Projects per year
Personal profile
Biography
I am an Associate Professor with the Department of Accounting, Monash Business School and have a broad range of research interests in management accounting and performance measurement specifically in 'alternate organisations' such as cooperatives and mutuals and non-profit organisations.
I am the Director of the Mutual Value Lab established by the Monash Business School to build on our long term research collaboration with the Business Council of Cooperatives and Mutuals (BCCM) and the cooperative and mutuals sector. The Lab builds and extends our research collaboration with BCCM which has resulted in the development of a performance measurement framework, the Mutual Value Measurement (MVM) framework. This framework has now been commercialised with our industry partner, BCCM. The MVM research project budget was $1.1m with $600,000 contributed by BCCM and the cooperative and mutual sector.
I am also working with a food relief non-profit organisation, The One Box, on measuring and reporting of social impact and value.
I have a good scholarly record of peer-reviewed publications in academic journals (Accounting Organisations and Society-AOS, Accounting, Auditing and Accountability Journal-AAAJ) and a number of working papers targeted at top tier journals. I have brought in over A$700,000 research income (ARC Category 3) and have experience in leading research teams comprising senior and early career researchers. I have published my research in practitioner publications and podcasts to make my research insights available to industry practitioners.
I am a passionate and engaged educator and have taught accounting and business units in the Monash MBA, PhD and Honours programs and in postgraduate and undergraduate programs. I have developed new units and cases based on current topics and my research and bring 'industry into the classroom' through the use of business cases, authentic and pragmatic assessments and industry presenters to provide students with an engaging and relevant learning experience. My education practice has been recognised through a Fellow membership with the Higher Education Association (HEA), UK and a global teaching excellence award (CIMA, UK).
Prior to joining Monash in Feb 2016, I was at UTS Business School from 2010 to 2015.
Prior to academic appointments, I worked in industry in senior accounting and strategy roles in banking, insurance and health and aged care and in strategy consulting.
I completed a PhD in Accounting in 2015 at UTS. My thesis topic was examining the role of management control systems and practices in enabling strategy formation at the inter-firm level.
I am a Fellow member (FCMA) of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, UK and hold the CGMA designation. I am also an Academic member of the Chartered Accountants, Australia and New Zealand.
Research interests
management accounting, performance measurement, management control systems and practices, accountability
organisational theories- institutional theory, institutional logics, sensemaking, resource dependence, paradox theory
Qualititative research including case studies, vignettes, interviews and observations
Field settings include non-governmental organisations, cooperative and mutual enterprises and inter-organisational relationships
Monash teaching commitment
BEX 6200 Advanced methods in qualitative research
BEX 2000 Digital technology and business
ACF 5350 Applied Contemporary Accounting
ACF5510 Integrated Accounting
ACX4090 Issues in Management Accounting (Honours)
Community service
Regional Board Chair and member, CIMA (2007-2012)
Biography
Supervision
Able to supervise PhD students in topics related to management accounting, performance measurement, management control systems and practices
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
Research area keywords
- Management Accounting
- Strategy
- Performance Management
- Management Control Systems
Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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The One Box: Longitudinal Community Study
Thambar, P. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Kober, R. (Chief Investigator (CI)) & Gong, Z. (Chief Investigator (CI))
1/07/23 → 30/06/26
Project: Research
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Service Performance Reporting Research Project
Hall, M. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Pucci, R. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Kober, R. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Conrath-Hargreaves, A. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Thiagarajah, T. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Thambar, P. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Adams, S. (Partner Investigator (PI)) & Wiegmann, L. (Partner Investigator (PI))
Australian Accounting Standards Board (AASB)
8/08/24 → 14/05/25
Project: Research
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Care Together Program
Thambar, P. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Hall, M. (Chief Investigator (CI)) & Adams, S. (Chief Investigator (CI))
Business Council of Cooperatives and Mutuals Ltd
1/07/23 → 30/06/25
Project: Research
