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Ersatz Academics and Scholar‐saints: The Supply of Financial Accounting Research
Author(s) -
PEASNELL K. V.,
WILLIAMS D. J.
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
abacus
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.632
H-Index - 45
eISSN - 1467-6281
pISSN - 0001-3072
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-6281.1986.tb00130.x
Subject(s) - accounting , politics , economics , accounting research , business , positive economics , political science , law
Watts and Zimmerman, in a widely acclaimed article, concluded that accounting theories serve to supply excuses for policies determined by political processes. This paper presents a critical review of Watts and Zimmerman's hypothesis, and in return, suggests that the academic reward system in the leading universities does not encourage that kind of activity. The alternative hypothesis is that there are two markets, one for excuses and the other for scholarly research.