...Accounting professionals are obliged to comply with certain standards in an effort to protect shareholders and the general public. When one joins any of the accounting professional organizations, such as the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) or the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA), one is agreeing to adopt the ethical code. This professional code is a positive set of statements and guidelines for CPAs with explicit rules as to what accountants should or shouldn’t do. It applies to all members, whether it is public practice, industry, government or education. There are many reasons why one would want the accountant representing them to adhere to a specific rules and regulations. From an investor’s point of view, one would want an accountant that is going to have their best interests in mind, but to also be morally and ethically bound to perform within legal confines. Sometimes actions may be considered within acceptable limits of the law, but not ethically suitable; in such instances, the code of ethical conduct is even more important. Investors want insurance that the corporation with which they are financially backing is transparent. Transparency, which from an accounting/corporate standpoint, is the free flow of information within an organization and between the organization and its many stakeholders. This transparency and accountability improves the credibility and the relationship between...
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...Open Journal of Accounting, 2013, 2, 8-15 http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/ojacct.2013.21003 Published Online January 2013 (http://www.scirp.org/journal/ojacct) Sarbanes-Oxley and the Accounting Profession: Public Interest Implications Sara Ann Reiter1, Paul F. Williams2 2 1 Binghamton University, Binghamton, USA North Carolina State University, Raleigh, USA Email: sreiter@binghamton.edu Received October 31, 2012; revised December 1, 2012; accepted December 12, 2012 ABSTRACT The US accounting profession was caught up in, and some say responsible for, the whirlwind of accounting and business scandals that rocked the US markets in 2002. To restore investor confidence in financial information, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act created a new Public Company Accounting Oversight Board with the authority to set standards for auditors of publicly traded companies, thus ending a century of professional regulation of auditing. In this analysis we employ sociological theories of professionalism [1-4] to help understand the implications of the Sarbanes-Oxley legislation for the accounting profession and for the public interest. We explain why professional self-regulation is important for retaining valuable economic franchises. We also explain why the public interest orientation of the profession is important and how government take-over of auditing standards potentially erodes the public accounting profession’s commitment to the public interest. Self-control over professional work, a key characteristic...
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...Accounting and the Public Interest While this concept of public interest is imperative to the accounting profession, it is not always well understood. According to reflections by Dellaportas and Davenport (2007), serving the public interest in the accounting field is done on two levels. The first, individual professional judgment, relates to how accountants apply expertise to achieve excellence in the provision of services. Excellence in this capacity refers to integrity, objectivity, independence, confidentiality, adherence to technical and professional standards, competence and due care, and general ethical behavior (Dellaportas, 2007). The second, institutional processes, refers to professional accounting bodies that develop processes which produce high-quality standards intended to benefit end-users of financial reports (Dellaportas, 2007). By developing value on the individual level and fostering an environment in which that value may thrive, public accounting can meet the needs of public interest. Whether or not the needs of the public interest align with those of the private interest is up for debate. According to Lee Parker (1994), “private interest can be defined as the latent motivation of ethical codes to protect the interests of the professional accounting body corporate and its individual members.” Such interests include political power, social status, and influence (Parker, 1994). In order to preserve these self-interests, it is necessary to fulfill the public...
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...Ethical risks and threats in the accounting profession Accounting ethics is primarily the study of moral values and judgments as they apply to accountancy. Accounting ethics were first introduced by Luca Pacioli in 1494 in his book “Summa de arithmetica, geometria, proportioni, et proportinalita”, and later expanded by government bodies, professional organizations and independent companies (Humphrey 2005). Throughout 2001 and 2002, the financial scandals in in the USA and some other countries, such as Australia, dramatically demonstrated how the efficiency of financial markets is based on assumptions of trust and ethical behavior of corporate managers (McPhail 2001). The collapse of companies such as Enron, WorldCom and Global Crossing in the USA, HIH Insurance and OneTel in Australia, and Parmalat in Italy, has led to a loss of confidence by the investing public in the system of financial reporting and accountability. The globalization and diversification of accounting services, combined with market competition and high profile corporate collapses has drawn attention to the accounting profession and its perceived ethical standards. (Cooper 2007) Ethical values provide the foundation on which a civilized society exists. Without the foundation, civilization collapses. On a personal level, the answer to the question of the highest aspiration might be wealth, fame, knowledge, popularity, or integrity. But if integrity is secondary to any of the alternatives, it will be sacrificed...
