IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eme/aaajpp/v20y2007i6p883-911.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Enrolling discourse consumers to affect material intellectual capital practice

Author

Listed:
  • Suresh Cuganesan
  • Christina Boedker
  • James Guthrie

Abstract

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to provide an empirical account of the discourse‐practice nexus relating to an accounting for intellectual capital (IC) at an Australian public sector organisation (LandsNSW). Design/methodology/approach - The paper is a case study. Data collection techniques comprised semi‐structured interviews,in situobservation of meetings and internal presentations, and reviews of documents such as internal memos, strategic plans, IC statements and business performance and annual reports. Findings - Although ambiguity in discourse may reduce its ability to prescribe particular practices, the paper argues that such qualities allow discourse producers greater flexibility in attempting to shape action. At LandsNSW, IC discourse was given shape by those mobilising it. Specifically, constructing IC as a potential solution to practical concerns made IC more attractive to discourse consumers. By interesting and enrolling users in this manner, IC discourse was taken up where it had previously been discarded. Research limitations/implications - External factors that comprised IC discourse outside the organisation have only been given limited attention. It is also acknowledged that discourse consumers extend beyond practice manager level to also include employees in lower level operational positions and that these have not been explored in this study. Purpose - The paper provides useful information on enrolling discourse consumers to affect material intellectual capital practice.

