Anna‑Karin Stockenstrand

Tell us about Anna-Karin Stockenstrand?

I am a researcher and lecturer at CER and divide my time between Uppsala and Sundsvall. I am also the programme director for our ekononomprogram and civilekonomprogram. In my spare time, I enjoy engaging in creative activities.

What is your research about?

My research examines how regulation, reporting, and supervision are translated into everyday organisational practices. I am particularly interested in how regulation and reporting become embedded in daily decision-making through language, interpretation, and processes of normalisation..

How did you become interested in this topic?

I believe it stems from the fact that regulation and reporting requirements do not always work in the way we expect them to which is fascinating. For example, many people assume that introducing more sustainability reporting requirements will automatically make companies more sustainable. In reality, such requirements can have very different effects. The same applies in many other areas.

Why is your research needed?

If society and organisations are to invest substantial resources in developing and implementing new regulations and reporting requirements, we need to understand their effects in order to use those resources effectively.

What did it mean to be able to use funding from the Swedish Research Council?

The funding from the Swedish Research Council allowed me to focus on my research over several years, which was crucial for building my research agenda in financial regulation and supervision. I also spent six months as a visiting researcher in England and initiated new collaborations both in Sweden and internationally. Conducting empirical research is time-consuming, and it also requires the time and space to analyse, process, and report results, all of which the funding made possible.

How do you balance your time between research and teaching?

These are two tasks that I enjoy pursuing in parallel. Neither ever truly comes to an end; instead, they continue side by side with slightly different focuses.

Dream scenario in terms of your job?

The best part of my job is meeting young people. Ideally, I can help them feel that accounting is both fun and important.