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1 – 10 of over 10000Gözde Yilmaz, Emel Güler Yilmaz, Serah Bahadirli and Nazlım Tüzel Uraltaş
This chapter, against studies on success history, puts its attention on the firm's behaviour facing a critical socio-political problem. The specific question is how the…
Abstract
This chapter, against studies on success history, puts its attention on the firm's behaviour facing a critical socio-political problem. The specific question is how the relationship between business and socio-political actors in an emerging market under a scandal develops and how these actors manage such a situation. To reach this aim the study concerns with the Roche Scandal in Turkey and discusses the reactions of business and socio-political actors before and after the scandal, and further, how Roche subsequently managed these relationships. The theoretical framework for analysis of the Roche Turkey Scandal is constructed on relationship elements of trust, legitimacy and learning. The analysis provides some answers to the question of how Roche Turkey in the face of reactions given by the network actors managed the aftermath of the scandal and how the legitimacy loss was recovered by learning and adaptation. Conclusions enhance our knowledge on the behaviour of firms under critical condition.
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Various achievements of Australia in the field of applied ethics from the 1980s to 2016 are outlined. The review covers academic scholarship, research and teaching; the ethics of…
Abstract
Various achievements of Australia in the field of applied ethics from the 1980s to 2016 are outlined. The review covers academic scholarship, research and teaching; the ethics of business and actions to build ethics into the structures of enterprises. This follows the 3-fold categorization developed by De George (2012). A brief account of the formation and history of the Australian Association for Professional and Applied Ethics is included, as is a selection of scandals involving Australian organisations. Australia is shown to have made a significant contribution to the academic discipline of applied ethics and to have been aware of its position, distant from the English-speaking West and in the midst of nations of the global south.
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Alan Reinstein, Stephen R. Moehrle and Jennifer Reynolds‐Moehrle
To develop theoretical frameworks to discuss high profile scandals, where responsible accountants and other executives could have saved themselves, many investors and others…
Abstract
Purpose
To develop theoretical frameworks to discuss high profile scandals, where responsible accountants and other executives could have saved themselves, many investors and others severe personal and financial loss by considering the costs of improper or immoral behavior. These cases emphasize the importance of ethics driving accountants' decisions.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper discusses these ethical lapses in light of applying Kohlberg's models, biblical examples from the Old and New Testaments and the Koran, and other ethical systems.
Findings
The paper shows that this concept is not new. Throughout history, people have taken actions that cost them their freedom, their money and most importantly, their good names. Upon reflection, many of these people are astounded at the seriousness of their action given what little they had to gain from continued involvement. In reinforcing lessons that should be learned from cases of business malfeasance and highlighting many well‐known accounting and other scandals, we develop recurrent themes in the nature of business scandals and show that many people are responsible for or complicit in the malfeasance. These individuals could have prevented the fraud or minimized any adverse impact if they had considered their behavior ex ante. We show that the employees portrayed demonstrated very low‐levels of ethical development and seemed to underestimate the probability of getting caught and the resulting punishment. We also elicit many reasons from several viewpoints for not becoming involved in fraud.
Research limitations/implications
It is hoped that the next generation of business leaders and middle level staff alike will consider the results/messages of this paper when faced with ethical dilemmas.
Practical implications
The paper concludes that the best internal control in a business structure remains the hiring and training of morally upstanding employees and managers who recognize the values of their good names before temptations arise. Incentive plans can encourage ethical behavior.
Originality/value
Practitioners must consider fully the potential consequences of their actions no matter how small the perceived probability of a bad outcome.
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Mehenna Yakhou and Vernon P. Dorweiler
Adopting the Sarbanes‐Oxley Act has provided impetus to reforming corporate accounting and corporate governance. Implementation of this legislation is so broad as to move from…
Abstract
Adopting the Sarbanes‐Oxley Act has provided impetus to reforming corporate accounting and corporate governance. Implementation of this legislation is so broad as to move from mere statutory compliance, to provide authority for changes in the professions of accountants and corporate officers and corporate counsel. This paper describes effects of the Sarbanes‐Oxley Act (Public Law No. 107‐204, Sec. 1‐1107) on the principal management and control functions of the business environment.
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R. Barkemeyer, D. Holt, F. Figge and G. Napolitano
The purpose of this paper is to present an analysis of media representation of business ethics within 62 international newspapers to explore the longitudinal and contextual…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present an analysis of media representation of business ethics within 62 international newspapers to explore the longitudinal and contextual evolution of business ethics and associated terminology. Levels of coverage and contextual analysis of the content of the articles are used as surrogate measures of the penetration of business ethics concepts into society.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper uses a text mining application based on two samples of data: analysis of 62 national newspapers in 21 countries from 1990 to 2008; analysis of the content of two samples of articles containing the term business ethics (comprised of 100 newspaper articles spread over an 18‐year period from a sample of US and UK newspapers).
