Dr. Neil Dunne

Assistant Professor, Trinity Business School

nedunne@tcd.ie 3531896 2312 https://www.tcd.ie/business/people/faculty-professors/nedunne/

Biography

Neil is an award-winning interdisciplinary scholar that mobilizes sociological and philosophical concepts to better understand the accounting profession. He is an Assistant Professor in Accounting at Trinity Business School, and authored/directs Trinity's MSc. in Accounting and Analytics. Neil is a Chartered Accountant by training, and prior to entering academia, had many years' experience in both practice and industry. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce from University College Cork, a Master's degree in Finance from Trinity with first-class honors achieved, and a PhD from University College Dublin. Prior to joining Trinity, Neil held positions in two other educational institutions in Dublin for almost seven years. He has been involved in course and syllabus design for a range of institutions in Ireland and France. Teaching responsibilities at Trinity include undergraduate and postgraduate modules in financial reporting, for which Neil has won multiple Teaching Excellence Awards. Neil also engages in Doctoral and MSc supervision within the School. Neil's research takes an interdisciplinary approach to audit and financial reporting, and mobilizes concepts such as impression management, strategic framing, institutional logics and Stoic philosophy. In connection with this, he has presented at a range of international conferences, and published in major international scientific journals such as Accounting, Organizations and Society and Critical Perspectives on Accounting. Neil has also acted as a judge at Chartered Accountants Ireland's Published Accounts Awards, and serves on various hubs and committees, including the Scientific Committee for the British Accounting and Finance Association's (BAFA) annual conference, the Committee of BAFA's Interdisciplinary Perspectives Special Interest Group, and ACCA's University Steering Group. He also acts as a mentor to doctoral students via his role as facilitator/mentor for the Irish Accounting and Finance Association's Doctoral Colloquium, and as a mentor for the BAFA Mentoring Scheme.

Publications and Further Research Outputs

Peer-Reviewed Publications
Non-Peer-Reviewed Publications

Auditors in, editor(s)Lucey, B., Maher, E. and O'Brien, E. , Recalling the Celtic Tiger, Dublin, Peter Lang, 2019, pp21 - 22, [Dunne, N.J.]Book Chapter, 2019
IAS 39 in, editor(s)Lucey, B., Maher, E., and O'Brien, E. , Recalling the Celtic Tiger, Dublin, Peter Lang, 2019, pp167 - 168, [Dunne, N.J.]Book Chapter, 2019
Dunne, N.J,. Brennan, N.M. & Kirwan, C.E., Impression management and Big Four auditors: Scrutiny at a public inquiry, Accounting, Organizations and Society, 88, (101170), 2021, p1 - 20Journal Article, 2021, DOI
Dunne, N.J,. Brennan, N.M. & Kirwan, C.E., How the Big Four maintain and defend logic equilibrium at concurrent performances, Critical Perspectives on Accounting, 94, (102479), 2023Journal Article, 2023, DOI
Dunne, N.J., Confronting dark academia: A Stoic strategy of acceptance and resistance, Critical Perspectives on Accounting, 102, (102817), 2025Journal Article, 2025, DOI , TARA - Full Text
Dunne, N.J., Brennan, N.M., & Kirwan, C.E., Uncovering the Nature of Framing: The Big Four audit firms versus a competition regulator, Critical Perspectives on Accounting, 102, (102822), 2025Journal Article, 2025, DOI
Dunne, N.J., 'Artificial intelligence in accounting assessment: Seeking a balance', BAFA Accounting Education Conversations, 2026, -Blog Post, 2026

Dunne, N.J., Calm in the storm: Managing online assessment during a pandemic. Available at https://academic-practice.com/2021/10/04/333/, 2021, -Miscellaneous
Dunne, N.J,. Brennan, N.M. & Kirwan, C.E., Blameless and powerless: How the Big Four react to public scrutiny. Available at https://cobsinsights.org/2021/09/23/blameless-and-powerless-how-the-big-four-react-to-public-scrutiny/, 2021, -Miscellaneous
Dunne, N.J., Exit your comfort zone: five tips for new Programme Managers. Available at https://accountingcafe.org/2024/03/21/programme-managers/, 2024, -Miscellaneous
Dunne, N.J., Call for accountants to teach real-world skills to the next generation, Accountancy Ireland, 57, (5), 2024, p48Journal Article

A distinctive and impactful research programme
Accounting is the language of business. My research examines how powerful actors use this language to exercise and maintain influence. Specifically, I use an interdisciplinary and interpretive approach, applying sociological and philosophical concepts, to study how the 'Big Four' accounting firms influence regulators, competitors and the public. This research programme addresses important questions regarding the role and influence of professional service firms on society.

