MSU faculty conducts research on student enrollment
Dr. Stephen Brigham and Dr. Vivek Madupu’s research focuses on the decline in students majoring in accounting and the possible reasons for this.
Brigham, an assistant professor of accounting, and Madupu, an assistant professor of marketing at the Smith College of Business & Technology, published an article in the “Journal of Accounting, Ethics, and Public Policy.”
Brigham says that without the help of his students and peers, the research would not have been possible.
"We are grateful for the helpful and gracious support of so many Eagles, most of whom took time out from their lunch and their studies in ADUC's food court to complete our research instrument,” said Brigham. “Your participation has enabled the start of an important stream of research that will be useful to higher education, policymakers, and the accounting profession. Go Eagles!"
Department Chair and Professor of Management Dr. Janet Ratliff says the student opportunity was invaluable.
"Through Dr. Brigham's and Dr. Madupu's efforts, we are so fortunate to have had students who actually had the opportunity to be on the front end of research that makes the connection between their lived experiences and the classroom,” said Ratliff.
Brigham hopes the research will demonstrate the value of an accounting major to prospective students.
“A profession that provides endless opportunities to do well by doing good in the world,” said Brigham. “Every organization in every industry needs accountants to achieve its goals efficiently and effectively. As far as math goes, most of the time, arithmetic gets the job done.”
Brigham says the next step is to broaden the research pool.
“Our plan is to extend the work to high school students who have not already declared a university major,” said Brigham. “Interesting such students in the accounting profession will be an important part of the solution to the accounting pipeline problem.”
Brigham and Madupu's piece can be viewed below:
For more information on their research, contact Brigham at ssbrigham@moreheadstate.edu or 606-783-2259. Madupu at v.madupu@moreheadstate.edu or 606-783-2338.
To learn more about programs in the Smith College of Business & Technology, email cbt@moreheadstate.edu or 606-783-2174.
