Accounting Ethics Courses: Optional or Necessary

Ethics and high morality are in high demand today especially among corporate America, and specifically within the accounting profession. After the ethical failures of Enron and WorldCom, a public outcry for future preventative measures resonated throughout the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), and the accounting community at large. Consequently, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the overseeing government board of the AICPA, released the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, otherwise known as SOX. The act requires a higher performance standard for accounting firms and the audits they perform to prevent future accounting scandals. SOX, which has been extremely beneficial, doesn’t change the ethical standards of an individual but instead takes away most of the opportunity to commit a scandalous act. The basic character of the fraudulent individual remains corrupt, even with legislation in place. The question is then posed: Can ethics be taught, and if so, what accounting or business ethics courses are available? The answer is not ironclad as the word ethics describes the morality of an individual, which is hard to measure. There are also very limited courses offered on ethics, however ethical education should be a required course in college and a prerequisite to new employment for all accounting firms.

Most higher education institutions, and some high school level institutions, are implementing brief ethical materials into their curriculum, but very few offer courses on the subject. The basic argument against incorporating a required accounting ethics course is that there isn’t any proof that individuals who take a course would be any more ethical than they already are. If this is truly the singular obstruction to imposing an accounting course in ethics, than why aren’t other courses in the curriculum subject to examination from proof. Many audits, specifically those at Enron and WorldCom, have failed because of poor functional accounting knowledge, not just ethical queries. Most other curricular accounting courses would fail a proof assessment required by those who oppose an accounting ethics course. It is necessary to have an accounting ethics course to properly prepare students for any future ethical temptation they may experience within the field. Without experience in fraud recognition or ethical righteousness, many new timid accountants are susceptible to fraud or ethical dilemmas. A recommendation would be to add not just one course on ethics into a curriculum, but possibly three or four. A course in ethical theory could tie into another ethics course involved in spotting frauds and ethical dilemmas while a third course could focus on answering these ethical uncertainties.

The need for an accounting ethics course is also very apparent in how much destructive attention financial catastrophes attract to the profession. The recent big company accounting scandals all brought negative publicity to the accounting field. The burden of the economic failures in today’s society must be placed somewhere, and many people look at accountants as an outlet to place that burden. All of these events from big companies provide a negative perception of the accounting field, and that’s not to mention the small business owners who have encountered other accounting mistakes or unethical occurrences. This is not to say that legitimate and honest mistakes will not be made by new students, but the ability to recognize the mistakes and evaluate ethical problems can be reduced with the addition of an ethics course. The more education and experience that new accountants have and acquire the fewer mistakes that will occur, and ultimately the less negative publicity the profession will receive. It is extremely important that in the accounting profession, clients feel secure and trusting of those who they employ.

Another need for an ethics course comes from a common stereotype of accountants. The stereotype is that accountants are known to simply follow the rules, or do just enough to meet the basic criteria. To correct ethical dilemmas, it is required to go above and beyond the norm to investigate and solve uncertainties. A class in the area of ethics could help prepare and motivate new accountants to become more proactive when evaluating a possible unethical or fraudulent scenario. Clients will feel a greater sense of security with a proactive accountant, and ultimately bring more profit to the profession.

Society can not function without ethical people. The business world and accounting profession can not function without ethical people. It is for this reason that an accounting ethics course or courses are imperative. The elimination of stereotypes, fewer mistakes, and a heightened sense of awareness is exactly what could be acquired from an accounting ethics course. It is important to add ethics courses immediately, and for employers to require that their new hire’s be educated in ethics knowledge. If an employee is not educated and courses are not offered, employers should take measures to offer a mandatory ethics course within their organization.

Emanuel Saxe Accounting lectures from Baruch College


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A video summary of chapter 7 in Perdisco’s Financial Accounting 360Textbook. To find out more, visit www.perdisco.com/finacc
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Sales Management Training; is it Really Necessary?

Sales Management training is not as common as it used to be, as more and more organizations think the sales management should already know it all. However, lack of training is the root to most companies’ bottomline problems.

Sales management training is just as important, if not more than, salespeople training.

Top executive management are the leaders of the sales force and need to be constantly demonstrating the appropriate behaviours for their salespeople to follow. It is really a monkey see, monkey do situation.

Are your sales leaders demonstrating appropriate behaviours?

Do they have goals and a plan of action to accomplish those goals? Are they disciplined, motivated, energetic and enthusiastic. Are they the type of mentor that you would like to have? Are they going on prospecting calls with their sales executives, or even handling accounts on their own?

