...01 May 2012 1. Background The literature being studied is an article written by Hellen O’ Sullivan, the Director of Scientific Methods Australia. The article entitled “Business ethics are set to stage a comeback” was published on the 75th page of The Australian Financial Review on the 6th February 1990. 2. Literature Review Basically, the article discussed several important issues about business ethics. One of the most prominent was the remark she made about business ethics making a comeback. The conclusion was made upon the fact that business ethics are becoming more and more popular among business practitioners as the era of ‘Me-generation’, and its obsession with greed and profit at any cost draws to a close. Besides that, another notable issue addressed was the positive correlation between business ethics and corporate performance. She suggested that recent corporate failures resulted from a singularly motivated strategy of making profits. She also noted that the 1990’s avalanche of corporate collapse could be all attributed directly or indirectly to the decline in business ethics. The third issue raised was the role of managers or business leaders to actually uphold business ethics. She suggested that the formulation of a sound ethical code of practice should be a part of every company’s strategy and that it is the first responsibility of every business leadership. 3. Procedures I have made a research regarding the issues identified...
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...CORE CONCEPTS OF Accounting Information Systems Twelfth Edition Mark G. Simkin, Ph.D. Professor Department of Accounting and Information Systems University of Nevada Jacob M. Rose, Ph.D. Professor Department of Accounting and Finance University of New Hampshire Carolyn Strand Norman, Ph.D., CPA Professor Department of Accounting Virginia Commonwealth University JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. VICE PRESIDENT & PUBLISHER SENIOR ACQUISITIONS EDITOR PROJECT EDITOR ASSOCIATE EDITOR SENIOR EDITORIAL ASSISTANT PRODUCTION MANAGER PRODUCTION EDITOR MARKETING MANAGER CREATIVE DIRECTOR SENIOR DESIGNER PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT SERVICES SENIOR ILLUSTRATION EDITOR PHOTO EDITOR MEDIA EDITOR COVER PHOTO George Hoffman Michael McDonald Brian Kamins Sarah Vernon Jacqueline Kepping Dorothy Sinclair Erin Bascom Karolina Zarychta Harry Nolan Wendy Lai Laserwords Maine Anna Melhorn Elle Wagner Greg Chaput Maciej Frolow/Brand X/Getty Images, Inc. This book was set in 10/12pt Garamond by Laserwords Private Limited, and printed and bound by RR Donnelley/Jefferson City. The cover was printed by RR Donnelley/Jefferson City. This book is printed on acid free paper. Founded in 1807, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. has been a valued source of knowledge and understanding for more than 200 years, helping people around the world meet their needs and fulfill their aspirations. Our company is built on a foundation of principles that include responsibility to the...
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...Summary Nick O’Brian is a recent college graduate. He began working in the accounting department at his aunt’s software company, O’Brian Software. Nick is going over the financial statements when he recognizes some questionable revenue recognition issues. Nick proceeds to address his concerns with the chief financial officer of the company, Lee Marchetti. Lee explains to Nick how revenue recognition is broken down and that a lot of information and judgment is involved. It is also pointed out that since the company went public three years ago they have consistently received ‘clean’ opinions from external auditors. Nick admits that Marchetti strikes him as a honest man with years of experience. Out of concern for his aunt’s company he approached his aunt, who is not known for her accounting expertise, but is the CEO of O’Brian Software. After explaining his concerns she asked Nick whether or not they should present this information to the audit committee. Issues/Questions The initial question is whether or not the audit committee should be made aware of Nick’s revenue recognition concerns. As President and CEO of Softrax Corporation, Robert O’Connor, points out, this is a serious claim. It is imperative that Nick does his research before making such a claim. The underlying issue in this case is if O’Brian Software is creating ‘cookie jar’ reserves by understating profits in periods of prosperity and then creating false reserves in times the company needs a boost. The...
