Purpose
The purpose of this study is to argue for the need for more critical-reflective teaching-learning experiences in finance teaching, capable of promoting changes in students’ frames of reference toward sustainability. The aim was to evaluate the levels of reflection and the transformative learning experiences perceived by undergraduate students enrolled in three finance disciplines at a Business Administration course of a Brazilian business school. This course has been the object of pedagogical experience toward sustainability teaching-learning for some years.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors used mixed data. For quantitative data, the authors collected 188 questionnaires, as well as 160 student-written reports for qualitative data.
Findings
Incorporating sustainability topics into finance disciplines, longitudinally, stimulates critical reflection and transformations in students’ mindsets toward sustainable rationality in finance. Despite the high number of agreements with reflection and critical reflection levels, emphasis only on the theoretical discussion of sustainability presuppositions does little to contribute to the practical application of concepts.
Research limitations/implications
Although the study was conducted in a particular Business School, the authors expect that the results can be replicated and improved in comparative studies, encouraging transformative learning in the teaching-learning of finance.
Practical implications
The results show the potential and limitations of the experiences studied and its implications for theoretical and didactics in finance teaching. The discussions and the examples of practical activities presented can bring contributions to educators, professors and researchers.
Originality/value
Few studies in finance seeks to evaluate pedagogical experiences from the point of view of students’ learning, especially in relation to the development of a new rationality.
Prior studies concentrated on the misuse of accounting information systems and did not explore the effectiveness of internal control systems with a view to curb corporate frauds. This study abridged the aforementioned gap. The study rallied around the question of which procedures are deemed appropriate or not in the internal control procedures to mitigate the risks of fraud in organisations. We carried out an interpretative and critical analysis on the issue. Based on the aforementioned, we conclude that corruption and misappropriation of assets are frauds combated more efficiently and effectively with the complainants channel, mechanisms of internal control and rules of compliance; while frauds in financial statements usually linked to higher echelon are more appropriately mapped and traced by external auditors.
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