Zlatinka Blaber

Zlatinka Blaber is an Associate Professor of Accounting at Salem State University. Classes taught and class activities:

Fall 2025 classes:

Acc 202, Managerial Accounting;

Acc 306, Cost Accounting;

First-Year Seminar, Sustainability: Is It Good for Business? 

Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL)-Riipen international experiential learning "micro-internships" with the following foreign universities and business entities:

    Fall 2025:

       Acc 202 

       An accounting class from the University of Johannesburg, South Africa and TaskTrain (Software as a Service, SaaS), Boston, Massachusetts.

      Acc 306 

      A construction engineering class from Yarmouk University, Jordan and a civil engineering class from the Middle East University in Amman, Jordan and Perspective Views (a construction company), Canada.

       First-Year Seminar

      Students from the international relations major from Universitas Bina Mandiri, Gorontalo, Indonesia and accounting students from the University of Essex, United Kingdom and SGA Creative (a company that uses AI-tools in film and video production), Gloucester, Massachusetts, USA.

    Spring 2025:

       Acc 106

    Ptarium (advanced manufacturing), Kanye, Botswana.

       Acc 202

    Albo Wireless Technology Solutions, Inc. (telecommunications), Ontario, Canada. 

       Acc 711

    Bigwing Venturetech, London, United Kingdom.

Collaborative online international learning (COIL) partnerships with:

     Spring 2025:

Yarmouk University, Jordan (Acc 106) (grant-funded by the HIVER Program of the Stevens Initiative/Aspen Institute);

Poltava State Agrarian University, Ukraine and Yarmouk University, Jordan (grant-funded by the HIVER Program of the Stevens Initiative/Aspen Institute) (Acc 202);

Universitas Bina Mandiri Gorontalo, Indonesia (Acc 711). 

     Fall 2024:

Yarmouk University, Jordan (grant-funded by the HIVER Program of the Stevens Initiative/Aspen Institute);

Helwan University, Cairo, Egypt (grant-funded by the HIVER Program).

    Spring 2024:

Helwan University, Cairo, Egypt (grant-funded by the HIVER Program).

    Fall 2023:

Pontificia Universidade Catolica de Campinas, Brazil,

Poltava State Agrarian University, Ukraine,

Helwan University, Egypt (grant-funded by the HIVER Program).

    Fall 2022:

Kansai University, Japan,

Saga University, Japan,

Johannesburg Business School, South Africa,

Poltava State Agrarian University, Ukraine,

Panawipiwat Institute of Management, Thailand.

    Fall 2021:

Fundacion Universitaria del Area Andina, Colombia,

Poltava State Agrarian University, Ukraine.

    Spring 2021:

King Abdulaziz University, Saudi Arabia,

Bahauddin Zakariya University, Pakistan.

Grants, fellowships, and awards:

$77,593 Strategic Initiatives Internal Grant, Salem State University; Co-primary investigators - Prof. Youqin Pan (Organization and Decision Science Department) and Dr. Zlatinka Blaber (Accounting & Finance Department), co-secondary investigators - Prof. Van Pham (Economics Department)and Dr. Manish Wadhwa (Computer Science Department); Project "Enhancing Experiential Learning at Salem State University through Riipen.com Micro-Internships;"

2024 Outstanding Educator of the Year Award, Massachusetts Society of CPAs (Mass CPAs);

China Studies Institute (CSI) Zhi-Xing China Academic Impact Fellowship in Shaghai, Shandong, and Beijing, China (7-17 July 2024).

$16,000 federal grant sub-recipient, Stevens Initiative/Aspen Institute of the US Department of State (Harnessing Innovation through Virtual Exchange for Enhanced Results (HIVER) Program), with Helwan University, Cairo, Egypt, Sept. 2023-May 2025;

$1,000 Scholarship Support Grant, Center for Research and Creative Activities, Salem State University, for cartoon copyright purchase for book chapter entitled, "Cartoonathons as a Leadership Tool to Inspire and Guide Accounting Teams" (December 2022);

$1,500 stipend for Bertolon School of Business' Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) Projects' Coordination for Spring and Fall 2023;