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...A500 Accounting Ethics—Introduction Lecture Outline * Two Preliminary Questions: 1. Why is ethics taught in accounting, business, and tax schools? 2. Should ethics be taught in accounting, business, and tax schools? I. Why teach it?: * Because of these guys and others like them: Kenneth Lay, Founder Jeffrey Skilling, CEO B.A. and M.A. in economics from the University of Missouri. Ph.D. in economics from Houston University. On May 25, 2006, Lay was convicted of 10 counts of security fraud. On July 5, 2006, while vacationing in Colorado, he suffered a heart attack and died before sentencing. As a result, the federal judge that presided over his trial vacated Lay’s conviction. B.A. in business from the Southern Methodist University. M.B.A. from the Harvard Business School (top 5% of class). Convicted of conspiracy, securities fraud, making false statements, and insider trading. 24-year, four month sentence. The DOJ in 2013 agreed to reduce it to 14 years in return for Skilling releasing $40 million in restitution to victims, held up by appeals. Andrew Fastow, CFO B.A. in economics from Tufts University. M.B.A. from Northwestern University. In 2004, he pled guilty to two counts of conspiracy to commit wire and securities fraud, forfeited $30 million, and agreed to testify. Received a six-year sentence. Now works...
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...ACCOUNTING INFORMATION SYSTEMS: COURSE OBJECTIVES, DESCRIPTION, TOPICS, AND ASSIGNMENTS ACCT-5600 DR. NICOLAOU Fall 2010 COURSE STRUCTURE In the modern world, the majority of accounting entries occur electronically. Accountants and auditors store information in databases, managed by enterprise systems that have a set of controls to ensure that transactions and record keeping happen as expected. E-business Web sites handle transactions automatically, with the accounting data going directly into the necessary databases. The concept of a paper trail has become a bit of a misnomer; today, because of accounting information systems, there is often no paper involved at all; however, it is important to establish the flow the data in different areas of the organization, or audit trail, so as to properly exercise internal controls. AISs help in this purpose. At the outset of this course, you will learn the basics of accounting information systems and business processes. Next, you will learn about database management systems, and the design of various database models. Finally, you will learn about how to use internal controls effectively for risk management, as well as the requirements for business reporting. After completing this course, you should not only have a clear idea of how accounting information systems work, but you should also be prepared to design and configure them to meet the record-keeping and risk management requirements of the organization. In addition...
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...Explain why good/professional software is not just the programs that are developed for a customer Good/professional software is not just the programs that are developed for a customer but it consist of executable code and is associated with documentation and configuration of data that is required to make these programs operate correctly .A professionally developed software system is often more than a single program. The system usually consists of a number of separate programs and configuration files that are used to set up these programs. It may include system documentation, which describes the structure of the system; user documentation, which explains how to use the system, and web sites for users to download recent product information. Example a word processing system consist of executable program, user manual and the document such as requirements and the design needed to produce the executable program 2. What is the most important difference between generic software product development and custom software development? What might this mean in practice for users of generic software products? a) What is the most important difference between generic software product development and custom software development? Custom software development these are systems that are commissioned by a particular customer. A software contractor develops the software especially for that customer. Examples of this type of software include control systems for electronic devices, systems...
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...Entrepreneurship Assignment Submitted by: Abdulsalam Al-Souhigi Academic No.201110007 To: Dr. Murad Al-Nashami Contents Introduction ................................................................................................................................................... 2 1 General Characteristics of an Entrepreneur .......................................................................................... 3 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 2 Passion and Risk Taking ............................................................................................................... 4 Strong Leadership Qualities .......................................................................................................... 4 Strong sense of basic ethics and integrity ..................................................................................... 4 Self-motivated ............................................................................................................................... 5 Self-Confidence ............................................................................................................................ 5 Creativity, Self-Reliance, and Adaptability .................................................................................. 5 Entrepreneurial Skills............................................................................................................................. 5 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 2.10 Opportunity identification and Creative...
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...Syllabus Certified General Accountants Association of Canada 100 – 4200 North Fraser Way Burnaby, British Columbia Canada V5J 5K7 www.cga-canada.org © CGA-Canada, 2013 All rights reserved. These materials or parts thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner without the prior written permission of the Certified General Accountants Association of Canada. Printed in Canada ISBN for an individual volume: 978-1-55219-599-4 About CGA-CANADA _________________________________________ CGA-Canada today The CGA designation focuses on integrity, ethics, and the highest education requirements. Recognized as the country’s accounting business leaders, CGAs provide strategic counsel, financial leadership, and overall direction to all sectors of the Canadian economy. The Certified General Accountants Association of Canada — CGA-Canada — sets standards, develops education programs, publishes professional materials, advocates on public policy issues, and represents CGAs nationally and internationally. The Association represents 75,000 CGAs and students in Canada, Bermuda, the Caribbean, Hong Kong, and China. Mission CGA-Canada advances the interests of its members and the public through national and international representation and the establishment of professional standards, practices, and services. A proud history CGA-Canada was founded in Montréal in 1908 under the leadership of John Leslie, vicepresident of the Canadian Pacific Railway. From the beginning, its objective...
