when they are 'comprehensive' in design. This enhancement in performance occurs as comprehensiveness assists product innovation and aligns manufacturing with strategy. The theoretical and empirical outcomes of the research are significant as the appropriate application of balanced scorecards can assist Australian firms compete effectively in global markets.Read moreRead less
Extended reporting and assurance for not-for-profit organisations. This project aims to improve the relevance and reliability of extended reporting now being required of not-for-profit organisations (NFPOs). Society is increasingly demanding that NFPOs disclose additional information beyond financial information, as evidenced by the service performance reporting and integrated reporting initiatives. These reporting initiatives better align the reporting with the mission of NFPOs: to achieve outc ....Extended reporting and assurance for not-for-profit organisations. This project aims to improve the relevance and reliability of extended reporting now being required of not-for-profit organisations (NFPOs). Society is increasingly demanding that NFPOs disclose additional information beyond financial information, as evidenced by the service performance reporting and integrated reporting initiatives. These reporting initiatives better align the reporting with the mission of NFPOs: to achieve outcomes that are beyond financial returns. This project aims to evaluate and to aid the development and implementation of these extended reporting responsibilities and mechanisms that increase the quality and credibility of the information. This would improve the relevance of the information produced by NFPOs and increase confidence in extended reporting.Read moreRead less
Strengthening the Role of Financial Disclosure in the Governance of Superannuation Funds. This project will provide evidence about the usefulness of superannuation fund financial reports and whether funds are disclosing unbiased measures of their financial position and performance. This evidence will directly assist regulators in their deliberations in reforming accounting standards and other disclosure regulation governing superannuation fund financial reporting. Such reforms are necessary to e ....Strengthening the Role of Financial Disclosure in the Governance of Superannuation Funds. This project will provide evidence about the usefulness of superannuation fund financial reports and whether funds are disclosing unbiased measures of their financial position and performance. This evidence will directly assist regulators in their deliberations in reforming accounting standards and other disclosure regulation governing superannuation fund financial reporting. Such reforms are necessary to ensure that all Australians in superannuation funds have access to relevant, reliable and comparable financial information to facilitate full accountability of superannuation fund trustees and informed decision making by stakeholders, and in turn, enhance the security of superannuation savings and maximise retirement incomes.Read moreRead less
Protecting Australia’s brand assets and stakeholder interests. International accounting standards have recently been harmonised to allow firms to recognise the value of purchased brands on their balance sheets, subject to an annual test to verify that value has not been impaired. There are no widely accepted methodologies with which to undertake such tests, despite the requirement for the balance sheet to provide a true and fair view of financial position. This research will develop three approa ....Protecting Australia’s brand assets and stakeholder interests. International accounting standards have recently been harmonised to allow firms to recognise the value of purchased brands on their balance sheets, subject to an annual test to verify that value has not been impaired. There are no widely accepted methodologies with which to undertake such tests, despite the requirement for the balance sheet to provide a true and fair view of financial position. This research will develop three approaches to calibrate brand impairment and draw lessons from applying them over a three year period. The outputs are twofold: first, a suite of detailed methods for accountants, auditors and financial analysts to measure and diagnose brand value; second, several key indicators that can be used to monitor signs of brand impairment.Read moreRead less
Adoption of Australian IFRS: Are IFRS "fit for purpose"? The project seeks to explore the usefulness of modifications made to company earnings based on International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS; Australia’s mandatory accounting standards) by financial report preparers and users. The project intends to show how share markets respond to adjustments to IFRS earnings and provide evidence to assist standard setters and regulators in policy decisions to strengthen the financial reporting frame ....Adoption of Australian IFRS: Are IFRS "fit for purpose"? The project seeks to explore the usefulness of modifications made to company earnings based on International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS; Australia’s mandatory accounting standards) by financial report preparers and users. The project intends to show how share markets respond to adjustments to IFRS earnings and provide evidence to assist standard setters and regulators in policy decisions to strengthen the financial reporting framework and to improve the comparability and transparency of financial information. A more robust framework would improve capital market efficiency, promote economic growth in Australia and support the goal of making Australia a world-leading financial market.Read moreRead less
Multi-person judgement in management accounting. Improved managerial judgements can facilitate more efficient/effective resource allocation within organizations, significantly increasing Australian companies' competitiveness. Our project therefore benefits a range of stakeholder groups such as shareholders and employees. Also, by drawing on theories from different disciplines (accounting, social psychology), this project increases our understanding of how accounting information can encourage man ....Multi-person judgement in management accounting. Improved managerial judgements can facilitate more efficient/effective resource allocation within organizations, significantly increasing Australian companies' competitiveness. Our project therefore benefits a range of stakeholder groups such as shareholders and employees. Also, by drawing on theories from different disciplines (accounting, social psychology), this project increases our understanding of how accounting information can encourage managers to behave in a socially desirable manner, such as adopting a conciliatory approach during negotiation. Other benefits include the training of future researchers and raising Australia's profile in accounting research.Read moreRead less