ACC620 Contemporary Issues In Accounting

8 Pages / 1,915 Words Published On: 09-03-2021

Question:

Clearly and concisely define your issue. Capture the reader’s attention, why the research is important and the theoretical basis that you have adopted. Work on the introduction every week but complete it last.

Demonstrate, with references where possible, why the issue is important to practice (e.g., to accountants, managers, regulators, the general public). References here may be to academic journal articles, but may also be to newspapers etc.

Provide an overview of the contribution that the research will make to theory (e.g., replicating existing research, testing theory, addressing gaps in existing research, reconciling conflicting results from prior research…)

Length: one or two paragraphs

Build a logical argument for a specific relationship between two variables (i.e., a theoretical framework), using established research published in academic journals. Start by identifying your theoretical framework, naming the theory and referencing the seminal article(s), identify the key theoretical constructs that you will be considering and the predicted relationship based on the theory.

Carefully review the empirical research, the proxy measures that have been tested in previous studies, and the results. Highlight the extent to which previous research has been consistent or if there have been differences (which you might have mentioned in the theoretical motivation).

Remember you are building an argument for a specific relationship between two variables: clearly define the two variables; explain how these two variables are understood to be linked; and outline the reasons given for why there is a relationship between these two variables. Critically discuss the strengths and limitations of the existing research and use this to justify the argument for a modification to the theory or a new application of the theory. Then draw your conclusion about the predicted relationship for the variables that you plan to test. The argument must lead to a specific prediction (to be stated in the next section) that can be tested.

Length: this is the longest part of your proposal, similar to the ‘body’ of other assignments.

Hypotheses:

Clearly state your testable and falsifiable predictions. A single hypothesis is sufficient, however, sometimes your argument might lead to two hypotheses. Express your hypothesis in the alternative form where appropriate (i.e., the relationship that you predict based on the theory).

Answer:

Introduction:

The research proposes climate change integration into business strategy and state whether it helps in carbon emission reduction. The research method of the study relates to the disclosures retrieved with the use of survey technique which is available in the website of the CDP. The study also states the purpose of considering 80 out of 5000 companies to participate in the survey. The main idea of the study is depicted with the response of the descriptive design. The study will use the disclosure percentages as per the climate change which needs to be integrated into the perception of the pressure taken from the consumers which may have a considerable amount of impact on the performance of market. This analysis will consist of the descriptive analysis along with combination of inferential statistical tools. The objectives pertaining to the analysis will be measurable as per the IV affecting the DV. As the companies has self-reported the statistics, this is speculated in terms of the performance of the company and various other factors which may be measured as political influences and social influences. In case survey of the study is larger than the size then the disclosure of the carbon emissions will be able to show whether a company will be able to actively involved in the strategy for showing the main agents which are responsible for the emissions. Theoretical Construct has been taken from the Climate change integrated into business strategy which has shown climate change integration with the topic of carbon emission will depend on the strategies integrated by the business. Carbon emission reduction has been depicted with the dependent variable which is included under the scope of the study of carbon emissions. Management Incentives are considered to be important as the companies may decide to be benefitted financially pertaining to these incentives (Moriarty, 2014).

Practical Motivation:

Carbon footprint and industrial emissions can be depicted to be caused by any organization or a product which is expressed equivalent to carbon dioxide. The measure of the total carbon dioxide and methane emissions may be considered as equivalent to total amount of carbon dioxide and methane emission for a defined population and consideration of the relevant sources which sinks within the spatial and temporal boundary of the population, activity or interest. The practical motivation is taken from the role of the industries which is also seen to be important for the solving the problems associated to climate change. The important contribution to the research study needs to be determined in terms of whether climate change integration into business strategy has helped in the carbon emission reduction. The impact of the conduction of the study will be seen with significant effect on the stakeholders by the initiatives taken by the companies as per GHG emission disclosures. The main impact on the stakeholders needs to be considered as this will be conducive for long-term reputation of the company. This relates to the various types of the social awareness and future implication which the companies consider in illustration and identification of the sources of problem and committing to the reporting activities. (Schandl, et al., 2016)

Theoretical Motivation:

The carbon emissions and the Greenhouse emissions are seen with main information for any organization which was expected to disclose on the “carbon disclosure project (CDP)”. The research is contributing towards the motivation of the firms to focus on reducing the output from the carbon emissions and other areas in which industries are responsible to affect the climate. Despite of the efforts taken by the organization there are significant drawbacks suffered in understanding the main drivers for climate change. Some of the other gaps of the previous research needs to be determined with the limited discussion on the stakeholders due to carbon emissions. The study has implemented the use of the stakeholder’s theory to align the interests of knowing the policies in organization relating to climate change (Mossler, et al., 2017).

Literature Review:

The role of the board of directors is seen in terms of addressing to the climate change which has been evident with regulatory risk measures, physical risk, financial risk and liability risk. The important disclosures pertaining to the carbon disclosures are seen to be based on the focus on the carbon intensive sectors under the liability risk. The board of directors have also taken several initiatives pertaining to climate change. The contribution of the directors is further depicted in terms of the providing a positive overview of the significant impact on the quality and quantity of the GHG emission disclosures (K?l?ç & Kuzey, 2018).

