Chapter 3 Flashcards
What is a critical component of creating an ethical organization environment?
Is the culture that includes shared values, beliefs, goals, norms and problem solving mechanisms
What is an organizational ethical climate?
Refers to moral atmosphere of the work encvironment and the level of ethics practiced within a company
An ethical climate is enhanced through?
Values driven organization that encourages openness and transparency and provides a supportive environment to voice matters of concern without fear of retribution or retaliation
What has a greater influence on decisions?
Organization values
Organizational ethical culture is shaped by?
Effective leadership
Jones hiltebeital model looks at what?
The role of ones personal code of conduct in ethical behavior within an organization
What is the ethical dissonance model?
It illustrates the interaction between individuals and the organization based on person organization ethical fit at various stages of the relationship in each potential ethical fit scenario
There are four ethical fit options, what are they?
HIGH HIGH - organizational and individual ethics
LOW LOW - two possess low person organization
HIGH LOW - high .org and low individual
LOW HIGH - low .org and high individual ethics
What is an ethical collapse?
It occurs when any organization has drifted from the principles of right and wrong and uses financial reporting standards and rules as one area that it may occur
What are the seven signs of ethical collapse?
1) pressure to maintain #
2) fear and silence
3) young un and bigger than life CEO (loyalty to boss)
4) weak BOD
5) conflicts of interest overlooked and unaddressed
6) innovation like no other company
7) goodness in some areas atones for evil in others
What is a important element of ethical culture?
Tone at the top
What does tone at the top mean?
Refers to the ethical environment that is created in the workplace by the organizations leadership.
What creates the basis for standards of behavior that become part of code of ethics?
Ethical tone
What is the cornerstone of relationships with customers, suppliers, employees and others who have dealings with an organization?
Trust
Trust means?
To be reliable and carry through words with deeds
Code of conduct in a workplace influences?
The development of the ethical culture in the workplace
What are the list of measures that should be taken to establish an ethical culture?
1) establish clear policies on ethical conduct including code of ethics
2) develop ethics training program that instills a commitment to act ethically and explains code of provisions
3) assign a top level office to oversee compliance with ethics policies
4) use internal auditors to investigate whether ethics policies have been followed in practice
5) establish strong internal controls to prevent and detect unethical behaviors such as fraud
6) establish whistleblowing policies including reporting outlets
7) establish an ethics hotline where employees can discuss questionable behavior on an anonymous basis
8) have employees sign a statement that they have complied with ethics policies
9) enforce ethics policies fairly and take immediate action against those who violate the policies
10) reward ethical behavior by including It in the performance evaluation system
Managers can set right tone at the to and foster ethical leadership by following 4 rules. What are these rules?
1) consider how your actions affect others
2) do no harm
3) make decisions that are universal
4) reflect before deciding
What is fraud?
Defined as deliberate misrepresentation to gain an advantage over another party
What is occupational fraud?
Employee abuses the trust placed in him by an employer for personal gain
ACFE study found that most occupational fraudsters crimes are motivated by what?
Some kind of financial pressure
What are some behavioral indicators of fraud?
1) living beyond means
2) financial difficulties
3) unusually close association with vendor/customer
4) control issues / unwillingly to share duties
5) wheeler dealer attitude
6) divorce/family problems
7) instability, suspiciousness or defensiveness
8) addiction problems
9) complained about inadequate pay
10) past employment related problems
11) refusal to take vacations
12) excessive pressure within org
13) social isolation
14) complained about lack of authority
15) excessive family/ peer pressure for success
16) instability in life circumstance
Internal controls includes all of?
The processes and procedures that management puts in place to help make sure that its assets are protected and that company activities are conducted in accordance with the organizations policies and procedures.
Why is an effective system of IC is critical?
It is critical to establish an ethical corporate culture that should be supported by the tone at the top
An internal control report must include what?
1) statement of managements responsibility for establishing and maintaining IC
2) managements assessment of the effectiveness of the company’s internal control over financial reporting as of the end of company’s most recent year
3) statement that identified the framework used by mgmt to evaluate the effectiveness of the company’s IC over financial reporting
4) statement that registered public accounting firm audited the company’s FS
An internal control system can provide absolute assurance to management and BOD regarding achievement of entity’s it objectives.
T OR F
F
It can provide reasonable not absolute assurance
Why do financial statement fraud schemes occur?
It is because an employee who is typically a member of top management causes a misstatement or omission of material information in the organizations financial reports
Common methods for overstating revenues include
Recording gross rather than net revenue
Recording revenues of other companies and acting as a middle man
Recording sales that never took place
Recording future sales in current period
Recording sales of products that are out on consignment