The Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, or AFAANZ, held its annual conference in Melbourne in early July 2022, and a number of academics from ACPNS were able to attend with funding provided by the QUT School of Accountancy.
ACPNS researcher, Dr Alexandra Williamson, presented two papers at the AFAANZ Conference. The first, with co-author Dr Tracy Qu from the QUT School of Accountancy, was on the topic of disclosures by charities. Through a review of the literature, Alex presented findings on disclosures through the two lenses of:
- voluntary and/or regulatory disclosures (made by the organisation itself); and
- involuntary disclosures (made by others outside the organisation).
This presentation was part of the Special Interest Group at the conference of researchers interested in public and nonprofit sector accounting, convened by Dr Ushi Ghoorah of Western Sydney University.
The second paper, with co-authors Linda Bennison, PhD student and Professor Ellie Chapple of the QUT School of Accountancy, was on the topic of the accountability of members of a horticultural co-operative. Alex discussed the finding that although the co-op members were accountable through many layers of regulation for fresh food quality, they saw themselves as accountable only to their spouse or family within their property boundaries.
Alex was also a co-author on two further papers.
- One, presented by ACPNS M.Phil scholarship student Zoey Lu, and with co-author Dr Yuyu Zhang from the QUT School of Accountancy, was about research on the governance and financial performance of charitable foundations in China.
- The other, presented by Dr Tracy Qu, examined the remuneration of the leaders of Australian nonprofit leaders, considering who gets paid the most, and why.
Dr Craig Furneaux of ACPNS also presented a paper to the Public and Nonprofit Sector Accounting Special Interest Group on the dimensions of volunteering and how these might be measured. Volunteers are critical to the governance, management and service delivery of charities. Being able to measure and report on the value that they generate is of interest to both internal and external stakeholders.
Attending and presenting at academic conferences is a valuable way of generating interaction with ACPNS research from other researchers, peak bodies, standard setters and professional associations. Researchers receive feedback from attendees and chairs and have increased impact for ACPNS and nonprofit research.
As new research collaborations and publications result over the coming year(s), we’ll continue to proudly feature them here on the ACPNS blog!
