A Scholarly Society’s New Collaborative Community – A Case Study in Social Networking

1. The AAACommons: A Scholarly Society’s New Collaborative Community –A Case Study in Social Networking Tracey E. Sutherland Executive Director American Accounting Association

2. About the American Accounting Association 8300 members, most are professors (23% from outside U.S.) Publish 15 scholarly journals, expanding some and in process of adding at least 1 more. One is open-access (Current Issues in Auditing) 16 Interest Sections, 7 Regions Hold between 25 and 30 meeting per year of various groups Key Focus – Harnessing technology for development and distribution of intellectual property, teaching, and conducting scholarship

3. Impetus for New Strategic Directions Decreasing number of full-time faculty positions (down 13.3% since 1993) Shortage of PhD students in accounting pipeline New technologies challenge reasons for membership Membership no longer necessary to receive journals Face-to-face meetings are useful but there are emerging alternatives Economy may challenge access to meetings New technologies may bring new reasons for membership Globalization (23% of members are outside U.S.) How to connect those not attending to content and networking at meetings

4. Developing a Shared Vision AAA Executive Committee Council/Section/Region Leadership Our mission is straightforward. . . We bring together the academic community to further accounting education and research and to advance the discipline and profession of accounting.

5. Creating the mission through four focused areas of activity Promoting Effective Learning Informing and Influencing Policy & Practice Advancing Faculty Careers Expanding Knowledge and Idea Development

6. Where do we need to better connect? Teachers 1st Annual Conference on Teaching & Learning (Annual Meeting 2008) – next CTLA – 2009 in NYC AAACommons Teacher2Teacher Teaching “Lock-box” International colleagues Optimize meetings – AAACommons Community/Networking -- AAACommons Researchers Empowering new ways of creating content Research Hives -- AAACommons

7. AAACommons – the Timeline • Beginning with planning session in December 2007 • Beta launched in just 7 months! • We don’t recommend it – but we’re glad we did it • Spring 2007 – AAA Strategic Planning Project begins • Summer 2007 – Intellectual Property Task Force recommends seeking collaborative platform • December 2007 Development Team workshop • Key success factor – the design method emerging from this workshop – “persona analysis” could be a good addition – for next steps

8. Methodology: Initial DesignLead by Julie Smith David – Editor, AAACommonsDirector, Center for Advancing Business through ITArizona State University 3 “Finalists” 17 Possible

9. Key Activities • In every cell of the stakeholder matrix • Or key cells • What are current activities? • What are pain points? • What would stakeholders LIKE to be able to do? • Be creative!

10. Web 2.0 Opportunities? • Consider all possible Web 2.0 characteristics • They might spark new activity ideas • For each activity, think about whether there’s a tool that would work

11. Summary Opportunity Matrix 2: Possible activities by Web 2.0 characteristic Note: This is a prototype – not a document that we explicitly created.

12. Identifying Member Value • Identifying opportunities that have the highest value proposition • Noting Web 2.0 capabilities needed • Identifying projects that would be possible after the initial investment • Integrating projects to maximize value to members • Using that analysis to develop the RFP for vendor/partners

13. Timeline - Continued • December 2007 Development Team workshop • Winter/Spring 2008 analysis and planning • May 2008 Council Meeting AAACommons demo • Key Success Factor - CRITICAL importance of the development “sandbox” • July 2008 – HiveLive platform selected • August 2008 – Launched at 2008 Annual Meeting • High impact implementation • Fall 2008 – AAACommons Editorial Board created • Key Success Factor – for CREDIBILITY • Oct. 08 – May 09 – Rollout in Section/Regions Meetings

14. Rollout Progress - Communities

15. Some views of the AAACommons Tracey Sutherland Executive Director American Accounting Association

16. Demos of the AAACommons Tracey Sutherland Executive Director American Accounting Association

20. Tracey Sutherland Executive Director American Accounting Association

22. Private Research Communities Tracey Sutherland Executive Director American Accounting Association

23. Key Member Values • Teacher2Teacher • Resources & Methods • Opportunity for Peer Review of Educational Materials • Research “Hives” • Individual scholars and co-authors • Opportunity to invite non-members • Optimize meetings • Single-Sign-On • Connecting people to all their content Tracey Sutherland Executive Director American Accounting Association

24. Source: whole presentation: http://www.forrester.com/Groundswell/ladder.html

25. Our Main Constituents Source: Groundswell. Forrester. http://www.forrester.com/Groundswell/profile_tool.html

26. Learnings/Challenges • We have more Spectators and Joiners • And believe our members are suited to being Collectors and Critics • We are content people – our community platform partners challenge that thinking • Generational differences • Establishing meaningful metrics • Leveraging established communities • Future issues • Governance barriers to developing Groups (aka communities) Tracey Sutherland Executive Director American Accounting Association

27. Key Success Factors Recap • Design method workshop • Strategy first • Explore and learn – use for RFP development • Developmental Sandbox • Look and feel that fits your culture • Finding the right partner/vendor • Establishing credibility • Leadership – Strategy • Establishing the AAACommons Editorial Board • Time – People and Trajectory ( and patience!) Tracey Sutherland Executive Director American Accounting Association

28. “Social networks will be like air Your friends, your family, the people you care about, the people like you, will be available anywhere and anytime.” Charlene Li SXSW Interactive Conference, March 13, 2009 Tracey E. Sutherland Executive Director American Accounting Association