I have published in high-impact, elite journals such as Accounting, Organizations and Society (AOS), one of only six accounting journals rated 4* (highest category) by the Academic Journal Guide, and one of the Financial Times' exclusive FT50 journals. FT50 is a globally recognised list of 50 leading academic journals used by the FT in assessing business schools worldwide. My research has achieved academic impact through publication in leading international journals, including AOS (Impact factor 4.5, CiteScore 7.1) and Critical Perspectives on Accounting (Impact Factor 4.4, CiteScore 10.9), and practitioner impact through outlets such as Accounting Education Conversations, Accountancy Ireland, Accounting Café, and the Council of Business and Society. My developing reputation for research excellence is also evidenced by ongoing requests to review for leading international accounting journals, and my Research Excellence Award received at Trinity Business School.

I have engaged in research collaborations with colleagues domestically (for instance UCD, DCU and UCC) and internationally (including Montpellier Business School and Durham University). I actively avail of funding opportunities appropriate for my discipline, for instance through the Irish and British Accounting and Finance Associations, and with Chartered Accountants Ireland Educational Trust (CAIET). Going forward, my research pipeline demonstrates a trajectory of ongoing research excellence. For instance, I have a paper (sole author) under first-round revise and resubmit at AOS (ABS4*/FT50), and eight working papers with domestic and international co-authors.

Professional education and training, Sociology and related studies, International accounting, Accounting theory and standards, Philosophy,

Recognition

Nominated for the Award for Excellence in Research Student Supervision, Trinity College Dublin 2025
Winner of Doctoral Research Funding Competition, Irish Accounting & Finance Association 2015
Nominated for Excellence in Research Student Supervision Award, Trinity College Dublin 2026
Teaching Excellence Award, Trinity Business School 2017
Programme Excellence Award for MSc in Accounting and Analytics (Founder and Programme Director), Trinity Business School 2026
Teaching Excellence Award, Trinity Business School 2020
Research Excellence Award, Trinity Business School 2021
Winner of Doctoral Research Funding Competition, Irish Accounting & Finance Association 2016
Teaching Excellence Award, Trinity Business School 2026
Teaching Excellence Award, Trinity Business School 2025
Sue Hrasky Doctoral Scholarship, Financial Reporting and Business Communication Research Unit 2015
Teaching Excellence Award, Trinity Business School 2022
Nominated for Inspiring Educator award, Trinity College Dublin 2026
Teaching Excellence Award, Trinity Business School 2015
Teaching Excellence Award, Trinity Business School 2019
Teaching Excellence Award, Trinity Business School 2018
Teaching Excellence Award, Trinity Business School 2021
Teaching Excellence Award, Trinity Business School 2023
Teaching Excellence Award, Trinity Business School 2024

Fellow of Chartered Accountants Ireland Present
British Accounting and Finance Association Present
Irish Accounting and Finance Association Present
European Accounting Association Present

Reviewer, British Accounting Review 2021 -
Reviewer, Contemporary Accounting Research 2022 -
Member of Association of Chartered Certified Accountants University Steering Group 2023 -
Academic Advisor/Reviewer to Department of Education (State Examination Commission) regarding preparation of Leaving Certificate Accounting examination papers 2026 -
Trinity Representative on Council of Irish Accounting and Finance Association 2015 - 2018
Reviewer, Critical Perspectives on Accounting 2024 -
Author of end-of-chapter questions, 'International Financial Reporting and Analysis', 9th Edition, Cengage Publishing 2022
Accounting textbook reviewer (McGraw Hill, Oxford University Press, Pearson Publishers) 2014 -
Reviewer, European Accounting Review 2022 -
Judge, Chartered Accountants Ireland Published Accounts Awards 2018
Reviewer, Accounting, Finance and Governance Review 2021 -
Facilitator/mentor for Irish Accounting and Finance Association Doctoral Colloquium 2021 -
Member of Committee of British Accounting and Finance Association Interdisciplinary Perspectives Special Interest Group 2022 -
Judge, Irish Accountancy Awards 2026 -
Reviewer, BAFA Accounting Education Conversations 2026 -
Member of Scientific Committee for British Accounting and Finance Association annual conference 2025 -
Mentor for British Accounting and Finance Association Mentoring Scheme 2023 -