Faculty Fellow (2021-2022), American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU), Global Civic Literacy Project and World101;

$1,000 Salem State University internal grant for research publication image copyrights purchase, 26 May 2021;

Five hours of statistical support for research findings analysis on environmental accounting. Internal grant from Salem State University, 20 April 2021;

Equiv. $4,500 grant for participation in "Incorporating Japanese studies in the undergraduate curriculum" awarded by the Nippon Foundation, San Diego State University, CA, American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU), 3-16 June 2019. Project summary available at: https://aascu.sdsu.edu/2019JSI/Fellows&Projects.html;

$4,000 summer research grant for project entitled “IT startups in Bulgaria: Management accounting and institutional entrepreneurship" awarded by the Center for Research and Creative Activities, Salem State University, June-August 2016.

Guest editor

Special issue "Climate Change Accounting, Reporting and Accountability: Responses by Governments, Not-for-Profit Organizations and Charities" of the Journal of Public Budgeting, Accounting & Financial Mangement, 2025. 

Journal editorial board member:

Journal of Accounting and Finance in Emerging Economies, Pakistan,

Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences, Pakistan.

Submissions reviewer for the following journals:

Accounting Education, USA

Journal of Forensic and Investigative Accounting, USA

Qualitative Research in Accounting and Management, UK

Shah Abdul Latif University (SALU) Commerce & Economics Review, Pakistan.

Honorary member:

Board of Studies, Department of Commerce, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan

Service and other responsibilities:

Bertolon School of Business COIL Coordinator;

Faculty Adviser of the Salem State Student Accounting Association;

Academic Adviser of accounting concentration students;

Chair, Faculty Development Committee, Bertolon School of Business;

Member, Student Success Committee, Bertolon School of Business.

Publications:

   Book chapters

Blaber, Z. and Samoilyk, I., 2023. Cartoonathons as a leadership tool to inspire and guide accounting teams. In: Lead with a Sense of Humor (Vol. 5): Why (and How to) Be a Funny and More Effective Educational Leader and Laugh All the Way to Your Institution. K. Vaidya (ed.), Chapter 7, The Curious Academic Publishing. Available at: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CBH86L31/ref=kinw_myk_ro_title

Blaber, Z. 2025. Accounting cartoons, the Pathways Commission's vision of accounting, and advice for accounting majors. Chapter 15 in: Accounting for the Curious High School and College Students: What Can You Do with This Major? The Undecided Student's Guide to Choosing the Perfect Career Path. Available at: https://www.amazon.com/Accounting-Curious-School-College-Students-ebook/dp/B00QD8952C?ref_=nav_custrec_signin 

Blaber, Z., 2021. Accounting classroom contests: Cartoons in need of captions and captions in need of cartoons. In: Teach Accounting with a Sense of Humor: Why (and How to) Be a Funnier and More Effective Teacher and Laugh All the Way to Your Classroom. K. Vaidya (ed.), Chapter 1. Available at: https://www.amazon.com/Teach-Accounting-Sense-Humor-Effective-ebook/dp/B098MB39F6 

   Professional articles

Palatnik, B. and Blaber, Z., 2022. Choosing between public and corporate accounting. New Jersey Society of CPAs. Available at: https://njcpa.org/article/2022/02/28/choosing-between-public-and-corporate-accounting

Blaber, Z., 2021. What skills stand out on business specialist resumes? Zippia.com. Available at: https://www.zippia.com/business-specialist-jobs/trends/

Palatnik, B. and Blaber, Z., 2021. Can non-financial ESG reporting have an impact on stock price or profitability? New Jersey Society of CPAs. September. Available at: https://www.njcpa.org/stayinformed/explore/topics/full-article/2021/09/16/can-non-financial-esg-reporting-have-an-impact-on-stock-price-or-profitability        

   Peer-reviewed journal articles          .

