Toward a learned profession : the future of accounting research

The Pathways Commission (2012) recommended that we devote significant efforts to building a learned profession by purposeful integration of accounting research, education, and practice for students, accounting practitioners and educators. The reason this goal is so important for our broadly defined accounting profession is that we are in market for talent with other traditional learned professions such as medicine, law and engineering (and other future learned professions). Potential students want rewarding successful careers so they will migrate to learned professions that help make a difference in the world. The key aspect to a learned profession is intellectual technique (research) that informs practice and teaching. If our accounting profession can enhance the link between research, practice and teaching, we can move towards a learned profession. [Publishers' text].