Scott Henderson

Forestry Managers’ Perceptions of the Feasibility of Incorporating Non-Market Value Estimates into Financial Environmental Reporting

There is currently considerable interest in environmental economic valuation methods because of their importance in policy development and litigious issues. Several accountants have recently advocated these valuation techniques within accounting and reporting frameworks. Environmental accounting can incorporate financially quantified environmental externalities into conventional reporting systems, so that financial statements communicate the commercial and environmental performance of an organisation to its stakeholders to allow more fully-informed decisions. This paper examines the feasibility of developing a financial environmental reporting system for an Australian public sector forestry organization. Data collected with the assistance of the organization were analysed using descriptive and inferential coding. Reactions of forest managers to the introduction of environmental reporting, and their implementation experience, were examined. Potential barriers to the reporting system include a lack of funding, internal resistance to economic valuations due at least in part to low knowledge levels in relation to non-market valuation methods, stakeholder resistance, and the absence of recognised environmental indices against which to report. Potential benefits include capacity to report on sustainability of forest management, and information with which to negotiate settlements with powerful stakeholders and to seek funding for public-good components of operations.

Field-based business consulting practice in Australian University commerce education

Abstract This paper deals with the role of field-based consultancy in Australian commerce education. Field-based consultancy is a form of service learning which is becoming increasingly popular in the United States. This paper replicates the methodology of a previous American study and extends it to an Australian context. A large-scale Internet study of university web sites resulted in the identification of administrative personnel, with similar organizational responsibilities to AACSB deans in U.S. business schools, at 41 Australian universities. A total of 157 heads of Commerce programs were identified. Each was sent a survey questionnaire, with a second mailing approximately two weeks later. A total of 71 were received, yielding a response rate of 45%. Analyses of the responses to the Australian survey indicate a very similar penetration of field-based methodology to that found in the United States. It appears that field-based consultancy, which is very appropriate for small business education, is being used to a wide degree in both American and Australian universities. Given the similarity of the survey responses, Australian higher education, the Australian economy, and the lack of a major language barrier, this result suggests the possibility of implementing international field-based consultancies between American and Australian universities.