Contact Details
| Organization: | Accounting and Business Information Systems |
| Position: | CHAIR OF BUSINESS INFORMATION SYSTEMS |
| Email: | |
| Homepage: | http://www.abis.ecom.unimelb.edu.au/who/staff/colin_ferguson.html |
| Work: | 61383444482 |
| Fax: | 9349 2397 |
| Building: | The Spot, 198 Berkeley St |
| Campus: | Parkville |
Biography
Colin Ferguson is the Chaired Professor of Business Information Systems at The University of Melbourne. From July 2006, he is the Associate Dean – Research in the Faculty of Economics and Commerce.
Professor Ferguson has published widely in professional journals as well as in internationally reviewed academic journals including the International Journal of Accounting Information Systems, the Information Systems Journal, Accounting Horizons, Accounting and Finance, ABACUS, and the Australian Computer Journal.
He holds a number of professional qualifications and affiliations. He is
A Certified Practising Accountant
A Chartered Accountant
A Member of the Australian Computer Society
A Member of the Australian Institute of Management
A Charter Member of the Association for Information Systems
Professor Ferguson started his career working in the audit division of the Big 4 accounting firm, KPMG (then Peat Marwick Mitchell & Co) in Melbourne. He worked for a number of years at Deakin University where he currently holds the position of Honorary Professor. Prior to joining the University of Melbourne, he was Professor of Accounting Information Systems in The University of Queensland Business School.
Between 2001 and 2003, Professor Ferguson was a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants National Academic Board. In 2004, he was appointed to the Professional Education Board of CPA Australia.
He was Director on the Board of the Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand for six years and was President of the Association in 2004-2005.
Professor Ferguson is engaged regularly as a consultant to the profession and industry. One of his most recent consulting engagements has been with the Asia Development Bank on a major corporate and financial governance project for the Royal Kingdom of Nepal and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nepal. He has also recently provided consulting advice to the Thai Comptroller General’s Department on the establishment of a financial management website.
Along with colleagues from The University of Queensland, Professor Ferguson is currently engaged in a major research project with the international firm KPMG. The project, funded by an Australian Research Council Linkage grant, is examining the relations between within-firm fraud and corporate governance structures.
Professor Ferguson has published widely in professional journals as well as in internationally reviewed academic journals including the International Journal of Accounting Information Systems, the Information Systems Journal, Accounting Horizons, Accounting and Finance, ABACUS, and the Australian Computer Journal.
He holds a number of professional qualifications and affiliations. He is
A Certified Practising Accountant
A Chartered Accountant
A Member of the Australian Computer Society
A Member of the Australian Institute of Management
A Charter Member of the Association for Information Systems
Professor Ferguson started his career working in the audit division of the Big 4 accounting firm, KPMG (then Peat Marwick Mitchell & Co) in Melbourne. He worked for a number of years at Deakin University where he currently holds the position of Honorary Professor. Prior to joining the University of Melbourne, he was Professor of Accounting Information Systems in The University of Queensland Business School.
Between 2001 and 2003, Professor Ferguson was a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants National Academic Board. In 2004, he was appointed to the Professional Education Board of CPA Australia.
He was Director on the Board of the Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand for six years and was President of the Association in 2004-2005.
Professor Ferguson is engaged regularly as a consultant to the profession and industry. One of his most recent consulting engagements has been with the Asia Development Bank on a major corporate and financial governance project for the Royal Kingdom of Nepal and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nepal. He has also recently provided consulting advice to the Thai Comptroller General’s Department on the establishment of a financial management website.
Along with colleagues from The University of Queensland, Professor Ferguson is currently engaged in a major research project with the international firm KPMG. The project, funded by an Australian Research Council Linkage grant, is examining the relations between within-firm fraud and corporate governance structures.
