Accounting,corporate governance and ethics Essay

Accounting,corporate governance and ethics - Essay Example The accounting profession has evolved over the years and today is viewed as making big contributions to inspiring investor confidence in various enterprisesThe tedious accounting profession is a sensitive undertaking especially when it comes to certifying to accuracy Because of this sensitivity, the accounting profession had adopted a professional code of ethics for all members. People however believe a lot of reformist agenda had been thwarted by the vested interests of pro-corporate public policy makers (Conrad 313). The chief ethical difficulty that faces most accountants today is what constitutes a full and timely disclosure (Duska & Duska 7). The accounting profession has seen a lot of corporate scandals which had spoiled its sterling professional image in which countless individuals lost their lifetime savings. It has been as a reaction to these scandals that laws were passed to strengthen the standards of the profession to avoid repeating the same mistakes and as additional sa feguards for investors. Regulators, lawmakers, accounting professionals and policy makers had scrambled to draft these new rules and regulations to impose higher standards in the profession but ultimately, it is the individual’s conscience that will preclude any scandals or lapses from happening again. Management boards and executive committees likewise have spent considerable time into the deliberations of formulating their own set of corporate standards and code of ethics to prevent accounting scandals from occurring in their firms or in any part of their organization. An aim of this paper is to explore the accounting profession as it is today compared to previous years. Discussion Accounting is one of those professions in which utmost trust is reposed on those who practice it as a profession (as source of income and livelihood). It is no different from client- lawyer engagement or a patient-doctor relationship in which confidentiality is paramount. As a profession, account ing is charged with the task of making sense out of numbers and it is for this capability for which the various users of financial information rely on for their judgment. It is therefore very crucial that the information contained in financial statements can be relied upon for their timeliness, integrity, usefulness, relevance and accuracy. Stricter government regulations regarding corporate financial reporting has removed some of the more immediate temptations and threats to the integrity of financial statements. However, self-regulation of the industry is also vital in this regard and to educate members of the profession regarding their sacred duty to make the financial figures credible to the public. The most significant reform to ever come about the recent corporate accounting scandals that involved Enron and others is the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of July 30, 2002. It is a very significant piece of legislation in one respect: it now requires corporate executive officers to also sign o ff on the financial documents prepared by third-party auditors. What this piece of law means for the accounting profession and the executive boards of publicly-listed companies is both entities must now certify as to the accuracy of the data as contained in the audited financial statements. Previously, management boards and executive committees of affected companies can wash their hands off any audited financial documents if there are discrepancies contained in them but the Sarbanes-Oxley Law (or SOX for short) had changed that cavalier attitude. For the first time ever, not only are the auditing firms to be liable for failures to detect any accounting anomalies as they go about their task of auditing, the management people of the audited entity are also equally liable. The new law had rightly put some pressure on

Quality Problems in Service Businesses Case Study

Quality Problems in Service Businesses - Case Study Example Also, Canadian consumers are fully aware that their country is developing (Button & Stough, 2000). The hub of Canada’s economy lays mainly in raw materials export. This is a major contributing factor to the travel industry, since because of this factor alone, Canada has a vast transportation system which comprises of more than 1,400,000 kilometers (870,000Â  mi) of roads, 10 major international airports spread across the major cities , 300 smaller airports in towns, 72,093Â  km (44,797Â  mi) of fully functioning railway track, and more than 300 commercial ports and harbors surrounding its vast ocean line, enabling travelers to access destinations in the Pacific, Atlantic and Arctic oceans. Approximately, 4.2% of Canadas GDP comes from the transport sector, while oil and gas contribute about 3.7% of the GDP. Travelers are also comfortable because Transport Canada oversees and regulates aspects of transport in Canada, while TICO makes sure that they reach their travel destinations well and assured of security. All these facts and statistics clearly indicate that Canada is fully capable of offering exceptional high quality service in the travel industry, since they have all what they need. This is what the Canadian consumers see as pure potential for quality service delivery in the travel industry (Grewe et al., 2001). If a discrepancy exists between the quality expected of consumers and the service provided by air carriers, this discrepancy can best be resolved without adversely affecting the Canadian economy, by letting the necessary bodies mandated by the authorities to handle the problem, like TICO. Having a customer service call in number and email on plain sight from the customers can really help. This will hasten the client response, since there will be personnel readily available to answer the customers call, review their complaint, and respond accordingly with immediate effect. There will be security personnel on ground,