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...Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) was originally founded in 1887. The AICPA founded accounting as profession, which is distinguished by high professional standards, strict educational requirements, a detailed code of professional standards, and a commitment to serving the public interest. In the early years of the organization rules and regulations were drafted. During the 1970s the responsibility of setting generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) was transferred to the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB). The AICPA provides training, professional skills, programs, services, and publications to its 394,000 members. The AICPA Code of Professional Conduct consists of rules and principles. The principles provide the framework for the rules and rely on the professional conduct and knowledge of its members. The code is considered the foundation of ethical reasoning in accounting because it addresses all aspects of the accounting process in detail. The code of professional conduct expresses the profession’s responsibility to the public, colleagues, and clients. The code defines the expectations of individuals as a voluntary act within guidance of the principles. I believe the three most important purposes of the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct to be in Section 53 – Article II – The Public Interest, Section 55 – Article IV – Objectivity and Independence, and Section 54 – Article III – Integrity. Article II, The Public Interest, states all those who...
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...Abstract Over the past ten years, public trust in the accounting profession has been diminished due to financial scandals brought on by poor decision making, dishonesty and a move away from morals, values, and ethics. With the perception of accounting at an all-time low, there is a need to reinvent the profession. The following pages of this research paper will examine the Model of Organizational Trust, and its three elements of ability, benevolence, and integrity. The three elements will be defined and explained using support from peer-reviewed articles. The report will also discuss the ways in which the elements are incorporated in the AICPA’s Code of Professional Conduct. The elements will be examined to learn the ways in which they help to promote trust in the accounting profession and finally, suggestions will be proposed to help improve public trust in the accounting profession. Introduction An essential component every profession must possess in order to garner satisfaction and commitment from clients and customers is trust. Trust cannot be gained quickly; it is developed over time through interactions, observations, and an understanding of another’s beliefs and values (Mayer, Davis, Schoorman, 1995). However, a person’s stated beliefs do not often dictate their behavior. In pursuit of professional goals, individuals often set aside what they know to be right and act in a manner that benefits them either financially, with recognition, or in some other manner (Six...
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...Professional Knowledge and Abilities Laurie Mack GEN200 October 11, 2010 Adam Rhein Professional Knowledge and Abilities Professional Knowledge and Abilities Impact Career Success In this paper I will point out how an association to an organization can impact an Individual’s career. This essay will go as far as to explain my interest in a professional organization; it will also demonstrate how that organization can enhance one’s professional knowledge and abilities, and how the association to an organization can impact a career in the accounting field of business. In order to do this I must define accounting, its purpose and its four major types of accountants first. The American Institute of Public Accountants defines accounting as “The art of recording, classifying, and summarizing in a significant manner and in te rms of money, transactions and events which are, in part at least, of financial character, and interpreting the results thereof (Wikipedia.org 2010)”. In other words, accounting is basically about keeping track of the money, and is what businesses use to monitor their income, expenses, and assets over a period of time. Accounting is crucial to the functioning of all organizations it plays the important role in maintaining and processing all relevant financial information that a company requires for its managing and reporting purposes. There are many sectors in accounting one can focus their career on. The four major Accountants...
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...RULES OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT TABLE OF CONTENTS FOREWORD....................................................................................................................... 3 APPLICATION OF THE RULES OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT ................................... 8 INTERPRETATION OF THE RULES OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT ...........................11 100 - GENERAL .................................................................................................................12 101 Compliance with Bylaws, Regulations and Rules ........................................12 102.1 Conviction of Criminal or Similar Offences ..................................................12 102.2 Reporting Disciplinary Suspension or Cancellation of Membership, or Restriction of Right to Practise ....................................................................12 103 False or Misleading Applications .................................................................12 104 Requirement to Co-operate .........................................................................13 105 Intimidation .................................................................................................13 200 - STANDARDS OF CONDUCT AFFECTING THE PUBLIC INTEREST......................14 201.1-4 Maintenance of Reputation of the Profession ..............................................14 Advocacy Services ......................................................................................14 201.5 202.1 Integrity and Due Care...
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...Surrounding the Professionalism of Accounting | | 3.0 Literature Review | | 4.0 Presentation of the main Idea about the Professionalism of Accounting | | 5.0 Analysis and discussion | | 6.0 Conclusion | | 7.0 Reference | | 1.0 INTRODUCTION 2.0 ISSUES SURROUNDING THE PROFESSIONALISM OF ACCOUNTING Twenty years ago, Briloff (1986) alerted the profession to the crisis of credibility being faced because society perceived accountants to have lost their commitment to public service. The credibility of the profession is threatened when the ideals of integrity, independence, public service and ethical standards come under suspicion. Well-known scandals of one of the major leading accounting firms in the United States Arthur Andersen coupled with alleged unethical acts committed by Enron have arouse the conscious of the public and stakeholders as to the moral decline and unethical posture of public accountants unveiled a decline in moral reasoning and ethical standards of public accountants (Dellaportas, 2006; Esmond-Kiger, 2004). Over the last few years, the accounting profession has been beaten up badly in the media, somewhat justifiably. The forces at work were numerous and complex and a variety of phenomena created the entire profession had its reputation tarnished. Some forces were not new: delivering services that acted to impair independence; becoming too cozy with clients, active participation in finding ways to circumvent accounting standards, and even simple...
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...Certified Public Accountants’ Responsibility to Clients and the Profession Abstract The professional responsibilities of a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) to their clients were investigated. The responsibilities were determined by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants Code of Professional Conduct. Specifically, Rule 102 regarding integrity and objectivity was used to determine what constituted as integrity and objectivity in the practice of a CPA acting as the moral conscience of their client. Rule 301 was used to determine whether information should be disclosed in the instance of fraud. Based on the information in the code of professional conduct, it was determined that CPAs have a responsibility for the greater public interest in determining the appropriate actions to be taken regarding potential fraud. Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) providing services such as accounting, taxation, audit, attestation, and other related services have a responsibility to serve small businesses as a moral conscience. Small businesses are focused on growing their business. As a result, the small business has big dreams. Many times the owners of small businesses are good at doing the service they perform; however, they often prefer that licensed professionals oversee the accounting function. Although CPAs have a responsibility to their clients they are not to act as the moral conscience, rather, they should act as a moral conscience, CPAs should turn in...
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...(2003): © 2003 by The International Islamic University Malaysia ETHICS IN ACCOUNTING EDUCATION: CONTRIBUTION OF THE ISLAMIC PRINCIPLE OF MAêLAîAH Abdul Rahim Abdul Rahman Assistant Professor, Department of Accounting, Kulliyyah of Economics and Management Sciences, International Islamic University Malaysia, Jalan Gombak, 53100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. (e-mail: abdulrahim@iiu.edu.my) ABSTRACT There is a growing concern over the apparently low moral standards of some accountants and an increasing number of academics who suggest that the education system should bear some of the blame. Ethical components in accounting education have been found to be insufficient and there is a lack of emphasis on humanizing accountants. The objective of this paper is firstly to address the importance of ethics in accounting education and evaluate the development of literature in this area. Secondly, the paper argues for the direction of accounting education to focus on religious ethical development and values in developing accounting ethics. The paper argues that the Islamic worldview and ethics perspective can provide some insights into the process of developing a more humanized and ethical accountant. This paper proposes the Islamic legal principle of ma§laúah as an ethical filtering mechanism to be taught as part of the ethical accounting education process. This is aimed at providing awareness to accounting students and accountants on the process to resolve ethical conflicts....
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...today’s business world, corporate or small business ethical accounting practices are of the essence. It is good moral and ethical accounting practices that protect an organization from unethical federal and governmental practices to include lawsuits and liabilities from misreporting of an organizations portfolio. The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) enables an organization to follow appropriate guidelines and regulations that govern ethical accounting practices. Organizations conforming to the practices of the AICPA can ensure healthy accounting practices conducted in their organization. American Institute of Certified Public Accountants The AICPA is considered the foundation of ethical reasoning in accounting because According to Mintz and Morris (2011), the principles guide members in the performance of their professional responsibilities and call for an unyielding commitment to honor the public trust, even at the sacrifice of personal benefits. (Chapter Chapter 1, Ethical Reasoning: Implications for Accounting). The AICPA is founded on three underlining principles or fundamentals. They consist of public interest, integrity, and responsibilities. These principles as stated previously allow and guide professionals in delivering ethical practices for clients. It allows them to perform ethically sound actions even when no one is looking or observing. Public Interest Working in light of the public carries a sound profile. A trusted profile which defines...
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...creates the question on practice of ethics in professional activities. The purpose of this report is to review Threats to Compliance with the Code of Conduct by Professional Accountants. With the expanding business in the modern world, issues arise on professionalism of Independent and Internal Auditors. Is it whether the Professional Accountants follows the ethical code provided by the International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants in order to provide true and effective financial reports to the internal and external users? Professionals are expected to conduct themselves at a higher level than most others members in the organization. The International Accounting Bodies has emphasized the conceptual...
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...1. Discuss whether or not CPAs who provide accounting, taxation, and related services to small business have a responsibility to serve as the “moral conscience” of their clients. The accounting profession requires ethical behavior in order to maintain the public trust. Ethical problems and dilemma arise when there is a conflict in fulfilling the moral duties or obligations and self interest. Therefore the CPA and public accountants are required to act in the line with the standards and code of ethics. According to the Utilitarian theory the action is considered as ethical if it results in achieving the greatest good to the maximum number of people. The AICPA principle of professional conduct requires that members should act with responsibility, in public Interest, objectively and independently, with integrity and due care towards the professional and technical standards to deliver the quality services. A profession is considered as a group of specialized people who posses skill based upon their impenetrable knowledge and thus they are expected to act in the best interest of public. According to the IFAC code, the responsibility of the professional accountant is not to satisfy the needs of the employer or the client but to serve the public interest. Adhering to the above expectations and professional requirements, the CPAs should serve as the moral conscience of their clients. When the CPAs come across any activity of the client which is not ethical they should discuss the...
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...Business - Accounting & Finance Working Papers Faculty of Business 2005 Regulation as Accounting Theory M. Gaffikin University of Wollongong, gaffikin@uow.edu.au Publication Details This working paper was originally published as Gaffikin, M, Regulation as Accounting Theory, Accounting & Finance Working Paper 05/09, School of Accounting & Finance, University of Wollongong, 2005. Research Online is the open access institutional repository for the University of Wollongong. For further information contact the UOW Library: research-pubs@uow.edu.au 05/09 Regulation as Accounting Theory University of Wollongong Working Papers Series School of Accounting & Finance M J R Gaffikin School of Accounting & Finance University of Wollongong Wollongong NSW 2522 Australia Tel +61 (2) 4221 3718 Fax +61 (2) 4221 4297 eMail george@uow.edu.au www.uow.edu.au/commerce/accy/ Regulation as Accounting Theory Michael Gaffikin Theories of regulation are discussed and compared. Some important issues relating to regulation as a substitute for research in creating theory as discussed. Over the years there have been many arguments and debates over the necessity for regulation. Those who believe in the efficacy of markets argue that regulation is not necessary as market forces will operate to best serve society and optimise the allocation of resources. However, there are many who point out that markets do not always operate in the best interests of societies...
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