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Identification of Food Security Needs in South Australian Primary Schools
Kober, R. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Thambar, P. (Chief Investigator (CI)) & Gong, Z. (Chief Investigator (CI))
1/04/22 → 30/09/22
Project: Research
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Who Am I? Understanding the identity and identity work practices of chief financial officers (CFOs)
Thambar, P. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI))
21/02/22 → 20/02/23
Project: Research
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Blending logics with performance management systems in an NGO setting
Thambar, P. J., Ferreira, A. & Thoradeniya, P., 7 Jan 2025, In: Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal. 38, 1, p. 200-230 31 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
1 Citation (Scopus) -
This is not an experiment: using vignettes in qualitative accounting research
Wiegmann, L., Conrath-Hargreaves, A., Guo, Z., Hall, M., Kober, R., Pucci, R., Thambar, P. J. & Thiagarajah, T., 7 Jan 2025, In: Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal. 38, 1, p. 418-440 23 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
1 Citation (Scopus) -
When ‘Places’ educate: hacking accounting education through spaces
Cho, C. H., Derichs, D., McGuigan, N., Ballantine, J., Ghio, A., Gorman, L., Korca, B., Merendino, A., Pimentel, E., Akbulut, D. H., Białek-Jaworska, A., Bissessur, S., Caramia, S., Cho, J. N., Costa, E., Daniliuc, S., De Almeida, M., Dumitru, M., Lääts, K. & Lungu, C. & 16 others, , 2025, In: Accounting Forum. 49, 1, 19 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Editorial › Other › peer-review
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Measuring the Impact of The One Box Program: Mental Wellbeing and Refugee Resettlement - A Longitudinal Study
Gong, Z., Kober, R., Thambar, P. & Wu, C., Jul 2024, Melbourne Vic Australia: Monash University. 34 p.Research output: Book/Report › Commissioned Report › Other
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The Chief Financial Officer (CFO): A study of the Role Expectations, Conflicts and Ambiguity
Thambar, P., 2024, Australia: Association of International Certified Professional Accountants. 16 p.Research output: Book/Report › Commissioned Report › Other
Open Access
Prizes
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Chartered Institute of Management Accountants Research Excellence Award
Kober, R. (Recipient) & Thambar, P. (Recipient), 2021
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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Dean's Commendation for Excellence in Research Engagement and Impact
Thambar, Paul (Recipient), 2023
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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Social Impact Measurement Network Australia (SIMNA) Outstanding Collaboration in Social Impact Measurement Award
Kober, R. (Recipient), Thambar, P. (Recipient) & Gong, Z. (Recipient), 2023
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
Activities
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Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal (Journal)
Paul Thambar (Peer reviewer)
1 Jan 2020 → 31 Dec 2020Activity: Publication peer-review and editorial work types › Peer review responsibility
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Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand Conference 2020 (Event)
Paul Thambar (Peer reviewer)
2020 → …Activity: Publication peer-review and editorial work types › Peer review responsibility
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Business Council of Cooperatives and Mutuals Ltd (External organisation)
Paul Thambar (Member) & Matthew Hall (Member)
25 Feb 2020Activity: Industry, Government and Philanthropy Engagement and Partnerships › Continuing Professional Development - development/presentation of external courses
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Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal (Journal)
Paul Thambar (Peer reviewer)
2019 → …Activity: Publication peer-review and editorial work types › Peer review responsibility
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The British Accounting Review (Journal)
Thambar, P. (Peer reviewer)
1 Jan 2019 → 31 Dec 2019Activity: Publication peer-review and editorial work types › Peer review responsibility
Press/Media
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Cost of Living Bites School Lunch Boxes
Gong, Z., Kober, R. & Thambar, P.
20/02/24
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Article/Feature
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How a food charity ‘made sense’ of the COVID crisis and thrived
31/05/22
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Article/Feature
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Will only the big sharks be left after the ravages of the pandemic?
10/12/20
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Blogs, Podcasts and Social Media › Podcasts
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Measuring purpose and value: the Mutual Value Measurement Framework
26/11/20
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Article/Feature