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...qxd 28-09-2009 11:25 Page 70 CHAPTER 3 1. Describe the major ethical issues related to information technology and identify situations in which they occur. 2. Identify the many threats to information security. 3. Understand the various defense mechanisms used to protect information systems. 4. Explain IT auditing and planning for disaster recovery. Ethics, Privacy, and Information Security LEARNING OBJECTIVES rain_c03_070-121hr.qxd 28-09-2009 11:25 Page 71 WEB RESOURCES Student Web site www.wiley.com/college/rainer • Web quizzes • Lecture slides in PowerPoint • Author podcasts • Interactive Case: Ruby’s Club assignments WileyPLUS • All of the above and... • E-book • Manager Videos • Vocabulary flash cards • Pre- and post-lecture quizzes • Microsoft Office 2007 lab manual and projects • How-to animations for Microsoft Office • Additional cases CHAPTER OUTLINE 3.1 Ethical Issues 3.2 Threats to Information Security 3.3 Protecting Information Resources What’s in IT for me? ACC FIN MKT OM HRM MIS rain_c03_070-121hr.qxd 28-09-2009 11:25 Page 72 72 Chapter 3 Ethics, Privacy, and Information Security Opening Case NASA Loses Secret Information for Years The Business Problem Over the past decade, U.S. government agencies have been the victims of an unprecedented number of cyber-attacks. One government official noted, “It is espionage on a massive scale.” Government agencies reported almost 13,000 security incidents to the...
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...Business Jerry Chih-Ching Chiang NDHU, 9/30-10/14/2014 Learning Objectives #1-2 Understand the concept of a system and how it relates to information systems Provide examples of the components of real world information systems Explain why knowledge of information systems is important for business professionals, and identify five areas of information systems knowledge they need Give examples to illustrate how the business applications of information systems can support a firm’s • business processes • managerial decision making • strategies for competitive advantage 2-61 Learning Objectives #2-2 Provide examples of several major types of information systems from your experiences with business organizations in the real world Identify several challenges that a business manager might face in managing the successful and ethical development and use of information technology in a business Demonstrate familiarity with the myriad of career opportunities in information systems 3-61 Agenda Introduction System Information Management Changing World and New Economy Types of IS IS Development and Success, Challenges, Opportunities, and Ethics of IT, and Career Opportunities 4-61 Introduction 5-61 IT Market & Investment Statistics The overall information and communications technology market grew by 6 percent to almost $3 trillion in 2010 In the U.S. the size of the IT workforce...
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...Employment-At-Will Doctrine LEG 500 – Law, Ethics, and Corporate Governance Professor: Renee Berry Strayer University April 29, 2014 Employment-At-Will Doctrine The unethical treatment of employees is a subject that have been discuss for long time in the business field and that also have been treated and sometimes improve with the application of different doctrines or even inside rules of the corporations in the work field. Bowie and Werhane (2005) claim that “managers have been criticized because they invade the privacy of employees through the monitoring of their email, drug testing, and even gathering information about their genetic disposition to a disease” (p. 40). The employers dictate all the rules and what can be done outside the job as well, and however sometimes the employees get fired anyway regardless to theirs attempt to follow the rules. Job security when an employee stays his or her entire life with the same company is a thing of the past, and with that also employee loyalty is long gone (Bowie and Werhane, 2005). According to Halbert and Ingulli (2012),” Employment-At-Will is a legal rule developed in the nineteenth century; giving employers unfettered power to dismiss their employees at will for good cause, for no cause, or even for cause morally wrong, without being thereby guilty of a legal wrong” (p. 49). This rule basically allows the employers to dismiss the employee services whenever it is necessary without a meaningful...
