Write an individual essay totalling 4000 words, based upon one contemporary issue in Accounting, Economics or Finance (or multidiscipline). Choose the topic or specific theme within your chosen academic discipline after reviewing one or more academic peer reviewed journal
Write an individual essay totalling 4000 words, based upon one contemporary issue in Accounting, Economics and /or Finance (or multidiscipline). Choose the topic or specific theme within your chosen academic discipline after reviewing one or more academic peer reviewed journal in your academic field/chosen topic. Your essay should explain the chosen issue, its effect/possible effects on different stakeholders, its underlying academic theories, regulations and wider impact. Apply your knowledge of accounting, economics & finance within an interdisciplinary framework and provide recommendations and suggestions for future.
The foundation for this book lies in conversations the authors had which
recognised that graduate accountants need a wider appreciation of
broader contemporary issues in the accounting feld and wider business
environment. Most university accounting courses cover technical subjects
such as fnancial accounting, management accounting, audit, tax, strategy
and operations, and there is already a wealth of text books to support
these technical areas. The focus of most accounting courses is to align
to the requirements of professional accounting exam syllabuses.
Whilst these syllabuses may cover ‘contemporary’ issues, they are often ‘light
touch’ in content, as their focus is more on the immediate changes in
the technical areas of accounting, including developments in standards.
Hence this book is not about the implications of day-to-day changes in
accounting or audit standards or tax rates.
Whilst the accountant needs to understand these issues, we wanted to broaden the scope of thinking
about the big, even ‘wicked’ problems and issues that the profession is
likely to face in the future and which go ‘beyond the numbers’. Most
students studying accounting now will be working in a very dynamic and
changing business environment as soon as they graduate, so it is critically important that they are appraised of current developments in some
depth, so that they can prepare themselves to adapt to the changes effectively and support their future employers to do the same.
In designing this book, the authors asked themselves the question— what would we like to tell future accountants about what is happening
in the world of work beyond the technical accounting knowledge which could impact on their careers?
This book is the result of that thought process. There is a danger in writing a book called Contemporary Issues
in Accounting that it is no longer ‘contemporary’ by the time it is published. However, after a lot of painstaking research about what industry
thinkers consider will change the accounting profession over the next
decade, the authors are confdent that the broad themes covered in this
book will be ‘hot topics’ for the foreseeable future.
Over the next several years, there will an imperative to move to sustainable business models,
including those based on the circular economy; to respond and contribute to changing technology; to develop responsible tax strategies; to
adopt more narrative reporting; to improve the quality of audit; to get
performance management ‘right’ for an organisation and perhaps most
importantly, to be aware of the need to develop individual self-leadership
and soft skills to meet the challenges of this complex world.
We want our students to be ready for anything when they graduate and we hope this book helps them prepare for whatever their career
throws at them.Darren Byrne is a Senior Lecturer in Accounting and Finance and the Programme Leader for Business Accounting at the University of Derby,
UK. He teaches on numerous modules covering managerial theory, project management and other disciplines that support the Business
Accountant.
His teaching philosophy is to draw upon his own professional experience and to help to apply ideas contextually for the beneft of students’ own learning. His research interests are currently project management skills, business ethics and with the perception of professionalism within the international context. He is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy