UST-Alfredo M. Velayo College of Accountancy (UST-AMV COA) visiting faculty Prof. Yew Kee Ho from the Singapore Institute of Technology conducted a research training for the AMV COA faculty members, where he discussed current global trends in accounting and business research. The training, which was held from August 27 to 30, 2019, was divided into four subtopics, aimed to continuously upgrade the research competency and productivity of the faculty members of the College, particularly those under the areas of accounting and business education.
Prof. Ho discussed the current global trends in accounting and business research during the August 27 session. He started his discussion by posing the question “Relevance lost, relevance regained: What is one most important discovery in accounting or finance research in the last 30 years?” In his discussion, he enumerated the top global accounting and finance journals, gave samples of top caliber and significant accounting research studies, and rankings of analytical, archival and experimental accounting research studies in the world. He also discussed the importance of research in the areas of accounting information systems, audit, financial and managerial accounting, taxation, and finance.
On the second day of the four-day research training, Ho discoursed on the guidelines for the preparation of publishable research paper. His talk was divided into two main areas: preparing for publication and the structured approach to publication. As part of one’s preparation for publication, Ho gave some advice such as reading the financial press and other accounting research conducted in other countries, talking with industry practitioners, and realizing one’s interest as a research subject matter. He also talked about the Pitching Research Framework, a structured approach to publication popularized by his mentor, Prof. Robert Faff of University of Queensland Business School. The framework provided the key characteristics of a research: structured, brief, simple, methodical, clear and focused.
Ho critiqued some papers presented by students and faculty members including the paper presented by Asst. Prof. Christine S.M. Alday which she co-authored with students, titled ‘Impact of Corporate Social Responsibility on Financial Performance of Top Philippine Banks.’ Student research papers presented were on selected business combinations in the Philippines, corporate social responsibility, financial reporting treatment of Cryptocurrency Transactions.
During the third day, the UST-AMV COA faculty members were joined by teachers from different accounting and business schools in the country for the training on researchers, panelists, advisers and teachers. Ho discussed the concept of a scholastic university and faculty. He emphasized the Knowledge-Skills-Digital Technology Framework for universities, how to balance academic rigor and industry relevance, the big data and data analytics roadmap and knowledge matrix, and funding matters for research, which for him, are the relevant information that a researcher, and research adviser/teacher should always consider.
After his lecture, two student groups presented their research papers which were critiqued by a panel. After the critiquing, Prof. Ho gave his comments on both the presenters and the panelists.
The last day of the four-day training was designed for a special dialogue between Prof.Yew Kee Ho and the UST-AMV COA administrators where he shared some best practices on research capacity building, enhancing competency, and increasing research productivity of accounting faculty members. He also shared some strategies for administrators in designing programs for its faculty members in terms of research efficiency.
Prof. Yew Kee Ho is a visiting professor of UST-AMV COA for the Academic Year 2019-2020. He currently serves as the Associate Provost, Skills Future and Staff Development of Singapore Institute of Technology. He is a Certified Public Account (CPA), Fellow Certified Practising Accountant (FCPA) of the CPA Australia, a Fellow Chartered Accountant (CA) of the Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants, and Chartered Financial Analysts (CFA), CFA Institute.