Suggested Citation

  • Suresh Cuganesan & Christina Boedker & James Guthrie, 2007. "Enrolling discourse consumers to affect material intellectual capital practice," Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 20(6), pages 883-911, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:eme:aaajpp:v:20:y:2007:i:6:p:883-911
    DOI: 10.1108/09513570710830281
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/09513570710830281/full/html?utm_source=repec&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=repec
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers
    File URL: https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/09513570710830281/full/pdf?utm_source=repec&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=repec
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1108/09513570710830281?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Michael Habersam & Martin Piber, 2003. "Exploring intellectual capital in hospitals: two qualitative case studies in Italy and Austria," European Accounting Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 12(4), pages 753-779.
    2. Helen Tregidga & Markus J. Milne, 2006. "From sustainable management to sustainable development: a longitudinal analysis of a leading New Zealand environmental reporter," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 15(4), pages 219-241, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Maria Serena Chiucchi & Marco Giuliani & Stefano Marasca, 2014. "The design, implementation and use of intellectual capital measurements: a case study," MANAGEMENT CONTROL, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2014(2), pages 143-168.
    2. Martijn van der Steen, 2011. "The emergence and change of management accounting routines," Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 24(4), pages 502-547, May.
    3. Rooney, Jim & Dumay, John, 2016. "Intellectual capital, calculability and qualculation," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 48(1), pages 1-16.
    4. Jill Hooks & Natasja Steenkamp & Ross Stewart, 2010. "Interpreting pictorial messages of intellectual capital in company media," Qualitative Research in Accounting & Management, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 7(3), pages 353-378, August.
    5. Mäkelä, Hannele, 2013. "On the ideological role of employee reporting," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 24(4), pages 360-378.
    6. Stefania Veltri & Giovanni Bronzetti, 2015. "A Critical Analysis of the Intellectual Capital Measuring, Managing, and Reporting Practices in the Non-profit Sector: Lessons Learnt from a Case Study," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 131(2), pages 305-318, October.
    7. Marco Montemari & Maria Serena Chiucchi & Marco Gatti, 2021. "Every Cloud Has a Silver Lining: A History of Barriers to Intellectual Capital Measurement," International Journal of Business and Management, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 14(11), pages 139-139, July.
    8. Secundo, Giustina & Elena Perez, Susana & Martinaitis, Žilvinas & Leitner, Karl Heinz, 2017. "An Intellectual Capital framework to measure universities' third mission activities," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 123(C), pages 229-239.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Matias Laine, 2009. "Ensuring legitimacy through rhetorical changes?," Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 22(7), pages 1029-1054, September.
    2. Habersam, Michael & Piber, Martin & Skoog, Matti, 2013. "Knowledge balance sheets in Austrian universities: The implementation, use, and re-shaping of measurement and management practices," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 24(4), pages 319-337.
    3. Qian, Wei & Schaltegger, Stefan, 2017. "Revisiting carbon disclosure and performance: Legitimacy and management views," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 49(4), pages 365-379.
    4. María Luisa Pajuelo Moreno & Teresa Duarte-Atoche, 2019. "Relationship between Sustainable Disclosure and Performance—An Extension of Ullmann’s Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(16), pages 1-33, August.
    5. Vuontisjärvi, Taru, 2013. "Argumentation and socially questionable business practices: The case of employee downsizing in corporate annual reports," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 29(3), pages 292-313.
    6. Hamad Alhumoudi, 2017. "External Social Accounting Developments: Analysis and Discussion of Academic Critiques," Business and Economic Research, Macrothink Institute, vol. 7(1), pages 33-45, June.
    7. Higgins, Colin & Walker, Robyn, 2012. "Ethos, logos, pathos: Strategies of persuasion in social/environmental reports," Accounting forum, Elsevier, vol. 36(3), pages 194-208.
    8. Jintao Lu & Licheng Ren & Siqin Yao & Jiayuan Qiao & Wadim Strielkowski & Justas Streimikis, 2019. "Comparative Review of Corporate Social Responsibility of Energy Utilities and Sustainable Energy Development Trends in the Baltic States," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-21, September.
    9. Nicolas Garcia‐Torea & Belen Fernandez‐Feijoo & Marta De La Cuesta, 2020. "CSR reporting communication: Defective reporting models or misapplication?," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 27(2), pages 952-968, March.
    10. Kangkang Yu & Cheng Qian & Lingbo Zhang, 2021. "Understanding sustainable development flexibility: An information perspective," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(4), pages 2173-2183, May.
    11. Jill F. Solomon & Aris Solomon & Simon D. Norton & Nathan L. Joseph, 2011. "Private climate change reporting: an emerging discourse of risk and opportunity?," Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 24(8), pages 1119-1148, October.
    12. Gray, Rob, 2010. "Is accounting for sustainability actually accounting for sustainability...and how would we know? An exploration of narratives of organisations and the planet," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 35(1), pages 47-62, January.
    13. Charles H. Cho & Matias Laine & Robin W. Roberts & Michelle Rodrigue, 2018. "The Frontstage and Backstage of Corporate Sustainability Reporting: Evidence from the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Bill," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 152(3), pages 865-886, October.
    14. Ji Li & Fuqiang Zhao & Silu Chen & Wanxing Jiang & Tao Liu & Shengping Shi, 2017. "Gender Diversity on Boards and Firms’ Environmental Policy," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(3), pages 306-315, March.
    15. Bob Frame, 2008. "‘Wicked’, ‘Messy’, and ‘Clumsy’: Long-Term Frameworks for Sustainability," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 26(6), pages 1113-1128, December.
    16. Prince Amoah & Gabriel Eweje, 2021. "Impact mitigation or ecological restoration? Examining the environmental sustainability practices of multinational mining companies," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(1), pages 551-565, January.
    17. Carlos Larrinaga-Gonzélez & Vincente Pérez-Chamorro, 2008. "Sustainability Accounting and Accountability in Public Water Companies," Public Money & Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 28(6), pages 337-343, December.
    18. Beck, A. Cornelia & Campbell, David & Shrives, Philip J., 2010. "Content analysis in environmental reporting research: Enrichment and rehearsal of the method in a British–German context," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 42(3), pages 207-222.
    19. Marisa Agostini & Ericka Costa, 2012. "Mandatory disclosure about environmental and employee matters in Italian listed corporate groups' reports," Working Papers 6, Department of Management, Università Ca' Foscari Venezia.
    20. Martin Piber & Paola Demartini & Lucia Biondi, 2019. "The management of participatory cultural initiatives: learning from the discourse on intellectual capital," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 23(2), pages 435-458, June.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eme:aaajpp:v:20:y:2007:i:6:p:883-911. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Emerald Support (email available below). General contact details of provider: .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.