True Seeker -An Accounting PhD Journey

Abstract

What does it take to become a genuine researcher rather than just a producer of papers? This essay reframes the doctoral path as a journey of mastery and meaning, using dialogues between Hunter and Mirabai to critique the current publish-or-perish publish-or-perish culture. Good research first starts with understanding the self. Honing the intellect continuously while disregarding truths will turn upon oneself, especially in this line of work. Drawing on philosophy, economics and metaphysics, I reflect on my journey.

Keywords: Academic publishing, Accounting research, Practical relevance, Philosophy of science, Research identity, Doctoral education, Critical vs positive theory, Epistemology, Scholar motivation JEL Classification: M40, M41, M49, A12, B40