Written by Alvin Chiu

On May 17, 2024, the class of accounting at IBMBA and financial management at IBBA had the honor to invite Dr. Sheng-Feng Hsieh from National Taiwan University, to deliver us a delightful speech. Providing a comprehensive introduction to text mining in accounting, highlighting its growing significance in the field.

In his presentation, Professor Hsieh delved into the fundamentals of text mining in accounting, emphasizing its application in analyzing large volumes of textual data such as Management Discussion and Analysis (MD&A) sections, 10-K, and 8-K filings with various practical examples of leading firms in the world and different useful resources.

Dr. Hsieh discussed two academic papers that utilize text mining techniques to extract valuable insights from raw textual data. He outlined how these methods are increasingly adopted in top accounting journals, including The Accounting Review (TAR)and Journal of Accounting and Economics (JAE). Additionally, he noted the relevance of text mining in Accounting Information System journals such as the Journal of Information Systems (JIS).

During the interactive Q&A session, Professor Hsieh addressed several pertinent questions from the audience such as the future trend of text-based research and AI analysis in accounting and the importance of RPA.

Professor Sheng-Feng Hsieh's lecture provided valuable insights into the transformative role of text mining in accounting. His discussion on the integration of advanced text mining techniques, sentiment analysis, and the future of AI in accounting underscored the evolving landscape of the field. Leaving attendees with a deeper understanding of the potential and challenges of text mining in accounting research.