An Urgent Need for Ethics Education for Accountants

Abstract

Social, political and technological changes have challenged traditional idea of professional practice by accountants. Accounting is both an essential practice and a vital profession in the economically developed world of today (Ronald F.Duska and Brenda Shay Duska,2003). Today, professional accountants cannot exist by technical knowledge alone; they have to posses and apply that within a framework of professional values, ethics and attitudes.(Peter Williams, 2007).  Ethics, values and principles serve as benchmarks of the accounting profession. They determine what is right and wrong, appropriate and inappropriate, on a universal basis every time. (Joe Lienandt, 2003). Enron‟s bankruptcy case, in which their auditors and consultants from the accounting firm Arthur Anderson, came under criticism for not apparently carrying out their responsibilities as accountants. The  Enron/Arthur Anderson‟s case has raised the ethical question, „what is the appropriate behaviour for accountants?‟ and „what are the accountants
supposed to do?‟ This paper attempts to address the following issues: How to teach ethics to those entering the profession; How to ensure that the ethical standards and behaviour of experienced accountants are as fresh and relevant as technical knowledge.