• Robert-Drupal2022
  • Associate Dean, Undergraduate and International Programs

    Room 412 Drake Centre
    181 Freedman Crescent
    University of Manitoba (Fort Garry Campus)
    Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 5V4

    T: (204) 474-6255
    F: 204-474-7545
    r.biscontri@umanitoba.ca

Research Interests

  • Earnings Forecast and Earning Management
  • Neural Networks
  • Accounting Database Modelling
  • REA
  • Accounting Information Systems
  • Pharmaco-economics and Pharmaceutical Cost Effectiveness
  • Accounting Education

Teaching Interests

  • Managerial and Financial Accounting
  • Accounting Information Systems

Courses Taught

University of Manitoba
ACC1110 Introductory Managerial Accounting
ACC3530 Accounting Information Systems
ACC6060 Accounting 2
ACC7050 International Study Tour

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
ACCT211 Accounting for Managers (undergraduate level course)
ACCT401 Management of Accounting Information Systems (undergraduate level)
ACCT508 Contemporary Issues in Accounting Information Systems (post-graduate)
ACCT528 Management Accounting and Information Systems (post-graduate)
ACCT527 Accounting for Strategic Management (post-graduate)

Publications

Refereed Research Books

Biscontri R.G., An Exploration of Approaches to Forecasting Company Earnings using the Neural Network Paradigm, Lambert Academic Publishing 2010 ISBN 978-3-8383-5165-0 (Available at Amazon.com)

Refereed Journals

Vasilyeva, I., R.G. Biscontri, M.W. Enns, C.J. Metge, S. Alessi-Severini (2012) Adverse Events in Elderly Users of Antipsychotic Pharmacotherapy in the Province of Manitoba: a Retrospective Cohort Study Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology in press
Impact factor: 4.875

Biscontri R.G., Chen, G.M., O. Rui, (2012) An Empirical Analysis on Predicting the Financial Distress of Listed Firms: Evidence from China Journal of Modern Accounting and Auditing, Vol 8 No.5 pp 593-615
Ranking: N/A

Biscontri, R.G., (2012) An Exploration of Approaches to Forecasting Company Earnings using the Neural Network Paradigm, Journal of Intelligent Systems in Accounting, Finance and Management, 19, 1-18.
Ranking: B

Alessi-Severini S, R.G. Biscontri, D.M. Collins, J. Sareen and M.W. Enns (2012) Ten Years of Antipsychotic Prescribing to Children: A Canadian Population-Based Study Canadian Journal of Psychiatry,  57(1) 52-58. (Abstract only)
Impact factor: 2.497

Biscontri R.G., Chen, G.M., O. Rui, X, and Yu (2011) An Empirical Analysis on Predicting the Financial Distress of Unlisted Firms: Evidence from China International Journal of Management Accounting Research, Vol. 1 Iss 1.
Ranking: N/A – New journal

Vasilyeva I, Alessi-Severini S, Biscontri RG, Metge C, Collins DM, Enns MW (2010) Antipsychotic-induced cerebrovascular events in the elderly residents of Manitoba: a population-based cohort study.; Canadian Journal of Clinical Pharmacology Vol 17 (1) Winter 2010:e90-e127; March 26, 2010
Impact factor: 3.59

Alessi-Severini, S.  R.G. Biscontri, D. Collins, A. Kozyrskyj, J. Sareen  M.W. Enns (2009) Utilization and Costs of Antipsychotic Agents: a Canadian Population-Based Study, 1996 – 2006, Psychiatric Services,  May.
Impact factor: 2.81

Biscontri, R.G., Ng, C. and Yuen, S. (2001) Electronic Commerce: Erosion of Tax Base and Challenges to the International Tax Authorities, The International Tax Journal, Vol. 27 No.3, Summer, pp.51-63.
Rank: C

Also appearing in
Biscontri, R.G., .Ng, C.Y.M., Yuen, S.Y.M., 杨若召 张丽英
(2002) 电子商务:税基侵蚀及对国际税收当局的挑战(Electronic Commerce: Erosion of Tax Base and Challenges to the International Tax Authorities), Journal of Translation from Foreign Literatures of Economics, No.1 P.73-77
Rank: N/A

Publically Available Working Papers

Canadian Growth Stocks: Are Their Earnings Easier to Forecast? An Initial Investigation with C.E. Mossman and J. Cheng (SSRN)

Cost Interactions in Healthcare with S. Aless-Severini and D. Collins (SSRN)

Linking Knowledge to Accounting Transactions: A Database Approach (SSRN)

Other Journals

Biscontri R.G. (2004) Selecting the Right Accounting Software, Australian CPA Network – The Journal of CPA Australia – Hong Kong China Division, July-September, pp 20-23.