The linking of the two variables of the study is considered with mean percentage of the gross global combined Scope 1 and 2 emissions (2011-2017) and Climate change integrated into the business strategy by the organizations. The important nature of the moderating variable for the study needs to be identified in terms of the several types of the other attentions pertaining to the Inherent climate change opportunities that have the potential to generate a substantive change in business operations, revenue or expenditure. The proxy measures included in the previous studies are associated to the CSR disclosures which have a significant role in the stakeholder analysis. For instance, the application of standards such as “ISO 26000” and “GRI (Global Reporting Initiative)” are in line with the stakeholder’s analysis. Some of the fields associated to the stakeholder theory, law management and HRM has been successful in terms of the application of the relevant principles suggested under the stakeholder’s framework (Jensen, 2017).

The stakeholder for any company is considered with the management of the business ethics which address the morals and values. The stakeholder’s theory has been able to argue with the parties who are involved with the trade associations, employees, suppliers, government bodies and suppliers (Jensen 2017). The competitors of a company are also seen with status of being derived with the capacity affecting the stakeholder’s and firms. The main constituents of the stakeholders are seen to be highly contested with the consideration various explanations. The overall strategy placed by the stakeholders includes both the resource-based view at the socio-political level. A common version for this theory seeks to understand about the various types of the perspectives which are related to the defining of the specific stakeholders of the company and interpret the conditions which the managers share among the stakeholders. The normative theory for the stakeholder identification can be stated with any individual who may or may not be considered to be a part of the organisation. These individuals can be considered with shareholders, consumers, competitors and partners of the business. The stakeholder’s will be able to include the challenges which the organizations may face in terms of the allocation of the resources and influencing their operational. The stakeholder’s salience theory includes the influence of the management in the decision-making process (Bridoux & Stoelhorst, 2014)

The inclusion of the concepts associated to the CSR has been also identified with a significant role in the stakeholder analysis. For instance, the application of standards such as “ISO 26000” and “GRI (Global Reporting Initiative)” are in line with the stakeholder’s analysis. Some of the fields associated to the stakeholder theory, law management and HRM has been successful in terms of the application of the relevant principles suggested under the stakeholder’s framework. The ethical approached pertaining to the adoption of the stakeholder’s theory needs to be identified in terms of the various types of initiatives pertaining to the individual dilemmas and social dilemmas and organizational dilemmas.

The main recognition of the application of the stakeholder theory needs to be identified in the higher education in the late 20th and early 21st century. Several other studies have suggested that the external stakeholders may include the employers. A number of other studies has been able to relate the connection among the environmental impact and carbon disclosure. Despite of the significant initiatives taken for showing this relationship, none is seen to be consistent in nature. The environmentally growing concerns are seen to be addressed in many researches which relates to the consumer consciousness in the market. The voluntary disclosure assertions are further seen with the considerations of the various types of the assertions which will show superiority of the firms and the environmental disclosures which differentiates the superior firms with the inferior firms. The previous relating to the study are also stated with the result of the carbon disclosures among the organizations in Europe. Therefore, the consideration of the aforementioned factors is depicted with the consideration of the carbon disclosure policies taken by an organization. These studies have related to the appropriate theoretical framework of the stakeholders and used statistical analysis of the data in solving the empirical research. The stakeholder research is therefore depicted with a significant nature of the business aspect as per the business management studies. The understanding of the stakeholders of a firm is conducive for a firm in knowing about the main constraints which are responsible for driving the performance in an organization. The main objective of the research methodology relates to identify the stakeholders along with the magnitude of their influence in the various level of the organizational activities. The study relates to include the variable which are seen to be in the awareness of the attributes pertaining to a company. In addition to this, the integration of the climate change among the firms has been considered policies which are followed by the firms in terms of the predictor or the independent variables. The stakeholder’s analysis has also related to the significant aspects of the data which may influence the carbon disclosures policies. A firm which is of the opinion to serve to the needs of the increasing demand pertaining to the environmental friendly policy by which the consumer is able to demonstrate a better financial implication along with the impact in the market. The aforementioned factors have been also conducive for the firm in terms defining the relevant factors pertaining to the moderator variables included in the model of the study. These sections of eh study has identified the market pressure as a result of the consumer experience and how they interact to the project objectives disclosures thereby ensuring adequate firms performance (Godfrey & Lewis, 2018).

Hypotheses:

H1: The carbon emission of a company can be significantly impacted if climate change is integrated into the business strategy.

References

Bridoux, F. & Stoelhorst, J., 2014. Microfoundations for stakeholder theory: Managing stakeholders with heterogeneous motives.. Strategic Management Journal, 35(1), pp. 107-125.

Godfrey, P. & Lewis, B., 2018. Pragmatism and pluralism: A moral foundation for stakeholder theory in the 21st century.. s.l.:s.n.

Jensen, M., 2017. Value maximisation, stakeholder theory and the corporate objective function. In Unfolding stakeholder thinking, pp. pp. 65-84.

K?l?ç, M. & Kuzey, C., 2018. The effect of corporate governance on carbon emission disclosures: Evidence from Turkey. Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management.

Moriarty, J., 2014. The connection between stakeholder theory and stakeholder democracy: An excavation and defense. Business & Society, 53(6), pp. 820-852.

Mossler, M. et al., 2017. How does framing affect policy support for emissions mitigation? Testing the effects of ocean acidification and other carbon emissions frames. Global Environmental Change, pp. 45, pp.63-78..

Schandl, H. et al., 2016. Decoupling global environmental pressure and economic growth: scenarios for energy use, materials use and carbon emissions. Journal of Cleaner Production, 37(2), pp. 132, pp.45-56.