Balberan, Jan Maxin R.             ITETHIC                                 April 8, 2008

ETHICS, GOVERNANCE & ACCOUNTABILITY

a Professional Perspective

Dellaportas, Gibson, Alagiah, Hutchinson, Leung, Homrigh

Chapter 4: Ethical Decision Making

“It is our choices…that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.”

- J K Rowling

Ethical decision making is more than a belief in the importance of ethics, it requires an ethical sensitivity to the implications of choices, the ability to evaluate ambiguous and incomplete facts, identify and priorities moral claims, and the strength of character to implement the decision effectively. The AAA model is an ethical decision making model used by individuals to help them arrive at ethical and defendable decisions. The AAA model provides a framework within which ethical issues can be identified, analyzed and resolved. Ultimately, however, the application of these steps is often influenced by individual, environmental and contextual factors.

Chapter 6: Fraud and Forensic Accounting

“Attempt the end and never stand to doubt; nothing’s so hard,

 but search will find it out.”

- Robert Herrick

The development of dedicated forensic services has been driven by the need for specialization in collating and presenting evidence in commercial disputes and investigations. Forensic practices have developed to encompass a range of services, utilizing skills from accounting and technology to investigation and law enforcement.

Forensic practitioners will continue to work alongside law enforcement agencies, the judicial system and regulatory bodies, in addition to working directly with their clients. The field of forensic service lines continues to expand, encompassing more traditional reactive and proactive services, as well as new and emerging issues, such as the focus on anti money laundering requirements.

Chapter 8: Social Responsibility Accounting

“People are understandably frustrated and angry at what they see as a lack of corporate transparency and accountability. It is of no surprise that a company’s level of governance and responsibility has emerged as a significant indicator of its overall health as a business.”

- Leon Davis

Social accounting is one of the components of the “triple bottom line” of economic social and environmental performance. It is closely linked with environmental performance, as often there is a direct relationship between the effects of business activities on society and the environment.

Social accounting is based on a broad concept of accountability, in which business are required to discharge their responsibility for the social resources that are necessary to their operations. The social aspects of business operations include the people who work for them, communities that are affected by them or their products, and the use of public goods, such as infrastructure or education and training.

The chapter discussed the historical and more recent developments in social accounting, and considered both the socially constructed and socially constructing nature of accounting information.