Addressing directions in interdisciplinary accounting research

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to address and critique the current state and trajectory of the interdisciplinary accounting movement.

Design/methodology/approach

An interdisciplinary literature sourced analysis and critique of the movement's positioning and trajectory.

Findings

It observes the creeping currency of the financial economics-based accounting research tradition, with its attendant limitations in scope and policy/practice relevance of its subject matter and findings. The paper reveals the persistent growth and development of an interdisciplinary accounting community despite the pressures of careerist research score-based goal displacement produced by government and university performance measurement systems.

Originality/value

The interdisciplinary movement is seen as offering issues focused and innovation-driven research that aims to engage with the complexities of the organisational and institutional actors’ worlds. This remit remains essential to the challenge of the accounting academy's pursuit of issues of societal significance.

Citation

D. Parker, L. and Guthrie, J. (2014), "Addressing directions in interdisciplinary accounting research", Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, Vol. 27 No. 8, pp. 1218-1226. https://doi.org/10.1108/AAAJ-06-2014-1737