〈港企如何選擇合適供應商〉(How to choose appropriate suppliers – a guide for Hong Kong enterprises),《太陽報》(The Sun),(香港:2004年2月20日),頁B5

〈更換會計系統留意成本〉(Cost considerations when updating accounting systems),《太陽報》(The Sun),(香港:2004年2月11日),頁B5

〈慎選正確會計軟件〉(Careful selection of accounting software),《太陽報》(The Sun),(香港:2004年2月4日),頁B5

〈購會計軟件首重功能〉(The most important thing when buying off the shelf accounting software),《太陽報》(The Sun),(香港:2003年12月24日),頁B5

〈選擇合適會計軟件〉(How to choose appropriate accounting software for your organisation),《太陽報》(The Sun),(香港:2003年12月17日),頁B5

Biscontri R.G. (2003) How to generate value from existing systems: A road map for Hong Kong organisations, Australian CPA Network – The Journal of CPA Australia – Hong Kong China Division, July, pp 26-29.

Biscontri R.G. (2002) What is happening with XBRL in Australia, Australian CPA Network – The Journal of CPA Australia – Hong Kong China Division, October, pp24-25.

Biscontri R.G. (2002) New-age news from the Hong Kong IRD, Australian CPA Network – The Journal of CPA Australia – Hong Kong China Division, April, pp12-13.

Biscontri R.G., (2001) Is your computer sick? Financial Post, November.

Biscontri R.G., (2001) Is your computer sick? bfirst – Journal for CPA Australia HK Branch, October, pp18-19.

Biscontri, R.G. (2001), Cutting through the Business of Culture, Australian CPA, Vol. 71, Iss. 3,  April, pg. 54-57. 

Biscontri, R.G. (2000), How One Company Aims to Satisfy the Market’s Concerns Regarding Internet Safety and Security, bfirst – Journal for CPA Australia HK Branch, December

Biscontri, R.G. (2000), Managing Real Business with E-Commerce Solutions, bfirst – Journal for CPA Australia HK Branch, December

Biscontri, R.G. (2000), E-commerce…Application in Today’s World, bfirst – Journal for CPA Australia HK Branch, 13-15, June.

Biscontri, R.G. (1999), IT Training for Company Secretaries, Company Secretary, Volume 9 No. 1

Working Papers

Biscontri, R. and J. Cheng,, From trickle to waterfall: An examination of earnings escalation among fraud companies. (Initial draft available)

Biscontri, R. The knowledge organisation and the role of accounting events. (Initial draft available)

Biscontri, R. and S. Alessi-Severini,  Irrelevant costs in healthcare: a population study of the treatment of schizophrenia in the province of Manitoba. (Draft available)

Biscontri, R.G., C.E. Mossman and J. Cheng Canadian Growth Stocks: Are Their Earnings Easier to Forecast?  (Currently under review with Annuals of Ecomomics)
Biscontri R.G., and K.J. Park An Empirical Evidence of  the Financial Performance of Lean Production: An Artificial Neural Networks Approach  (Draft available)

Biscontri R.G., D. Collins, M. Enns, and S. Alessi-Severini, Use of antipsychotic agents in the elderly population of a Canadian province (Draft available)

Papers Presented at Conferences

Biscontri, R.G. Linking Knowledge to Accounting Transactions: A Database Approach, Nineteenth Annual Research Workshop on Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies in Accounting, Auditing and Tax, American Accounting Association Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA, August 2010.

Vasilyeva I, Alessi-Severini S, Biscontri RG, Metge C, Collins DM, Enns MW. All-cause mortality in the elderly persons treated with antipsychotics in Manitoba. 1st Canadian Pharmacy Education and Research Conference (Richmond, BC, Canada; June 2-5, 2010) (poster presentation - student)

Vasilyeva I, Alessi-Severini S, Biscontri RG, Metge C, Collins DM, Enns MW. Antipsychotic-induced cerebrovascular events in the elderly residents of Manitoba: a population-based cohort study. Canadian Association for Population Therapeutics 2010 Conference (Toronto, Ontario, Canada; March 28-30, 2010) (oral presentation -  student) Can. J. Clin. Pharmacol. 2010; 17(1):e90-e127
 
Vasilyeva I, Alessi-Severini S, Biscontri R, Metge C, Collins D, Enns WM. Antipsychotic-induced adverse events in the elderly population of Manitoba. MCHP 20th Anniversary Conference (Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; March 8-9, 2010) (Poster)
 
