Robert Rankin, DBA, CMA

MBA for Veterans Coordinator, Assistant Professor of Accounting, Army Veteran

As a former first-generation university student, Robert Rankin had no mentor to guide him in his post-academic career. Fortunately, he found his way, gaining nearly 20 years of management accounting experience in several Fortune 500 companies. Today, he wants to be that mentor for A&M-Commerce students. He brings his passion and hard-earned experiences into the classroom. When he’s not working with students, his research focuses on impacting current and future managerial accountants through academia and pedagogy (teaching cases).

A Conversation with Dr. Rankin

What draws you to your discipline?

“I love the ability to influence business decision-makers through calculation of numbers and analyzing those numbers. Simply put, accounting, specifically management accounting, is fun.”

Tell us about a project you are working on or have completed.

“My current research is on the impact of experiential learning on accounting career choice. In the past two years, I toured 29 local manufacturing facilities (plants) with students from my cost accounting classes, so they could gain first-hand knowledge about real-world accounting. In this research, I measure the impact of the tour on students' commitment to the accounting profession, and their pursuit of a career in management or public accounting, and their intentions to seek a professional certification (certified management accountant or certified public accountant).”

What would you tell a student who is thinking about attending A&M-Commerce?

“A&M-Commerce has big-school resources and a small-school feel. There are so many opportunities to get involved if you are willing to embrace the university community. You will make friends for life.”

Educational Background

• DBA, Advanced Accounting, Northcentral University, 2016
• MBA, Finance, Texas Tech University, 1990
• B.A., Korean, Defense Language Institute, 1987
• BBA, Marketing, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, 1985

Academic Positions

• Assistant Professor, Texas A&M University-Commerce, 2013-present
• Instructor, Paris Junior College, 2009-2013
• Adjunct Instructor, Northeast Texas Community College, 2006-2008

Awards and Honors

• First Place, American Accounting Association/Institute of Management Accountants Educational Teaching Case Competition for Troubled Waters: An Outsourced Ethical Dilemma, 2019
• Second Place, American Accounting Association/Institute of Management Accountants Educational Teaching Case Competition Teaching Case Competition for Higher Degrees of an Ethical Dilemma, 2017
• Third Place, American Accounting Association/Institute of Management Accountants Educational Teaching Case Competition Teaching Case Competition for The Chicken or Egg: Hatching a New and Innovative Introduction, 2016
• Outstanding Teacher, National Society of Leadership and Success, 2016

Research Interests

• Management Accounting
• Accounting Ethics
• Experiential Learning in Accounting

Professional Organizations

• American Accounting Association
• Institute of Management Accountants

Selected Publications

• Driskill, T. & Rankin, R. (2020). Cross-cultural Comparison of Ethical Reasoning of Students in China and the United States, Accounting Education-International Journal.
• Rankin, R. Mintu-Wimsatt, A., & Henderson, C. (2020). Ryder Rides: The Synergy between Accounting and Marketing. Journal of International Business Education.
• Rankin, R. (2020).The Predictive Impact of Contextual Factors on Activity-based Costing Adoption. Journal of Accounting and Finance, 20(1), 66-81.

Featured Courses

ACCT 412 Cost Accounting
ACCT 326 Accounting Information Systems