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...Research Study INTRODUCTION Accounting scandals in business firms arise with the disclosure of financial misdeeds by trusted executives of corporations. Examples of Accounting Fraud: • Merging short and long term debt into one amount to improve the perceived liquidity of the company • Failing to disclose risky investments or “creative” accounting practices • Over-recording sales revenue • Under-recording expenses (i.e. depreciation expense) Accounting fraud leads to many serious problem for everyone not only for the perpetrator. Accounting fraud causes problem in the market place and the economy. As a result in most cases, investors' loose large sum of money due to the misrepresentation of financial position and financial result of the company. Also, because of this, there is lack of trust in the market, accounting system, and in the company in which accounting fraud was committed from the investors. Employees in that company are at rest of losing their job because of the scandal. WHY DOES ACCOUNTING FRAUD OCCUR? Fraud are triggered by three elements; rationalization, perceived pressure, and perceived opportunities. Whether the fraud benefits the perpetrator directly, or indirectly, such as benefiting the perpetrator’s company, the three elements are always present. Rationalization- perpetrators find some sort of rationalization that makes their unethical behavior seem acceptable. Perceived Pressure- perpetrators are faced with some kind of pressure...
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...Law, Ethics, and Corporate Governance AnnMarie Seidler Dr. Charity Lanier Legal 500 October 30, 2013 As the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of a midsize company that is preparing for an Initial Public Offering (IPO), I discover several personnel problems that require my immediate attention. It is my duty to be familiar with the Employee-at-will Doctrine and any exceptions if any that may apply to the employees and my employer. While preparing to deal with our personnel problems I discover that my company does not have a Whistle Blower Policy in place and I will address this issue with my CEO. As we present our company to the public, we need to consider Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), and how we impact our employees, our environment, our customers, retailers, wholesalers, (possible shareholders), from the very top to the very bottom. In order to be successful we must consider more than just the bottom line, the dollar. As I address each employee issue, I considered not only state and federal laws but also what if any long-term impacts my decision may have upon the entire company and community at large. The Employee-at-will is a legal doctrine “which gives employers broad discretion to fire employees for a good reason, a bad reason, or no reason at all.” Halbert & Ingulli, (2012).There are three major exceptions to the rule to help prevent wrongful termination but only two of them apply in the state where I reside of WV. The Public-policy exception and Implied-contract...
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...Code of Business Ethics: Our core values in action Our Code of Business Ethics reinforces our core values and drives our culture of compliance, ethical decision making and accountability. Our core values shape the culture and define the character of our company. They guide how we behave and make decisions. Contents 5 6 Our Code at a Glance Stewardship To navigate, use the links provided in these sections: Contents (page 2); Our Code at a Glance (page 5); and the Index of Key Terms (page 42); as well as the Accenture policies listed throughout the document and the links at the bottom of each page. To zoom in and out, use the magnifier and back buttons. 10 Best People 14 Client Value Creation 18 One Global Network 24 Respect for the Individual 28 Integrity 36 A Model for Making Ethical Decisions 40 Our Responsibilities 41 Where to Go for Help 42 Index of Key Terms This file is in A4 format. The print feature on the navigation bar sets to your print settings. For further information, access our Policies Website. 2 | Accenture Code of Business Ethics Print Questions ? To All Accenture People: For more than 50 years, our success has been based on a core set of beliefs, behaviors and values that have transcended both generations and geographies. From our earliest days as technology pioneers to our position today as a Fortune Global 500 industry leader—collaborating with our clients to help them become high-performance businesses and governments—Accenture’s men...
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...Ethical Code and CSR activities: DEFINITION of 'Code of Ethics' A code of ethics document may outline the mission and values of the business or organization, how professionals are supposed to approach problems, the ethical principles based on the organization's core values and the standards to which the professional will be held. A guide of principles designed to help professionals conduct business honestly and with integrity. A code of ethics document may outline the mission and values of the business or organization, how professionals are supposed to approach problems, the ethical principles based on the organization's core values and the standards to which the professional will be held. Corporate social responsibility Corporate social responsibility (CSR, also called corporate conscience, corporate citizenship or responsible business) is a form of corporate self-regulation integrated into a business model. “By Mallen Baker” One of the most frequently asked questions at this site - and probably for all those individuals and organizations dealing with CSR issues is the obvious - just what does 'Corporate Social Responsibility' mean anyway? Is it a stalking horse for an anti-corporate agenda? Something which, like original sin, you can never escape? Or what? Different organizations have framed different definitions - although there is considerable common ground between them. My own definition is that CSR is about how companies manage the business processes to produce...
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