Steven Orpurt

Professor Orpurt earned his MBA and Ph.D. at The University of Chicago Booth School of Business (in accounting). His dissertation entitled “Local Analyst Earnings Forecast Advantages in Europe” was named the American Accounting Association International Section dissertation of the year in 2004.

Professor Orpurt is a faculty member at Arizona State University where he teaches upper level undergraduate financial accounting and a master’s level corporate governance, ethics, and sustainability reporting course. Previously he was a faculty member at Singapore Management University (6 years) and Pepperdine University (2 years). He has twice been a visiting professor at The University of Chicago and taught MBA level accounting and financial statement analysis classes at Northwestern University Kellogg School of Business, INSEAD, Boston University and Purdue University.

Professor Orpurt has won teaching awards on three continents, most recently as the 2014 Scott and Mary Donaldson Excellence in Teaching Award at Arizona State University and a 2017 Outstanding Graduate Teaching Award at the W.P. Carey School of Business.

His recent research focuses on the Statement of Cash Flows with publications in The Accounting Review (one of three top accounting research journals) and the widely read Accounting Horizons journal. His cash flow research led to two presentations to the Board and Staff of the IASB (International Accounting Standards Board) in London (most recently in May 2014). His other current research focuses on firms that IPO with debt.

Prior to his academic endeavors, Professor Orpurt was Vice President and Portfolio Manager with the Franklin/Templeton group of mutual funds. In 2003 and 2004, he worked as a consultant with Analysis Group in Boston where he helped lead expert testimony efforts on behalf of JPMorgan Chase & Co. and their Enron class action lawsuit (eventual settlement at $2+ Billion). While finishing his Ph.D., he worked at UNext.com, a well-funded startup attempting to build a world class online MBA program in conjunction with Stanford University, Columbia University, London School of Economics, University of Chicago and Carnegie-Mellon University. He started his career as an auditor and CPA with Peat, Marwick, Mitchell and Co. (now KPMG).

While studying at The University of Chicago, Professor Orpurt worked extensively with the Executive MBA programs in Europe, Singapore and Chicago. He has taught various executives, including a financial literacy course for Accenture executives that was one of their highest rated executive education courses.