INTRODUCTION
At times we may wonder what is meant by ethics, why accountants need ethics in their business life or even how they are related. As we may know, definitions of ethics vary with time but in most cases it is defined” With these definitions we can understand that basically ethics is knowing what is right (Mitchell 2009). Ethics in accounting and finance a global concern today (Onyebuchi, 2011). However, the accounting and finance sector has over the past years developed a culture of ethical misconduct (Gianneti & Yue Wang, 2014). According to Anup & Chadha (2005), Ethical misconducts often lead to corporate scandals that come with serious consequences e.g. fraud
Ethical conduct/ behavior is stated by the Business Dictionary as
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Transparency: This clearly means the state in which all relevant information is fully and freely available to the public. With this the moral principle of honesty is consistent with the ability to act on one’s problems. Transparency embodies honesty and open communication because to be transparent someone must be willing to share information when it is uncomfortable to do so. This is why it is known as the key to performance.
2. Reliability: With moral principles clients are able to rely more on the Accountants. The nature of the work carried out by accountants and auditors requires a high level of ethics. Shareholders, potential shareholders, and other users of the financial statements rely heavily on the yearly financial statements of a company as they can use this information to make an informed decision about investment. They rely on the opinion of the accountants who prepared the statements, as well as the auditors that verified it, to present a true and fair view of the company.
STRATEGIES TO DEAL WITH ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL
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Know Your Employees
Fraud perpetrators often display behavioral traits that can indicate the intention to commit fraud. Observing and listening to employees can help you identify potential fraud risk. It is important for management to be involved with their employees and take time to get to know them. Often, an attitude change can clue you in to a risk. This can also reveal internal issues that need to be addressed. For example, if an employee feels a lack of appreciation from the business owner or anger at their boss, this could lead him or her to commit fraud as a way of