Ethics of Accountants and Auditors Essay -- Ethics, Business

In the past there have been several cases in the business environment related to the practices of accountants and auditors who have violated the trust and confidence of the public. A number of studies have been conducted in order to identify the potential factors resulting in unethical, biased or inappropriate decision making and judgments by the professionals. The aim of this paper is to review two relevant academic articles and evaluate the reliability of the claims and assertions made by the authors. The paper follows a critique style in order to gain some knowledge of the topic and enhance skills for a critical assessment of the information provided in research papers and published journals ( Behren & Losen, 2005). The research paper of Pflugrath, Martinov-Bennie & Chen (2007) aims to analyze the impact of organizational codes of ethics on the accountants’ and auditors’ judgments and professional decision making skills. The research which was conducted on a sample of 112 professional accountants and auditing students, indicates that the codes of ethics positively influence the judgments of professional accountants but do not affect the students’ judgments. On the other hand, the paper by Shafer, Morrid & Ketchand (2001) is based on the research that was carried out with professional auditors regarding the impact of their personal values on their ethical judgments and behavioral intentions. The study concludes that personal values do not affect the ethical considerations and judgments of professional auditors. However, the knowledge and the understanding of moral intensity exert an impact on the judgment ability of the professional accountants. Pfflugrath, Martinov-Bennie & Chen (2007) conducted the study basing their d... ...des of ethics which are being set and exercised within the business environment and the perceptions of moral intensity which affect the judgments of the auditors. There are other determinants, as discussed by the articles, like the clients’ pressure and personal interest which may affect the quality of judgments and decision making in the fields of accounting and auditing but it would be shortsighted to ignore the 2 factors that are being discussed. Ethical judgment largely depends on the exercise of codes of ethics which provide autonomy to the auditors and accountants to work in the best interest of the business and not at the discretion of the client’s orders. Moreover, such codes of ethics, if exercised appropriately, may affect the values of auditors and accountants leading to the better and more independent from financial considerations business judgments.