Mahmoud, Z., Blaber, Z. and Khan, M. (2024). Institutionalisation of sustainability reporting in Pakistan: The role of field configuring events and situational context. Qualitative Research in Accounting and Management Journal, 21(2), pp. 219-251. Available at: https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/QRAM-01-2022-0019/full/html 

Blaber, Z., Gougoumanova, G. and Samoilyk, I., 2023. International tele-collaboration in the “Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity (VUCA) World:” Facilitating equity and inclusion (EI) in business education. Diversity Abroad's Global Impact Exchange, spring 2023. Available at: https://www.diversityabroad.org/DIVaPublic/GIE-Archives/GIE-Sp2023/GIE-Sp23-Article-2.aspx

Blaber, Z., Gougoumanova, G. and Palatnik, B., 2021. COVID-19 editorial cartoons: Theories of humor perspectives. The Israeli Journal of Humor Research. 10(1), pp. 6-42. Available at: http://www.israeli-humor-studies.org/media/2-covid-19_cartoons.pdf 

Guven-Uslu, P., Blaber, Z. and Adhikari, P., 2020. Boundary spanners and calculative practices. Financial Accountability and Management. 36(4), pp. 439-460. Available at: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/faam.12266

Blaber, Z., Brady, D. and Gougoumanova, G., 2020. Stereotypical representations of the accountant in The New Yorker cartoons through time. Visual Studies. 35(4), pp. 359-373. Available at: https://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/4RRCG6NRWUMXNARQZHXV/full?target=10.1080/1472586X.2020.1809508  

Tschakert, N., Blaber, Z. and Chen, L., 2019. Using engagement triggers in forensic accounting and fraud investigation classes. Journal of Forensic and Investigative Accounting. 11(3), pp. 465-483. Available at: http://web.nacva.com/JFIA/Issues/JFIA-2019-No3-6.pdf

Blaber, Z. N., Coleman, L. J., Manago, S. and Hess, K., 2019. Supply and demand of fake news: Review and implications for business research. Journal of Applied Business and Economics. 21(4), pp. 11-28. Available at: https://search.proquest.com/docview/2271749028/fulltextPDF/C0F3DC3D7FD843DDPQ/1?accountid=13661

Blaber, Z. and Brady, D. 2018. Student attitudes toward academic dishonesty at an American-style liberal-arts university in Bulgaria. Educational Alternatives. Vol. 16, pp. 69-89. Available at: https://www.scientific-publications.net/get/1000033/1538207555956499.pdf

Invited presentations:

Blaber, Z. (2023) The “how” of doing secondary data analysis research: The editorial cartoon method. An online presentation at the 2023 Ph.D. Student Orientation at Johannesburg Business School, South Africa

Blaber, Z. (2022-2023) The “how” of doing secondary data analysis research: The editorial cartoon method. A series of six online presentations for economics faculty and Ph.D. and Master's students at Poltava State Agrarian University, Ukraine.

Blaber, Z., Tschakert, N., Alhassan, A. and Ahmad, A. (2020) The imagery of corporate looting in editorial cartoons: Rhetorical and semiotic analysis. To be presented on 3 February 2021 to the Accounting Research Group of Aston Business School, Birmingham, England.

Conference presentations:

Blaber, Z., Hartling, X. and Jeon, M. (accepted and forthcoming). Embracing technological innovation in business education: Faculty perspectives on experiential learning for sustainability. The 6th International Conference in Accounting and Business (iCAB), Cape Cod, South Africa, 19-20 June 2025 (virtual). 

Blaber, Z. and Rachman, A. (accepted and forthcoming). Virtual exchange at the graduate level: A U.S. auditing class and an Indonesian international relations and diplomacy class teams’ collaboration. The 6th International Conference in Accounting and Business (iCAB), Cape Cod, South Africa, 19-20 June 2025 (virtual). 

Blaber, Z., Palatnik, B., Nanguneri, S. and Naraian, A. 2024. Risk and challenges in experiential learning in accounting education: The use of Riipen.com for team projects assigned by industry partners. In, Moloi, T. (Ed.) Impacting Society Positively through Technology in Accounting and Business Processes - Proceedings of the 5th International Conference in Accounting and Business (iCAB), Sun City, South Africa, 27-28 June 2024 (virtual). 

Blaber, Z. and Gougoumanova, G., 2024. Enhancing student employability prospects and fostering inclusion via experiential learning in-class projects: Riipen.com in business education. Management and Organizational Behavior Teaching Society (MOBTS) Conference, Salem, MA, June 2024.

