Purpose-The purpose of this paper is to investigate success factors pertinent to the management of indigenous businesses through the identification of points of intervention at the systemic and structural levels. Through this approach, the economic and social values that First Nations communities attach to intangible indigenous cultural heritage (ICH) and indigenous cultural intellectual property (ICIP) may be both recognised and realised as assets. Design/methodology/approach-This paper adopts a multidisciplinary approach to address a global issue of economic and social significance to First Nation peoples, their businesses and the Australian Aboriginal communities. The authors adopt a First Nation epistemological standpoint that incorporates theoretical perspectives drawn from a diverse range of fields and theories (Preston, 2013), as well as advocate the use of indigenist methodology for research with First Nation peoples as it is underpinned by critical race theory. Findings-The authors argue conceptually that accounting, accountability and auditing consideration are required to fully identify what is impacting the successful management of indigenous enterprises. Specifically, in relation to accounting, elders should be included to assist in valuing the intangible ICH and ICIP assets. Furthermore, the authors emphasise the need to improve the financial and commercial literacy levels of indigenous entrepreneurs. Practical implications-The authors prescribe the use of tools for the accounting treatment of ICH and ICIP as intangible assets within an Australian regulatory environment and define an auditing process and accountability model incorporating cultural, social and environmental measures. A central tenet of this model relates to improving levels of personal and commercial financial literacy in the First Nation participants. Collectively, these factors promote informed participation and decision-making, and may promulgate more sustainable outcomes. Social implications-Integrated thinking requires all these factors to be considered in a holistic manner, such that a First Nation enterprise and the wider Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people can understand, and make decisions based on, the overall impact it has on all their stakeholders and generally on the society, the environment and the economy. Originality/value-Integrated thinking requires all factors to be considered in a holistic manner, such that a First Nation enterprise and the wider Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples can understand, and

While numbers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples' (hereafter Indigenous Peoples) completing undergraduate degrees has improved markedly in recent years, Indigenous Peoples remain under-represented in HDR programmes which limits progression into academic careers. This paper explores factors affecting Indigenous Peoples' commencement and completion of higher degree research (HDR) programmes. The research was undertaken at a large, multicampus, metropolitan Australian university and involved a qualitative, culturally-appropriate research design based on yarning circles and interviews with Indigenous HDR candidates and interviews with HDR supervisors. The research was undertaken by Indigenous and non-Indigenous researchers i with advice provided by the Indigenous community at the university to ensure cultural safety. Highlighting the central role of supervisors and system-wide university support, the most significant finding of the research is that though additional research and other university commitments can be a barrier, other research/work opportunities enables completion. The findings suggest that in addressing under-representation of Indigenous Peoples in HDR and academia in Australia, universities need to provide strategic attention to how they engage, support and recognise achievements of Indigenous Peoples in HDR whilst also being cognisant of individuals' competing responsibilities.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether IFRS-based data improve bankruptcy prediction over Australian GAAP-based data. In doing so, we focus on intangibles because conservative accounting rules for intangibles under IFRS required managers to write off substantial amounts of intangibles previously capitalized and revalued upwards under Australian GAAP (AGAAP). Our focus on intangibles is also motivated by empirical evidence that financially distressed firms are more likely to voluntarily capitalize and make upward revaluations of intangibles compared with healthy firms. Design: We analyze a sample of 46 bankrupt firms and 46 non-bankrupt (healthy) firms using a matched-pair design over the period 1991 to 2004. We match control firms on fiscal year, size (total assets), GICS-based industry membership, and principal activities. Using Altman's (1968) model, we compare the bankruptcy prediction results between bankrupt and non-bankrupt firms for up to five years before bankruptcy. In our tests, we use financial statements as reported under AGAAP and two IFRS-based datasets. Our IFRS-based datasets are created by considering the adjustments on the AGAAP data required to implement the requirements of IAS 38, IFRS 3 and IAS 36. Findings: We find that, under IFRS, Altman's (1968) model consistently predicts bankruptcy for bankrupt firms more accurately than under AGAAP for all of the five years prior to bankruptcy. This greater prediction accuracy emanates from smaller values of the inputs to Altman's model due to conservative accounting rules for intangibles under IFRS. However, this greater accuracy in bankruptcy prediction comes with larger Type II errors for healthy firms. Overall, our results provide evidence that the switch from AGAAP to IFRS improves the quality of information contained in the financial statements for predicting bankruptcy. Research limitations/implications: Small sample size may limit the generalizability of our findings. Originality/value: Although bankruptcy prediction is one of the primary uses of accounting information, the burgeoning literature on the benefits of IFRS adoption has so far neglected the role of IFRS data in bankruptcy prediction. Thus, we document a new benefit of IFRS adoption. In this paper, we demonstrate how the restrictions on the ability to capitalize and revalue intangibles enhance the quality of information used to predict bankruptcy. These results provide evidence to international standard setters of what they can expect if their efforts to remove nonrestrictive accounting practices for intangibles are abandoned.

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to describe and evaluate the implementation of an online self and peer assessment model (SPARKPLUS) to assess team work skills of accounting students. Design/methodology/approach – This study describes the background and implementation of SPARKPLUS and employs a survey questionnaire administered to students enrolled in an undergraduate company accounting subject before and after the implementation of the model. The survey results and selected qualitative data are used to evaluate students' attitudes to group work and the impact of SPARKPLUS. Findings – The study suggests that students understand the benefits of group work activities in developing their technical knowledge in company accounting. However, students do not appreciate the value of group work activities in developing generic skills or how SPARKPLUS supports group work activities. Practical implications – Professional and accreditation bodies require evidence of teaching and learning activities and assessment of team work skills during the students' undergraduate accounting degree. This study demonstrates that students require significant teaching and learning activities in relation to team work skills and the assessment model for successful implementation. Originality/value – This study makes an original contribution to the accounting education literature pertaining to assessment of team work skills in two respects. First, the study outlines the design, implementation and preliminary evaluation of an online self and peer assessment model in an undergraduate company accounting course. Second, preliminary evidence concerning the impact of this model on group work activities and team work skills is provided.

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