Accountants are trained to handle facts and figures, and they know when something is incorrect.
In the Arthur Andersen/Enron case it was believed that Temple and others knew that the figures were wrong but wanted to show the profits for the company so that the stock prices would continue to grow (Thomas, 2002). What was making investors rich was slowly killing a large accounting firm and a company that was previously good to work for -- a company on which many people depended. Pensions and other perks of working for Enron vanished seemingly overnight, making it very difficult for many of the employees (a large number of them older) to be hired anywhere else. These were people who were very close to retirement, and who saw their jobs and their pensions disappear without a trace. They had no idea that something was wrong, and that Arthur Andersen was overinflating the income and "cooking the books" to make it appear as though Enron was much more successful than was actually the case. The guilty verdict for Arthur Andersen and the resulting fallout for Enron did not bring back the jobs of the people (Thomas, 2002).
Most often, it is the "littlest" of the people who work in and for a company who are hurt by unethical behavior. Stakeholders of all types are damaged in some way -- generally financially -- when a company decides that ethics is not important. There are ways to reduce the chances of unethical behavior, but there is no guarantee of completely stopping that behavior from taking place within a company. By encouraging transparency within an organization and encouraging all...
Therefore, corporations have had to change their viewpoints and start looking at the long-term consequences of their behavior, as well as looking at the bottom line. Businesses also have to be concerned because consumers have also become aware of environmental concerns, and many consumers are demanding earth-friendly products and have shown a willingness to pay more money to competitors who observe environmentally-friendly practices. Interestingly enough, this demand has given rise
Ethics The employee is faced with ethical requirements throughout their workday that must be met with knowledge and a trained attitude. Workplace ethics is one of the most crucial elements whether the person involved in an ethical dilemma is a high-level manager or an entry-level employee. An ethical stance is important because it is what guides the interactions that the employees will have with each other, their management, and the customers
Conclusion Overall the automobile industry must make a more concerted effort o behave in ways that are consistent with accepted business ethics. From a utilitarian standpoint the automakers must begins to consider the consequences of their actions in the decision making process. At the current time Toyota is fighting to rebuild its brand image because the company6 did not thoroughly take into consideration the consequences of their actions. From a deontological
Copyright Infringement & the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) of 1998 This paper looks into the issues of copyright infringement and circumvention of technology with reference to Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998. The author of this paper has carefully studied the law in question and has focused on various issues connected with this legislation. DMCA is a highly controversial law that has been staunchly opposed and actively supported by different
This may be done without the consent of the owner of the information thus also infringing on their right to privacy. Education has also been revolutionized greatly by technology. As a result of technological advancements it is now possible for teachers and students to communicate over thousands of miles. Instructors are also able to give assignments which students can submit despite the distance. In this way, technology has enabled global
Ethics in the Workplace Organizational ethics is an area that is gaining increased importance in formal professional education. Ethics are moral rules that guide the behavior and conduct of an individual. Since ethics are shaped by personal factors like religion, family, society, law and culture, it is unlikely that two people share the same ethical standards or viewpoints (Weiss 2008, p. 116). This frequently gives rise to ethical conflicts or internal
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