The accounting professional is an industry in which professionals are commonly faced with hard decisions to act in an ethical manner. According to Enofe, Nakpodia,& Moruku, “Ethical guidelines do not aim to provide instant solutions for all ethical issues, rather, ethical guidelines aim to help in the decision-making process” (2014, p. 144). For the accounting profession, such guidelines and regulations are set forth in the AICPA’s Code of Professional Conduct (code). This code helps to set boundaries for accounting professionals’ interactions with the public, their clients, and also their colleagues (AICPA, 2014, p. 5).
One fundamental principle of the code is confidentiality; which is a key part of ethics dilemma #5. In applying for
I agree with you in your position because I too believe the CPA does not have to advise Ahi on its plan to earn interest on their $100,000,000 tax liability to the IRS by mailing the check from the U.S. Virgin Islands to create a float. Article seven, scope and nature of services, of the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct sates that the CPA should observe the principles of the Code in determining the scope and nature of services provided (Colson, 2004). Ahi employee’s plan is not part of the CPA competencies in regards to taxation; the activity does not seem to be consistent with the CPA’s role. This plan should have probably been discussed within the finance or accounting department in Ahi Corporation.
Article 8 gives examples on using the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct. The article gives the example of you taking over the role of handling the independence and ethical matters involved with auditing for a retiring partner in your firm. You are quickly given the task of determining whether or not your firm can provide auditing services to a client that owns a small, privately owned bank and a used car dealership. To perform work for the client you want to see the rules on how the firms will remain independent from the bank and car dealership, and you have a week to research any questions or concerns that you have with the potential client.
When auditing a publicly held company, auditors need to observe principles. The ethical principles of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) Code of
Financial reporting practices and ethics have manifested an ocean of literature. This has mainly come from organization theorists that address accounting practices. These theorists and professionals have given fresh accountability measures. Their ideals give this industry the tools needed to survive, grow and prosper. The way an organization prepares and reports its financial information and handles its daily operations is in essence financial practices, and in the way it accomplishes this reveals their ethical standards to which they adhere to. This paper will discuss the financial practices, ethical standards, and
Accountants are held to a higher ethical standards and they must performed their duties in compliance with standards or ethical values of honesty, integrity, objectivity, due care, confidentiality, which must be fully committed to. They must put clients or public interest first before their own. They must have and ethical values and maintain those values way beyond what the society or the company’s code of ethic. It is important that accountants’ behavior or ethical values is in conformity with the
Within this framework, actions that are likely to maximize good effects, or minimize the occurrence of bad effects, are those kinds of actions one is permitted, or obligated (highlighted for emphasis) to perform (though in this framework ‘good’ and ‘bad’ do not necessarily have to be defined strictly in terms of ‘welfare’ and ‘suffering’) (p. 639).
Determine at least two (2) AICPA Professional Conduct principles that are most likely to be violated
Accounting and management are the major pillars of an organization that contributes to the country’s economy. Introduction of AICPA Code of Professional Conduct helps in controlling the business operation especially in the accounting and management departments. Accounting and management fraud have been experienced whereby through corruption or other means, entrusted managers and accountants tend to be selfish in undertaking their duties. These factors are well addressed by the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct principles. Therefore, the study seeks to introduce two case studies whereby the management fraud have been experienced. Furthermore, the study will incorporate the use of AICPA Code of Professional Conduct in controlling the situation to ensure harmonious business operation in the management.
Businesses, investors, creditors rely on accounting ethics. The accounting profession requires honesty, consistency with industry standards, and compliance with laws and regulations. The ethics increase the responsibility and integrity of accounting professionals, and public trust. The ethical requirements influence the management behavior and decision-making. The financial scandal of Enron and Arthur Anderson demonstrates the failure of fundamental ethical framework, such as off-balance sheet transactions, misrepresentation of financial statements, inaccurate disclosure, manipulations with earnings, etc. The confronted accounting profession and concern for ethics in businesses forced regulators to revise the conceptual framework of accounting processes.
Ethical issues have greatly transformed in our lives since the great Enron, Xerox and other huge corporations proposed big profits showing earnings of billions of dollars and yet in reality facing bankruptcy. These corporations faced great trouble with the federals and state for manipulating financial statements. But not only corporations can be blamed on this, accounting firms were involved in this as much as the corporations were. With the business stand point, ethics comprises of principles and standards that guide behavior. Investors, traders, customers, and legal system determine whether a specific action is ethical or unethical. Ethical issue is a vast subject, but we will look at the niche
When determining and defending the use of a particular ethical system within the confines of a profession, it is important to evaluate the system in terms of the professional culture as well as the expected professional conduct laid out within the vocation itself. The accounting profession has been evolving for thousands of years. Early accounting records date business transactions back as far as third century B.C. (Schroeder, Clark, & Cathey, 2009). Early record keeping was for internal purposes and as societies and economies expanded, it became important to maintain records for external purposes as well. According to Schroeder, Clark & Cathey (2009), by the ninetheeth centruy, bookkeeing expanded into accounting (p. 3). From this time, it has been the duty of the accountant to serve the public interest and the profession has been culitvated into an organizational culture with professional norms and standards constantly taking shape in an effort to complete an all-inclusive conceptual framework.
Ethics is a term that is commonly used to describe a code or moral system that serves as a criterion for assessing right and wrong. Professionals operating in the business world usually face ethical dilemmas, which are situations where a person or group is faced with a decision that tests the moral system or code. While most of these dilemmas are easy to identify and resolve, they come with temptations that test a person's or group's ethics. Similar to others operating in the business world, accountants experience some ethical dilemmas that are complex and difficult to resolve (Langenderfer & Rockness par, 2). The complex and difficult to resolve ethical dilemmas require more than technical competence to deal with them.
Critically reflect on the arguments as to why a code of ethics is essential to support the regulation of the accounting profession in New Zealand.
The AICPA Code of Professional Conduct, regardless of its numerous strengths, the Code of Professional Conduct has some serious weaknesses. The accounting profession is constantly changing and making improvements. The first weakness in the Code of Professional Conduct deals with conflictions within the code due to the code being constantly updated (Dienhart, 1995). Dienhart, Lunday, and Tavani have all criticized professional codes because the directives cause conflictions with one another, whether it is direct or indirect. Rule 301 and SAS No. 99 are examples when the code is having conflicting standards. Rule 301, Client Confidential Information, states that professionals shall not
Ethics, also known as moral philosophy, is a branch of philosophy that addresses questions about morality—that is, concepts such as good and evil, right and wrong, virtue and vice, justice and crime, etc.