Accounting for Social Impact Case Competition: for students from New Zealand, Australia and the Pacific Islands

The Accounting for Social Impact Research Group at AUT will host the Accounting for Social Impact Case Competition virtually on Friday, 26 November 2021. The event aims to promote students’ understanding of how accounting technologies and practices can be used to develop innovative solutions to address real-world problems.

Students from New Zealand, Australian and the Pacific Islands universities are invited to participate.

Explore key social issues and build awareness of the social impact of accounting

Students are encouraged to explore key social issues of interest, identify roles of accounting in understanding the issues and achieving social impact, and suggest innovative solutions to address social issues. From the submissions received, the top-rated cases will be invited to present before a panel of judges. Participating in the event will allow students to build a better awareness of the social impact of accounting in organisations and society, develop a range of personal and business skills (critical thinking, problem-solving and interpersonal skills) and create networks with fellow students and community groups.

Judging

The panel of judges will comprise representatives from the accounting profession, including academics and practitioners. They will judge the submissions and the presentations. Individuals representing key societal stakeholder groups will also be present.

Submitting a case

Students are invited to participate in the competition in groups of 2-3.

You are encouraged to explore social issue/s of interest to you the most, and which will motivate you in addressing the issue/s.

Some case examples have been developed by members of the AUT Accounting for Social Impact Research Group. You can choose to solve one of the examples or you can develop your own case (including background and solution). If you do decide to develop your own case study, the solution should address the three key criteria outlined below:

• critically examine social issues of interest (for example, identify the social issues, factors that attribute to the issues, stakeholders who are implicated by the issues, social and environmental consequences)
• identify the roles of accounting in understanding the social issues and achieving social impact (for example, identify relevant accounting technologies and practices, how accounting facilitate, maintain or impede the achievement of social impact)
• suggest innovative solutions to address the social issues (for example, what are yet to be done, the feasibility of your suggestions).

You are encouraged to use secondary and/or primary data when solving the sample case studies or alternatively when developing your own case. If primary data (for example, an organisation’s documents or database, personal experience) are used, please note that you, the students, will be responsible for securing appropriate consent/approval from related individuals/organisations and acquiring ethical approval from your university.

The case should be submitted as a written report and has a limit of 5,000 words, which applies to the cover page, three key aspects of the case, tables, graphs and pictures, but excluding references and appendices. For ease of reading, 1.5 line spacing, Times New Roman in 12 point or Arial in 10 point are recommended.

Download case examples

Key dates

• 30 September 2021 - Registration Deadline
• 8 October 2021 - Submission Deadline
• 5 November 2021 - Students will be informed of the decision
• 26 November 2021 - Social Impact Accounting Case Competition Event

Prizes

• The first-place winner: NZD 500
• The second-place winner: NZD 400
• The third-place winner: NZD 300
• The overall winner of the innovation award: NZD 400

Conference organisers

• Dr Cherrie Yang
• Dr Syrus Islam
• Dr Muhammad Bilal Farooq

This year’s Accounting for Social Impact Case Competition is proudly sponsored by ACCA, Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand, MYOB and Xero.