Diabetes: The Growing Epidemic

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a growing global health problem that is a disease worth examining in some detail because in many respects it typifies a disease of lifestyle. Diabetes has increased since 10 years ago when it was only 30 million people affected to about 135 million today (Hjelm, et al, 2003, p. 426). By 2025, it is estimated that there will be around 300 million people all over the world who will acquire this disease (as cited in Hjelm, et al World Health Organization 1997).It seems that urbanization and industrialization seem to be the reasons that now face people of every country making them vulnerable to this risk (Hjelm, et al, 2003, p. 237). In fact it is now called a ‘new world syndrome’ because it is the effect of modernization at present (Hjelm, et al, 2003, p. 238). Diabetes is a metabolic disorder in which the body fails to regulate the level of sugar (glucose) in the blood. Blood sugar levels in most people are 50-150 mg. of glucose per 100 ml of bloo d.If a person’s blood sugar level is persistently high, serious symptoms may develop. Fortunately, nurses are in a good position to employ new research findings to fight and prevent this fatal disease. The increase in Type 2 diabetes demonstrates a disease in transition. The study therefore tries to raise awareness among nurse educators regarding the causes of the disease by reviewing the present literature and discussing implications on the content of nursing curricula especially in Great Britain and Sweden.This is all the more relevant because nurses hold strategic positions to help reduce this problem. References in recent articles were consulted, especially those published between 1985-2001 including critical analysis of contemporary literature. Findings reveal that â€Å"diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder characterized by chronic hyperglycaemia. † (Hjelm, et al, 2003, p. 220). Aside from the other findings that confirm the data already characterizing the di sease, it was known that people with DM have reduced life expectancy (Hjelm et al. 997) and there is a high risk of developing chronic complications such as microangiopathy, neuropathy and macroangiopathy.Social issues about diabetes Diabetes is socially produced, as posited by authors Liburd & Vinicor who state that Type 2 diabetes experienced by racial and ethnic majority groups in the United States needs a refocusing of the public health research and even its interventions. There needs to be further studies on how community health models can reflect the changing status and sociopolitical dynamics of contemporary urban communities (Liburd & Vinicor, 2003).Consequently, the rise in type 2 diabetes comes at the recent discovery of national and international increase in the number of obese people. There is a need to look into the different ways by which the government has intervened in the rise of diabetes among the minority groups. (Bardsley & Want 2004). Type 2 diabetes and obesity has been continuously referred to as the â€Å"diseases of modernization. † This disease has been the first to appear among the people of the Pacific Islanders, the Micronesians, Melanesians and the Polynesian ancestry.While the western medical community continuously conducts studies on diabetes in order to attain a better understanding about it, there is a need to look into the surrounding background on how this ailment came about and how it has now been recognized as fast becoming one of the most common ailments among the people across the globe. Diabetes needs to be addressed in the public health system. Illnesses that are of natural causes â€Å"can be treated by modern medical doctors, herbalists and other doctors of natural illness.While illnesses that are caused by occult forces or their agents can be treated by â€Å"using the power of a conjurer to produce and execute the correct treatment†¦Conjurers are believed to have the ability to summon a supernatural f orce, such as a devil or evil spirit, either to do harm, such as inducing an illness or to expel a disorder† On the other hand, for spiritual illnesses, they are treated through the â€Å"power of a god acting through a religious healer or medium that is required to diminish spiritual illness or induce a return to health in the character of a person believed to be suffering from spiritual illness† (Liburd & Vinicor, 2003).An example are African Americans who are stereotyped as the Black Americans, they are varied â€Å"on almost any dimension one could name† in the sense that many are low income, a growing number are in the middle and upper income categories, and quite a number are categorized as professionals. While there a number in the population who are not schooled, still others are educated in different levels and educational background. Many of them are located in the rural South, but there are increasing in numbers who are located in the urban areas in th e North and West of America.African Americans have a vast array of characteristics thus the western medical community is advised to treat black patients as an individuals. Recent finding reveal that there about 10 million Americans with diabetes. Five million of which do not know that they have this disease. There three kinds of diabetes: (1) Type 1 Diabetes, also called â€Å"juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes†. It is usually first diagnosed in children, teenagers, or young adults. The beta cells of the pancreas no longer make insulin because the body's immune system has attacked and destroyed them† This type of diabetes can be treated by taking insulin shots or using an insulin pump, proper choices of food intake, regular exercise, controlling blood pressure and cholesterol. (Liburd & Vinicor, 2003). (2) Type 2 Diabetes, is also called adult-onset or noninsulin-dependent diabetes. It is the most common form of diabetes that can be developed during early c hildhood.It is begins with â€Å"insulin resistance, a condition in which fat, muscle, and liver cells do not use insulin properly† The pancreas functions to keep up with the added demand by producing more insulin, however in time, â€Å"it loses the ability to secrete enough insulin in response to meals† The treatments applied for this type of diabetes are diabetes medicines, choosing the proper food intake, controlling blood pressure and cholesterol (Liburd & Vinicor, 2003). (3) Gestational Diabetes is usually developed among women who develop diabetes during the late stages of pregnancy.It usually goes away after the baby is born. However, a woman can possibly develop type 2 diabetes later in life if preventive measures are not done accordingly. Common symptoms associated with diabetes: Frequent urination, Extreme thirst, Extreme hunger, Dramatic weight loss with increased food intake, Weakness, fatigue, irritability, and drowsiness, Blurred vision or changes in eye sight, Tingling or numbness in the fingers, arms, legs, or feet can also be observed.In sum, cultural systems, values, customs and the environment they say may have contributory effects in the development of ailments such as diabetes in persons. In fact, medical communities make use of these elements as means of understanding the reasons why diabetes and such other ailments are common among certain cultural and ethnical groups like the African Americans. The call for creative yet continuous studies and research is highly demanded among dedicated and committed medical communities today, especially in the development of more effective medical studies.Research works done by considering the role of socioeconomic factors as well as racism, poverty, and race/ethnicity can be helpful and effective tools to widen the scope of research studies. The application of qualitative research methodology is an added tool to place objectivity in the conduct of integrative studies as it also draws a ho listic approach in understanding the context of human behavior as well as human experience of people in their environment.Most often than not these are rich sources of areas of study that make the research work effective and realistic (Bardsley & Want, 2004 p. 107). In sum, the development of Type 2 DM is socially-related. Authorities and experts need to see this and its implications in order to develop measures to educate nurses and other people in the health profession so that more concrete steps can be taken to keep more people healthy as long as possible. The management of self care in diabetic diseases involves an adaptation. Complication can arise due to social, psychological and physical consequences.

