This study applies BERT-based topic modeling (BERTopic) to analyze 306 public sector accounting research (PSAR) papers published between 1980 and 2019 in 11 leading accounting journals. PSAR is an ideal setting for exploring the potential of BERTopic owing to its interdisciplinary nature, combining quantitative and qualitative elements, and its relevance to addressing complex public sector challenges. This study addresses two research questions: (RQ1) What are the main PSAR topics identified by BERT-based modeling? (RQ2) What future PSAR research agendas can be proposed using BERT-based modeling? The findings show the effectiveness of BERTopic in identifying the main topics of PSAR over the 40-year period of analysis, suggesting opportunities for expanding PSAR through advanced topic modeling techniques. Furthermore, the findings can guide accounting researchers in exploring underrepresented topics and advancing the integration of technology across accounting domains. 

Makoto Kuroki
Professor
Department of Health Data Science, Graduate School of Data Science, Yokohama City University