You Cannot Judge a Book by Its Cover: The Problems with Journal Rankings

Accounting Education

Volumn 24, Issue 3, 2015, Pages 175-186

  Sangster, Alan ^a  

^a GRIFFITH UNIVERSITY   (Australia)

Author keywords

academic freedom; bullying; discrimination; Journal rankings; mis management

Indexed keywords

EID: 84934763967     PISSN: 09639284     EISSN: 14684489     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1080/09639284.2015.1055929     Document Type: Article

References (35)

1. Australian Business Deans Council (ABDC). (2013a). ABDC journal quality list 2013. Deakin, ACT: Author.
2. Australian Business Deans Council (ABDC). (2013b). ABDC journal quality list – 2013 review: Overall report. Deakin, ACT: Author.
3. Association of Business Schools. (2015). The ABS academic journal guide 2015. London: Author.
4. N.Albu,, C.N.Albu,, S.Bunea,, & M.M.Girbina, (2015). Accounting academia in emerging economies: Evolutions and challenges. International Journal of Accounting & Information Management, 23(2), 128–151. doi: 10.1108/IJAIM-04-2014-0024
5. J.K.Alexander,, R.F.Scherer,, & M.Lecoutre, (2007). A global comparison of business journal ranking systems. Journal of Education for Business, 82(6), 321–328. doi: 10.3200/JOEB.82.6.321-328
6. D.Bennett,, P.Genoni,, & G.Haddow, (2011). FoR [Field of research] codes pendulum: Publishing choices within Australian research assessment. Australian Universities’ Review, 53(2), 88–98.
7. S.Cooper,, & A.Poletti, (2011). The new ERA of journal ranking. Australian Universities’ Review, 53(1), 57–65.
8. A.G.Hoepner,, & J.Unerman, (2012). Explicit and implicit subject bias in the ABS journal quality guide. Accounting Education: An International Journal, 21(1), 3–15. doi: 10.1080/09639284.2011.651291
9. C.Humphrey,, P.Moizer,, & D.Owen, (1995). Questioning the value of the research selectivity process in British university accounting. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, 8(3), 141–164. doi: 10.1108/09513579510094732
10. S.Hussain, (2011). Food for thought on the ABS academic journal quality guide. Accounting Education: An International Journal, 20(6), 545–559. doi: 10.1080/09639284.2011.596659
11. S.Hussain, (2012). Further food for thought on the ABS guide. Accounting Education: An International Journal, 21(1), 17–22. doi: 10.1080/09639284.2011.650444
12. S.Hussain,, L.Liu,, Y.Wang,, & L.Zuo, (2015). Journal rankings, collaborative research and publication strategies: Evidence from China. Accounting Education: An International Journal, 24(3), 233–255.
13. J.Locke,, & A.Lowe, (2000). A market test of the ranking of accounting journals: An Australasian perspective (University of Waikato Working Paper Series, Number 68). Hamilton: Department of Accounting, University of Waikato.
14. S.Macdonald,, & J.Kam, (2007). Ring a ring o’ roses: Quality journals and gamesmanship in management studies. Journal of Management Studies, 44(4), 640–655. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-6486.2007.00704.x
15. B.Malsch,, & S.Tessier, (2015). Journal ranking effects on junior academics: Identity fragmentation and politicization. Critical Perspectives on Accounting, 26(1), 84–98. doi: 10.1016/j.cpa.2014.02.006
16. N.Marriott,, G.Stoner,, T.Fogarty,, & A.Sangster, (2014). Publishing characteristics, geographic dispersion and research traditions of recent international accounting education research. British Accounting Review, 46(3), 264–280. doi: 10.1016/j.bar.2013.11.003
17. N.McGuigan, (2015). The impact of journal rankings on Australasian accounting education scholarship – A personal view. Accounting Education: An International Journal, 24(3), 187–207.
18. B.McKercher, (2005). A case for ranking tourism journals. Tourism Management, 26(5), 649–651. doi: 10.1016/j.tourman.2004.04.003
19. M.J.Milne, (2000). Toward the end of academic freedom, diversity, judgement and accountability: A critique of Cassar and Holmes’ (1999) journal yardsticks. Accounting, Accountability & Performance, 6(1), 99–116.
20. J.Mingers,, & H.Willmott, (2013). Taylorizing business school research: On the ‘one best way’ performative effects of journal ranking lists. Human Relations, 66(8), 1051–1073. doi: 10.1177/0018726712467048
21. H.F.Moed, (2008). UK research assessment exercises: Informed judgments on research quality or quantity? Scientometrics, 74(1), 153–161. doi: 10.1007/s11192-008-0108-1
22. L.Moore, (2015). Exploring the role of symbolic legitimation in voluntary journal list adoption. Accounting Education: An International Journal, 24(3), 256–273.
23. H.Morris,, C.Harvey,, A.Kelly,, & M.Rowlinson, (2011). Food for thought? A rejoinder on peer-review and RAE2008 evidence. Accounting Education: An International Journal, 20(6), 561–573. doi: 10.1080/09639284.2011.634215
24. S.Moya,, D.Prior,, & G.Rodríguez-Pérez, (2015). Performance-based incentives and the behavior of accounting academics: Responding to changes. Accounting Education: An International Journal, 24(3), 208–232.
25. S.M.Nkomo, (2009). The seductive power of academic journal rankings: Challenges of searching for the otherwise. Academy of Management Learning & Education, 8(1), 106–112. doi: 10.5465/AMLE.2009.37012184
26. D.Northcott,, & S.Linacre, (2010). Producing spaces for academic discourse: The impact of research assessment exercises and journal quality rankings. Australian Accounting Review, 20(1), 38–54. doi: 10.1111/j.1835-2561.2010.00079.x
27. J.Rowbotham, (2011, May 30). End of an ERA: journal rankings dropped. The Australian. Retrieved May 21, 2015, from www.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/end-of-an-era-journal-rankings-dropped/story-e6frgcjx-1226065864847
28. A.Sangster, (2011). The ABS journal quality guide: A personal view. Accounting Education: An International Journal, 20(6), 575–580. doi: 10.1080/09639284.2011.621660
29. R.W.Scapens,, & M.Bromwich, (2010). Management accounting research: 20 years on. Management Accounting Research, 21(4), 278–284. doi: 10.1016/j.mar.2010.08.003
30. A.Serenko,, & N.Bontis, (2009). Global ranking of knowledge management and intellectual capital academic journals. Journal of Knowledge Management, 13(1), 4–15. doi: 10.1108/13673270910931125
31. V.Theoharakis,, & A.Hirst, (2002). Perceptual differences of marketing journals: A worldwide perspective. Marketing Letters, 13(4), 389–402. doi: 10.1023/A:1020378718456
32. D.Tourish, (2011). Leading questions: Journal rankings, academic freedom and performativity: What is, or should be, the future of Leadership? Leadership,7(3), 367–381.
33. D.Tourish, (2015, March 19). Rank irrelevance. Times Higher Education, p. 32.
34. D.Tourish,, & H.Willmott, (2015). In defiance of folly: Journal rankings, mindless measures and the ABS guide. Critical Perspectives on Accounting, 26(1), 37–46. doi: 10.1016/j.cpa.2014.02.004
35. R.P.Weber,, & W.C.Stevenson, (1981). Evaluations of accounting journal and department quality. The Accounting Review, 56(3), 596–612.