Our Emeritus Professor inducted into Australian Accounting Hall of Fame

May 3 2023

Monash Business School Emeritus Professor Kim Langfield-Smith has been inducted into the prestigious Australian Accounting Hall of Fame for her lasting impact in the field.

Recognised as a “researcher, educator and university administrator of the highest order,” her induction is a testament to her lifelong commitment to advancing the practice of accounting.

Emeritus Professor Kim Langfield-Smith.

“I feel very honoured to have been nominated, let alone inducted into the Hall of Fame,” Prof Langfield-Smith said.

Acting Deputy Dean of Leadership and Executive Education Prof Carla Wilkin said Prof Langfield-Smith was an “outstanding all-rounder” who was dedicated to progressing the accounting discipline.

“As a researcher, she has influenced and shaped research in management accounting, management control systems, strategy, performance measurement systems, and inter- organisational relationships,” Prof Wilkin said.

“As an educator, she is the co-author of a leading management accounting textbook, and as a university administrator, she has contributed internally through senior management roles, and externally through professional committees and international boards and task forces.”

The Hall of Fame honour is the latest in a string of accolades for Prof Langfield-Smith.

In 2014, her contribution to the accounting profession was recognised with a Lifetime Achievement Award from CPA Australia. The Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand awarded her Life Membership in 2016.

And in 2017, Monash University conferred the Emeritus Professor title in recognition of her significant contributions to the university.

“Numbers in accounting are not dry or inert – they tell a story. It is a language that not everyone can appreciate."

Prof Langfield-Smith was drawn to a career in accounting because she had an affinity with numbers and a skill for communicating.

“Numbers in accounting are not dry or inert, they tell a story,” she said. “It is so satisfying when you can look at a display of numbers – or a financial report – and see the sense and the rich meaning that they convey. It is a language that not everyone can appreciate.”

She said what she loved most about her field of management accounting was the intellectual challenge of bringing order to messy or ambiguous situations.

“Management accounting is about designing and using processes and techniques that may lead to improvements in employee satisfaction performance and retention, improved customer satisfaction, improved product quality and profitability, and improved financial performance,” she said.

Her advice to aspiring accountants was to “think outside of the square”.

“Be creative and be willing to invest in new skills,” she said.

The Australian Accounting Hall of Fame honours and celebrates distinguished accounting practitioners and academics who have made significant contributions to the advancement of accounting practice, education and research.

For more information, visit the Australian Accounting Hall of Fame website.