Accounting may be a profession mostly involving numbers, but for
“I was interested in how we can improve accounting to help people make better decisions,”
Hannan's research delves into how theories from behavioral disciplines impact people’s judgment, aimed at helping companies design accounting systems that encourage employees to make high-quality choices.
Hannan came to Tulane University in 2013 with more than a decade of teaching and research experience. In 2006, while at Georgia State University, the
During her experiences at Westinghouse Electric Corp.’s financial services subsidiary, Hannan noticed that the way transactions are accounted for caused smart people to make decisions that ultimately were bad for the company.
After earning her PhD in 2000 from the University of Pittsburgh, Hannan dove into her research, focusing on three main areas: improving honesty in the budgeting process, improving the motivation and performance of employees, and identifying how risk affects components of the control system.
“I am more passionate than ever about my research,” Hannan stated. “Creating and disseminating knowledge [is] what brings me joy.”
For more information on Professor Hannan, head to Tulane's site