Publish or Perish: Is this Really a Viable Set of Options?

This paper examines publishing patterns amongst Australian accounting academics over the period 1999-2003. The number of potential publications is estimated by reference to the existing academic staff, their status and qualifications. An estimate of 400 potential publications per year was calculated. This was compared with the actual output of the best-known Australian based accounting journals over the period 1999-2003, calculated at about 60 articles per year. Clearly, a sudden increase in output to the level that ought to be taking place would place a strain on the system. One possible method of recognising publishable research output, regardless of space available for the work to be published, would be for an independent 'panel of referees' to award the status of 'worthy of publication in a learned journal' to research output in order to assist the academic staff in gaining appropriate recognition and reward, avoiding the simple dichotomy that currently faces many academics to publish or to perish, making an on-line publication after review by a national body of referees an alternative journal publication.