Alessi-Severini S, Biscontri RG, Collins DM, Sareen J, Enns MW. Antipsychotic prescriptions to children: a Canadian population-based study.  2009 AFPC – 66th annual conference, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada; June 3-6, 2009 JPPS 2010; 13(1): 22s (Abstract)

Alessi-Severini S, Biscontri RG, Collins DM, Kozyrskyj A, Sareen J, Enns MW. Use of antipsychotic agents in the elderly population of Manitoba between 1996 and 2006.  CPT2008 – the IXth  World Conference on Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics – July 27 – Aug 1, 2008, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. Can. J. Clin Pharmacol. 2008; 15(3): e477 (Abstract)

Biscontri, R.G. Linking Knowledge to Accounting Transactions: A Database Approach, SMAP, American Accounting Association Information Systems Mid Year Meeting, , Redondo Beach, CA, January 2008.

Biscontri, R.G.  Mossman C.E, and Cheng, J. Canadian Growth Stocks: Are Their Earnings Easier to Forecast? Sixteenth Annual Research Workshop on Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies in Accounting, Auditing and Tax, American Accounting Association Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL, August 2007.

Biscontri, R.G. Chen, G.M., Rui O., and Yu X., An Empirical Analysis on Predicting the Financial Distress of Unlisted Firms: Evidence from China. Presented at the Fifteenth Annual Research Workshop on Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies in Accounting, Auditing and Tax, American Accounting Association Annual Meeting, Washington, DC, August 2006.

Biscontri, R.G., Chen, G.M., and Rui O., An Empirical Analysis on the Prediction of Chinese Financially Distressed Listed Companies. Presented at the Fourteenth Annual Research Workshop on Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies in Accounting, Auditing and Tax, American Accounting Association Annual Meeting, San Francisco, California, August 2005.   Winner of Best Paper Award.

Biscontri, R.G., G.M. Chen, O, Rui, An Empirical Analysis on the Prediction of Chinese Financially Distressed Listed Companies. Presented at the C.G.A. Conference, University of Manitoba,  May 2005.

Biscontri, R.G. A Database Approach to Reducing Grading Subjectivity, Presented at the Mid Year Meeting of the American Accounting Association Information Systems Section, New Orleans Louisiana, January 2005.

Biscontri, R.G. A Radial Basis Function Approach to Forecasting Earnings. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Accounting Association, Orlando Florida, August 2004.

Biscontri, R.G. and K.J. Park, An Empirical Evidence of the Financial Performance of Lean Production: An Artificial Neural Networks Approach. Presented at the Thirteenth Annual Research Workshop on Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies in Accounting, Auditing and Tax, American Accounting Association Annual Meeting, Orlando Florida, August 2004.

Biscontri, R.G. and B.A. Murtagh, A Neural Network Approach to the Forecast of Earnings Using Management and Market Information: Hong Kong Evidence. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Western Decision Sciences Institute, Vancouver Canada, April 2001.

Biscontri, R.G. and K.J. Park , An Empirical Evidence of  the Financial Performance of Lean Production: An Artificial Neural Networks Approach. Presented at the International Joint Conference on Neural Networks 2000, Como Italy, July 2000.

Developments in E-Commerce, CPA Australia. Presented on 21st July, 2000.

E-Commerce in Hong Kong, Institute of Quarrying (Hong Kong branch). Presented on 9th September, 1999

E-Commerce and the Accounting Profession, Hong Kong Society of Accountants: Continuing Professional Development. Presented on 28th July, 1999 Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre

Modern IT Applications in Business. Workshop given to members of the Australian Society of Certified Practicing Accountants, 7th May 1998.

Grants Received

2010-13 Centre for Accounting Research and Education Research Grant - $12,000

2008-10 University of Manitoba, Centre on Aging Research Fellowship - $10,000  “Use of Antipsychotics in the Aged across Manitoba

2006-10 Manitoba Medical Services Foundation - $35,000 “Use of Antipsychotic Agents in Manitoba: Prescribing and Cost-Effectiveness” with Silvia Alessi-Severini

2004-05 UMGRP Research Grant - $7,500 “Investigating the Relationships between Earnings Manipulations and Fraud” with Charles E. Mossman

2000 Investigation of the Analysis of Motivation of TQM Adoption Using Self-Organizing Maps. (Ref: A216)

1998-99 Project leader for Full Implementation of LearningSpace for Web-based Teaching and Learning at the Department of Accountancy (Ref: LTG98-99/DLTC/ACCT02). 

1997 Web Server for Internet Teaching at the Department of Accountancy (Ref: LTDG96-97/DLTDC/ACCT01). Project objectives included equipment procurement, system design and implementation.