Bus640 Managerial Economics Essay example - 944 Words

Week 2 Assignment Crystal G Tanner BUS640: Managerial Economics Brian Shaw April 23, 2012 CH 3. 2. Appalachian Coal Mining believes that it can increase labor productivity and, therefore, net revenue by reducing air pollution in its mines. It estimates that the marginal cost function for reducing pollution by installing additional capital equipment is MC = 40P where P represents a reduction of one unit of pollution in the mines. It also feels that for every unit of pollution reduction the marginal increase in revenue (MR) is MR = 1,000 - 10P How much pollution reduction should Appalachian Coal Mining undertake? Set MC = MR and solve for P 40P = 1000-10P 40P + 10P = 1000 50P = 1000 P = 1000/50 P = 20 units of†¦show more content†¦If each security guard is paid $200 a week and the cost of a stolen radio is $25, how many security guards should the firm hire? @ 0 guards 50 (200*0) + (25 * 50) = 1250 @ 1 Guard 30 (200 * 1) + (25* 30) = 950 @ 2 Guards 20(200 * 2) + (25 * 20) = 900 @ 3 Guards 14(200*4) + (25*14) = 950 @ 4 Guards 8(200*4) + (25*8) = 1000 @ 5 Guards 6(200*5) + (25*6) = 1150 Therefore Twenty-first Century Electronics should hire two guards b. If the cost of a stolen radio is $25,what is the most the firm would be willing to pay to hire the first security guard? Guard one = (50 – 30) * 25 Guard one = 20 * 25 Guard One = 500 The first security guard would be paid the maximum amount 500 c. If each security guard is paid $200 a week and the cost of a stolen radio is $50, how many security guards should the firm hire? MC = 200 Marginal Benefit (4) = (14-8)*50 MB = 6 * 50 MB = 300 TB = (50-8) * 50 – (4*200) = 1300 Therefore they should hire four guards @ $ 50 cost of stolen radio CH 4. 1. The director of marketing at Vanguard Corporation believes that sales of the company’s Bright Side laundry detergent (S) are related to Vanguard’s own advertising expenditure (A), as well as the combined advertising expenditures of its three biggest rival detergents (R). The marketing director collects 36 weekly observations on S, A, and R to estimate the following multiple regression equation: S = a + bA + cR where S, A, and R areShow MoreRelatedEssay about Shrewsbury W1A BUS6401101 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿ Economics of Risk and Uncertainty Applied Problem Jessica Shrewsbury BUS640 Managerial Accounting Instructor Choi February 23, 2015 Economics of Risk and Uncertainty Applied Problem Problem 1: A generous university benefactor has agreed to donate a large amount of money for student scholarships. The money can be provided in one lump sum of $12 million in Year 0 (the current year), or in parts, in which $7 million can be provided at the end of Year 1, and another $7 million can be providedRead MoreUnemployment and People2492 Words   |  10 PagesUnderemployment Tiffany Allen BUS640 Prof Michael Blagg September 19, 2011 Executive Summary The down turn of the economy has stirred up some issues that most people were not prepared to deal with. The unemployment rate is at a petrifying rate and the worst part is that it is even worse than it looks. There are many factors in addition to the unemployment rate alone that are going to prolong the recovery of the job market. In this paper, â€Å"underemployment† is defined and explained in terms