Blaber, Z. and Gougoumanova, G., 2024. Exposing business students to international perspectives via the Harnessing Innovation through Virtual Exchange (HIVER) Program with Middle East and North African (MENA) Classes. Management and Organizational Behavior Teaching Society (MOBTS) Conference, Salem, MA, June 2024.

Blaber, Z. and Palatnik, B., 2023. The Ledger Mania board game: Engaging students in the accounting classroom through active learning. Financial Education Association Annual Conference, San Antonio, TX, 28-30 September 2023. 

Blaber, Z. and Gougoumanova, G., 2023. Analytical thinking in accounting education: Student use of the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) Navigator database. International Conference of
Accounting and Business (i-CAB) 2023, Johannesburg Business School, University of Johannesburg, South Africa, 29-30 June 2023 (virtual)

Blaber, Z. and Cotes, D., 2023. Virtual Exchange (VE) between a U.S. and a Colombian class on the sustainability of the coal mining industry in Colombia: Instructors’ auto-ethnography reflections. Learning, Teaching and the Student Experience Conference, Wales, the UK, 22-23 May 2023 (virtual)

Blaber, Z., Samoilyk, I. and Mahmoud, Z., 2023. Virtual Exchange (VE) between Pakistan, the U.S., and Ukraine: Instilling intercultural competencies among business students. Learning, Teaching and the Student Experience Conference, Wales, the UK, 22-23 May 2023 (virtual)

Pan, Y., Blaber, Z. and Moloi, T., 2023. The digital divide in higher education: A text-mining approach. Northeast Decision Sciences Institute 2023 Annual Conference. 30 March - 1 April 2023

Blaber, Z. and Gougoumanova, G., 2023. A Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) Navigator database team project class assignment: Instructor's reflections. Reinforcing ESG Practices in the 21st Century Conference (online), Higher Colleges of Technology, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 15-16 March 2023

Blaber, Z. and Gougoumanova, G., 2022. Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) Navigator database: Autoethnography on teaching environmental and social accounting. Qualitative Research Conference (online). Universiti Utara Malaysia. 29 November - 1 December 2022

Blaber, Z. and Samoilyk, I., 2022. Collaborative online international learning (COIL) projects: Supporting disadvantaged and underrepresented business students as a substitute for study abroad. Youth in Science in a Time of War Online Conference, Lviv, Ukraine, 18 May 2022. https://lpnu.ua/news/rada-molodykh-uchenykh-pry-mon-orhanizovuie-nich-molodizhnoi-nauky-2022-v-umovakh-viiny

Blaber, Z. and Samoylik, I., 2022. Collaborative online international learning (COIL) projects: Supporting disadvantaged and underrepresented business students as a substitute for study abroad. Chartered Association of Business Schools' (CABS) Learning, Teaching, and the Student Experience Conference, Belfast, Ireland, 24-25 May 2022

Blaber, Z., Palatnik, B. and Arnaoutakis, D., 2022. The experiential learning platform Riipen.com in accounting and business education. Chartered Association of Business Schools' (CABS) Learning, Teaching, and the Student Experience Conference, Belfast, Ireland, 24-25 May 2022

Palatnik, B. and Blaber, Z., 2021. Riipen.com as a platform for experiential learning in accounting and business education. Northeast Business & Economics Association, Stockton University, NJ, 4-6 November 2021

Palatnik, B., Blaber, Z. and Braverman, H., 2021. Output from a comprehensive research paper assignment in accounting classes: Grading rubrics-based outcomes. Northeast Business & Economics Association, Stockton University, NJ, 4-6 November 2021

Braverman, H., Palatnik, B. and Blaber, Z., 2021. Sustainability disclosures of Takeda Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. Faculty-Student Collaboration Symposium, American Accounting Association's Annual Meeting, online, 2-5 August 2021

Palatnik, B. and Blaber, Z., 2021. Classroom and experiential learning – utilizing Riipen.com to educate and motivate, Management & Organizational Behavior Teaching Society (MOBTS) Conference, online, 16-19 June 2021