The diktat of concision: When accounting for words shrinks academic knowledge

For the vast majority of accounting and management research journals, the length of submitted articles is now considered an essential criterion, and the watchword in this respect is: “keep it as short as possible!” Our goal in this essay is to highlight the potential damaging side-effects that this...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Critical perspectives on accounting 2024-03, Vol.99, p.102732, Article 102732
Main Authors: Guénin, Henri, Gendron, Yves, Morales, Jérémy
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Academic publishing
Academic writing
Concision policing
Length limit
Performativity of research
Positivism
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Summary:For the vast majority of accounting and management research journals, the length of submitted articles is now considered an essential criterion, and the watchword in this respect is: “keep it as short as possible!” Our goal in this essay is to highlight the potential damaging side-effects that this “diktat of concision” currently imposed on researchers can have on the creation of knowledge. We also seek to better understand how the current circumstances constitute a fertile ground for such a diktat to thrive despite its possible negative repercussions. As we advance in our reflection, we come to illuminate a set of possible resonances between (1) the academic writing style promoted by the “diktat of concision” and a context marked by: (2) the “McDonaldization” of research, (3) the persistent domination of the positivist approach in accounting and management academia, and (4) the increasing performatization of science. In sum, we endeavor to challenge the mythological edifice underpinning the voice of concision in the world of research.
ISSN:1045-2354
DOI:10.1016/j.cpa.2024.102732