Research Expertise and International Linkages
Research Expertise
| Research Interest | Key Words | Country of Expertise |
|---|---|---|
| Business Information Systems | Fraud and Corporate Governance | Australia, Nepal, Thailand |
International Linkages
| Country | Establishment | Collaboration |
|---|---|---|
| Nepal | Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nepal | Research, Technical Assistance/Training |
| Thailand | The Comptroller General's Department | Technical Assistance/Training |
Qualifications, Honours, Fellowships and Other Awards
Qualifications
| Title | Institution | Date Awarded | Abbreviation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor of Business | Swinburne University of Technology | 31-Dec-1975 | |
| Doctor of Philosophy | Deakin University | 15-May-1994 | |
| Diploma in Business | Deakin University | 31-Dec-1971 | |
| Graduate Diploma in Education | State College of Victoria | 31-Dec-1973 | |
| Graduate Diploma in Computing Studies | Deakin University | 31-Dec-1985 | |
| Master of Economics | New England | 31-Dec-1980 |
Government Research Classifications
Research Fields, Courses and Discipline Classifications
- Information Systems Management (INFORMATION SYSTEMS) (280102)
- Decision Support and Group Support Systems (INFORMATION SYSTEMS) (280109)
- Health Information Systems (incl. Surveillance) (PUBLIC HEALTH AND HEALTH SERVICES) (321203)
- Urban and Regional Economics (APPLIED ECONOMICS) (340214)
- Financial Accounting (ACCOUNTING, AUDITING AND ACCOUNTABILITY) (350101)
- Management Accounting (ACCOUNTING, AUDITING AND ACCOUNTABILITY) (350102)
- Auditing and Accountability (ACCOUNTING, AUDITING AND ACCOUNTABILITY) (350103)
- International Accounting (ACCOUNTING, AUDITING AND ACCOUNTABILITY) (350106)
- Other Accounting (ACCOUNTING, AUDITING AND ACCOUNTABILITY) (350107)
- Business Information Systems (incl. Data Processing) (BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT) (350202)
- Innovation and Technology Management (BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT) (350211)
- Electronic Commerce (BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT) (350213)
- Professional Services (Legal, Management Consulting, etc.) (SERVICES) (350604)
- Corporations and Associations Law (LAW) (390105)
- Detection and Prevention of Crime; Security Services (LAW ENFORCEMENT) (390404)
Socio-Economic Objective Classifications
- Computer software and services not elsewhere classified (COMPUTER SOFTWARE AND SERVICES) (700199)
- Finance and investment services (FINANCE, PROPERTY AND BUSINESS SERVICES) (710401)
- Property and business services (FINANCE, PROPERTY AND BUSINESS SERVICES) (710403)
- Macroeconomic issues not elsewhere classified (MACROECONOMIC ISSUES) (720199)
- Productivity (MANAGEMENT AND PRODUCTIVITY ISSUES) (720404)
- Technological and organisational innovation (OTHER ECONOMIC ISSUES) (729901)
- Economic issues not elsewhere classified (OTHER ECONOMIC ISSUES) (729999)
- Rural health (PUBLIC HEALTH) (730209)
- Health and support services not elsewhere classified (HEALTH AND SUPPORT SERVICES) (730399)
- Higher education (HIGHER EDUCATION) (740301)
- The professions and professionalisation (WORK) (750103)
- Public services management (GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS) (750605)
Grants and Contracts
Research Grants, Contracts and Consultancies awarded to the University of Melbourne as the administering institution (since 2003) as recorded in Themis Agreements.
Grants
| Title | Role | Funding Source | Scheme | Award Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Modelling the relations between the incidence of within-firm corporate fraud and thequality of corporate governance structures | Chief Investigator | AUST RESEARCH COUNCIL, KPMG |
Linkage Projects (AUST RESEARCH COUNCIL) | 01/01/2004 |
| Modelling factors affecting the long-term demand for and supply of professional accounting and allied services in rural and regional Australia. | Chief Investigator | AUST RESEARCH COUNCIL | Linkage Projects | 01/07/2006 |
| Modelling the adoption and use of virtual services technologies for rural and regional healthcare: Economic and quality of care perspectives | Chief Investigator | AUST RESEARCH COUNCIL | Linkage Projects | 01/01/2007 |
| INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (IT) AUDIT METHODOLOGIES IN THE AUSTRALIAN PUBLIC SECTOR: ADDRESSING MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS OF INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS | Chief Investigator | UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND | Linkage Projects (AUST RESEARCH COUNCIL) |
Contracts
| Title | Role | Funding Source | Award Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| KPMG FRAUD SURVEY | Chief Investigator | KPMG | 28/08/2008 |
Additional Grant and Contract Information
"Effectiveness of Decision-Making Aids: An Empirical Examination of its Antecedents" (with S. Ho), Accounting Association f Australia and New Zealand Research Grant, 2005.
"Modelling the Factors for Successful Adoption of eXtensible Business Markup Language (XBRL): An Empirical Study" (with S. Ho), Accounting Association of Australia and New Zealand Research Grant, 2006.
"Enhancing Assessment Feedback Practices in Accounting Education: Issues, Obstacles and Reforms" (with James Cook University, RMIT University and The University of Adelaide), The Carrick Institute for Learning and Teaching in Higher Education Priority Projects Program Scheme, 2007.
Publications
Publications produced at the University of Melbourne and reported in the Annual Publications Collection and 'Research Report' since 2001. The Themis Publications module, released in November 2006, allows additional publications from previous institutions and publications from past years to be entered.