Netnography (Kozinets, 2002) is a new research method that has become increasingly popular within the social sciences. The purpose of this presentation is to introduce the accounting scholar to this new methodology and suggest its role in qualitative accounting research. The key components of netnography are first outlined before reviewing recent scholarship in qualitative accounting that has used the method. The advantages and challenges of netnography are explored together with the opportunities it presents for researching new modes of accountability in the digital age.

This course is designed to give students a background on accounting sustainability research. The course will trace the development of the field, identifying research themes, methods, and challenges in pursuing sustainability research topics. The course consists of three 2-hour modules. The first will an overview of historical sustainability-related research, identifying themes that resonate with current research. The second module will focus on market valuation of climate-related disclosures. The focus on disclosure is particularly relevant for Australian researchers given the new climate-related reporting standards in Australia as well as new disclosure requirements under IFRS. The third module will focus on measurement issues in sustainability research, particularly related to measuring sustainability performance.