The Accounting and Governance Research Centre (AGRC) is designed to promote research in accounting and related fields.
The Centre’s main objectives are to:
- Encourage research in all areas of accounting.
- Foster multidisciplinary research involving accounting and other disciplines in management such as Behavioural Sciences, Management Information Systems, Economics, Finance, Health Administration, Public Administration and other relevant areas.
- Develop research programs in specific areas of interest for both the discipline and the profession.
- Provide a forum for conferences, seminars, workshops, lectures and related activities for the discussion of new developments and ideas in accounting and related disciplines.
- Play an active role in the publication and dissemination of research results.
- Project a higher profile for School of Management at the University of Ottawa on the domestic and international accounting scene in academic and professional forums.
- Enter into strategic partnerships as enhance the objectives of the Centre.
Additional administrative support is provided by the Telfer School of Management, University of Ottawa . The Centre is managed by Philip McIlkenny, supported by an Advisory Committee whose task is to guide the Centre in the developing of its strategies, policies and orientation. It is vital that the accounting profession continue to support accounting research in all its facets. This assists in the establishment of the context in which both financial and managerial accounting are practiced. The impact of research on the practice of accounting will continue to be substantial. Research organizations, such as this Centre, can contribute to the practice of accounting by making research results widely and quickly available to practitioners, academics and others involved in accounting.
Achieving the objectives
To achieve its objectives, the Centre will continue to pursue the following:
- A comprehensive research program
- Conferences and symposiums
- Research workshops and distinguished speakers in accounting
- Publications and dissemination of research material
- Publication of newsletters and maintenance of a website
- Research Program
The main focus of the Centre will continue to be the sponsorship of research projects in all areas of accounting and related disciplines. The Centre will encourage, welcome and fund research projects which contribute to a better definition of the role of accounting; an enhanced understanding of accounting issues and challenges, finding solutions to problems facing the profession and the discipline; the development of accounting products; and the expansion and clarification of the theoretical, conceptual and practical foundations of accounting.
Issues such as intangibles, intellectual capital, earning management, voluntary disclosure practices, corporate governance, performance measurement and reporting, environmental and social accounting, risk management, and accounting standards and policies will generate a number of research projects.
The research program produces a variety of outputs. Project results are published in academic journals and professional or trade magazines. Research results are also disseminated through conference proceedings, research reports, presentations at conferences and articles on the web.
Conferences and Symposiums
The Centre has a comprehensive program of conferences. In its annual conference, for example, a panel of academics and practitioners come together to discuss common issues. The focus has been on pressing issues in accounting and on themes that are relevant to practitioners and academics in all types of sectors and organizations.
Great importance has been given to the dissemination of research findings to as wide an audience as possible. Conferences are now focusing on a mix of formats. Topics of interest to a large audience, are interspersed with less popular and more conceptual or theoretical topics.
Workshops and Speakers
The Centre will continue to invite well-known academics and practitioners to present their research results. These forums provide opportunities for the exchange of ideas and the enhancement of knowledge and research methodologies between teams of researchers in the Centre and researchers in other institutions. They also facilitate networking and give the Centre a higher profile in research and academic communities.
Newsletters
The Accounting and Governance Research Centre has been publishing an annual newsletter for many years. This newsletter reports on major activities and achievements during the year. Its objective is to keep the academic and accounting communities and other interested parties aware of the activities of the Centre, thereby giving it and the University appropriate visibility.
Website
To educate and communicate regarding the work at the Centre, a website (www.cga-agrc.com) has been established and maintained. It features the latest information about the Centre, including its major activities, conferences, publications, research abstracts, upcoming events and newsletters.
Infrastructure Enhancement
To focus and support its research activities, the Centre has established a collection of academic and professional publications and a collection of national and international annual databases. Enhancements to this infrastructure of publications and reports will continue so that researchers have access to the latest information for their studies.
Profile and Visibility
It is evident that the aforementioned activities all contribute to the attainment of a higher profile for the Centre and the University of Ottawa .
As a proof of its high reputation, one need only note the points of origin of the guest speakers and lecturers who have come to Ottawa to participate in AGRC sponsored conferences, workshops and lectures. Guests have come from universities and professional organizations in Canada from Nova Scotia to British Columbia . Internationally, they have come from Australia , Hong Kong , Ireland , Scotland , England , Germany and the United States . Also, research results from the Centre have been published in academic and professional journals of many different bodies in many different countries.
The list of publications in the attachment represents a sample of our success in this area. It is a summary of the breadth and the depth of the current research at the Centre, focusing on specific work in progress, books and articles.
The Way Ahead
The Accounting and Governance Research Centre is almost two decades old. It has regularly reviewed its strategy to ensure that its activities continue to support its primary objectives. Past history includes: excellent attendance at annual conferences, participation of renowned academics and professionals from around the world, and publication of research results in national and international journals. All testify to the success of the Centre in conducting valuable research and add to the reputation of the Centre and the University of Ottawa
The Accounting and Governance Research Centre will continue to spearhead in high quality research of relevance to the accounting profession in the main areas of the discipline. This will be achieved in conjunction with a world-class team of researcher, a strong network with researchers in Canada and abroad, and strategic partnerships with other organisation concerned with accounting.