Findings
The paper demonstrates increased coverage of sustainability topics within the media over the last 18 years associated with events such as the Rio Summit. Whilst some peaks are associated with business ethics scandals, the overall coverage remains steady. There is little apparent use in the media of concepts such as corporate citizenship. The academic community and company ethical codes appear to adopt a wider definition of business ethics more akin to that associated with sustainability, in comparison with the focus taken by the media, especially in the USA. Coverage demonstrates clear regional bias and contextual analysis of the articles in the UK and USA also shows interesting parallels and divergences in the media representation of business ethics.
Originality/value
A promising avenue to explore how the evolution of sustainability issues including business ethics can be tracked within a societal context.
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Zabihollah Rezaee, D. Larry Crumbley and Robert C. Elmore
This paper discusses how corruption, in its various manifestations, has had — and continues to have — a very serious impact on the economic and political stability of the…
Donald L. Ariail, Katherine Taken Smith and L. Murphy Smith
Congruence of personal values to organizational (the profession) values affects job performance, job satisfaction and ethical behavior. The purpose of this paper is to answer two…
Abstract
Purpose
Congruence of personal values to organizational (the profession) values affects job performance, job satisfaction and ethical behavior. The purpose of this paper is to answer two research questions: (1) what are the personal ethical values of today's leaders in the US accounting profession and (2) are these personal ethical values congruent with the profession's ethical code?
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses a survey approach to determine the personal values of US-certified public accounting leaders. The personal values of the Certified Public Accountants (CPA) leaders were measured using the Rokeach Value Survey instrument.
Findings
Findings show that for each highly prioritized personal value, there is one or more parallel with the profession's values, as represented by the US American Institute of CPAs ethics code.
Research limitations/implications
This study was limited by the time period used. Future studies could include other time periods. This study could be used as a starting point for longitudinal studies to determine if personal values of professional accountants change over time.
Practical implications
This paper offers a fresh understanding of the relationship of accountants' personal values to professional values.
Social implications
This paper provides insights into the person–organization (P–O) fit of US accountants within their profession.
Originality/value
This paper examines the P–O fit of accounting leaders, that is, the congruence of personal values and organizational values. The P–O fit contributes to job performance and job satisfaction.
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Robin R. Radtke and Sally K. Widener
The purpose of this chapter is to explore aspects of both enabling and coercive control usages and to extend the literature stream by integrating relevant ethical variables at…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this chapter is to explore aspects of both enabling and coercive control usages and to extend the literature stream by integrating relevant ethical variables at both the level of the individual and the group. We also provide multiple ideas for future research studies.
Methodology/approach
An overview of prior literature in management control systems is presented with an aim toward identifying gaps in research knowledge.
Findings
As a result of our investigation into the intersection between management control and ethics, it is evident that there are many future areas ripe for enquiry.
Research implications
This study contributes theoretically by conceptualizing the integration of ethical considerations with how control systems are used, and then offering ideas for future research directions.
Originality/value
Our research investigates the intersection between management control and ethics. To the best of our knowledge, we are the first to delve into this critical area.
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Godfred Matthew Yaw Owusu, Rita Amoah Bekoe, Nana Adwoa Anokye Effah and Octavia Ama Serwaa Otchere
This paper aims to examine the attitude of accounting students towards money and their ethical perceptions, and ascertains whether ethical perception of students could be…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to examine the attitude of accounting students towards money and their ethical perceptions, and ascertains whether ethical perception of students could be influenced by their attitudes towards money.
Design/methodology/approach
A survey method of research was adopted, and a set of questionnaires based on the money ethic scale (MES) and existing ethical scenarios was administered to the target respondents. The MES was subjected to an exploratory factor analysis to examine its dimensionality and, by means of a cluster analysis, the respondents were classified based on similarities in attitude towards money. The relationship between attitude towards money and ethical perception was ascertained by means of a multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) test.
Findings
The results suggest the respondents are generally ethically oriented and that the females are more ethical than males. Differences exist in terms of the attitude of respondents towards money and the MANOVA results show that money attitudes are good predictors of ethical perceptions of students.
Research limitations/implications
Findings of this study demonstrate that an understanding of individuals' attitude towards money may be an important way of predicting how they will behave when faced with ethical dilemmas.
Originality/value
The analysis makes an important contribution to prior literature by highlighting the effect of money attitude on ethical perception.
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