Are they debriefing after a prospecting visit and providing feedback / coaching? Are they investing in their team or are they investing their time in moving upwards in the organization?

Without proper training, sales management is not half as effective as they can be. However, like most training, for the training to be effective it also needs to be customized to organizational objectives, it needs and should be conducted on an ongoing basis with one on one coaching.

Sales Management training should include following a sales results system, and demonstrating that system with their salespeople on an ongoing basis. For example, if sales executive management is always telling their salespeople what to do, who owns the idea and who is committed to making it happen? Also, what are the salesperson going to do with the customer – tell them as well?

What if sales management training provided a system whereby sales reps would be engaged, come up with ideas, take ownership and make it happen. Then who is committed? Is that not the way you would want your salespeople to be with your prospects and customers – engaging and buying from you versus telling and selling where there is no ongoing relationship.

Most organizations provide sales training, which is great, particularly if it is ongoing, but they forget salespeople management in the process. It will help management to hire top producers, and then allow them to motivate, mentor, coach, delegate, obtain ownership and commitment, build high performing teams, run effective meetings and provide for ongoing training, creating more winners.

Sales management training is the foundation to ongoing sales results from selection, to coaching, training, rewarding and promoting. It is absolutely necessary!

Necessary Things You Should Know While Applying For Bad Credit Auto Loan Financing

Buying a car online i.e. on the internet is getting very popular nowadays. Online car buying saves one a lot of time, energy and money. Vast information about different car models and their prices can be accessed online, without having to rush from one car dealer to another to see different car models. The majority of individuals don’t realize that up to what extent the economy has affected the average employee. Individuals who used to have superior credit now fight back to make monthly payments because of a lack of employment.

Large amount individuals have had their credit rating depressingly affected through the economic recession. This has made it tough for millions of individuals to avail various loans to gain Car Loans for Bad Credit. Bad credit car loan is a lot more complicated to obtain approval for today compared to a few years ago. If you’re interested in availing any kind of loan standard there are some things, which you need to carry out and make sure you get, approve.

Perhaps the first thing anybody who is in the hunt for a loan need to do is apply for a credit report. By having glance at your credit score, you could see how good or bad your ratings are. If you’re having from a low rating you should take firm steps to get better your attractiveness to potential lenders. Paying down your debt is a superior way to progress your credit. Reducing your debt would get better your attractiveness for various lenders, which are available. Having a better rating would mean that you acquire access to lower rate of interest and larger loans.

An additional benefit to repaying your debts is the upgrading it would have to your debt to income percentage. The debt to income ratio is made use of by number of lenders to decide whether or not a borrower is eligible to gain a loan approved. Availing bad credit auto loan financing is much essential for individuals looking to buy a car. Looking for the right lender would ensure that you search out the best rate of interest on your loan application. If you’re interested in getting bad credit auto loan financing it is essential to search the precise lender and ask auto loan quote. Carrying out a complete search of the different auto loan lenders would give you a good estimation of what lenders are available.

One needs to get accurate information about the car dealer, the car model, its price and features before taking a decision. Facts about the vehicle’s safety, mileage, and maintenance costs also should be carefully considered. The car dealer from whom the car is being bought, should have a good reputation in the market, and should be an authorized dealer. Credit unions, Banks as well as other regular monetary organization, might reject a credit application from an individual having absolute no credit, and will not approve a car loan with no credit. One may not be able to buy a fancy car with bad credit, but can buy a cheap car that fits in your budget.

How to get a bad credit auto loan in the USA and Canada. Car loans for bad credit from Auto Credit Express
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More Auto Loans Articles

Buying a car online i.e. on the internet is getting very popular nowadays. Online car buying saves one a lot of time, energy and money. Vast information about different car models and their prices can be accessed online, without having to rush from one car dealer to another to see different car models. The majority of individuals don’t realize that up to what extent the economy has affected the average employee. Individuals who used to have superior credit now fight back to make monthly payments because of a lack of employment.

Large amount individuals have had their credit rating depressingly affected through the economic recession. This has made it tough for millions of individuals to avail various loans to gain Car Loans for Bad Credit. Bad credit car loan is a lot more complicated to obtain approval for today compared to a few years ago. If you’re interested in availing any kind of loan standard there are some things, which you need to carry out and make sure you get, approve. [Read more →]