Comparison between two advert Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Comparison between two advert - Essay Example The paper analyzes the two memorable ads presented by the Nike and Adidas. The two companies have very different approaches to their advertising techniques and style. Adidas normally focuses in the notion that any of their sportswear is strong and can withstand impossible pressures. For example, this ad http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TnG7jyfoWI shows a man running and a background description that the man wears Nike. The other man, apparently carrying a 50-pound camera and filming the running man, wears Adidas. This theme of strength and durability presented by the ad reflects Adidas’ slogan of â€Å"Impossible is Nothing!† The idea this ad is trying to feed into the minds of the viewers is that with Adidas, you’re assured of a durable product which can withstand a heavier load than Nike can do. Nike on the other hand presents a different perspective of their slogan, â€Å"Just Do It!† For instance, in this YouTube video, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BO M1k4oLGJU Nike presents a commercial of Good vs. Evil which creates an illusion that skills are better than shear strength. Shot through the eyes of the soccer legends like French’s Zinedine Zidane and Eric Cantona, Brazil’s Ronaldo among others, who represents Nike and others evil men representing evil. With skills, the soccer stars manage to outdo the seemingly strong evil men in the soccer pitch. The two companies have differentiated themselves in terms of brand value and attributes of their products. However, both Nike and Adidas use some complex multimodal choices in attempts to appeal to their brand identity. In order to understand the complex nature of the ads, it is important to look at the frameworks of social semiotics, film theory, and branding (Roy 2006, p.27) that have been adversely applied within the two ads. From the Nike’s ad, it is critical to note the emphasis is on the functional supernatural power of skills over strength. On the other hand, Adidas’ functional benefits are emphasized by their strong boot’s ability to withstand pressure in a rugged terrain. More importantly, it is prudent to note that Nike portrays the notion of hardworking players with winning mentality and strong attitude to compete. Adidas, on the other hand, portrays dedication, passion and active involvement of individuals in any activity. From the Nike’s ad and slogan, â€Å"Just Do It!† one can deduce the fact that Nike has maintained their tradition of not only producing quality shoes for professional athletes but also emphasizing activity of jogging in the everyday life of communities. The philosophy in this ad is that sports heroes associated with Nike products can build the brand. Through these sports heroes, Nike has managed to cultivate the image that their products can enhance hard work, competitiveness, and toughness (Aaker, 2002, p.129). The end result, however, is that its all about talent that matter. Nike em phasizes on talents, while Adidas stresses on hard work. Adidas has a different approach as indicated in the ad. Founded on the culture of quality and innovation, Adidas has emphasized on strength for their sportswear products, which can withstand any weather and diversity. Adidas emphasis is on quality and ability of its products to meet any physical challenge. In other words, rather than focusing on the renowned stars, the company emphasized team spirit, strength, and power to withstand pressure. Finally, the two commercials share some common film theories in the making of their

Public Relations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 6

Public Relations - Essay Example No matter how sincere and good the visions of the organizations are they will never succeed in realizing their visions if they do not get enough support from the people. When it comes to getting support from people, the media has a lot to offer. The scope of media is very extensive and it certainly has the capability to reach millions of people around the globe. Through the use of media, it will be easier and more convenient for these profit and non-profit organizations to relay their messages to their target market. For example, if a non-profit organization needs financial aid to accomplish their goals all it has to do is make an announcement, or advertisement, on television, radio, or newspapers, and financial help will sooner or later pour in. In addition, considering the universal truth that people act based upon how they perceive pieces of information, profit and non-profit organizations need the help of media in terms of managing, regulating and influencing the perceptions of people until eventually initiating a course of behaviors that will allow the organizations achieve their objectives (Richins, 1987). Persuasion is a key for success, and this is one thing that the media can provide to profit and non-profit organizations. Especially for profit organizations, the media can help them with their campaigns and communicate their persuasive messages to people (Wartick, 1992). Selnick, D. (2005). Promoting your not-for-profit through public relations. Retrieved March 8, 2012, from

Writer's choice Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Writer's choice - Coursework Example ons, she also advocates for teamwork that is the reason she makes sure that I go with her to the meeting and more so she acts to the interest of the company. In our meeting, Curt becomes too rigid to listen to our suggestions, he only want us to consider his suggestions. Such rigidity makes the two come into a clear misunderstanding and makes them seem like they do not like each other. Therefore, the meeting later turns to be very competitive as Felicia also on the other side stops to listen to Curt and instead tries to have the last word on every topic. Such an incidence makes me worry losing the best and very important client of our company. Therefore, I recommend that in the near future during such meetings with Midcontinent Midstream, the company should appoint another person to represent us in place of Felicia since she does not come to a common understanding with Curt. Curt also should be more considerate of

Organizational Development in HRD Case Study Research Paper

Organizational Development in HRD Case Study - Research Paper Example She manages the situation stating that knowing more about the history and long term objectives of the firm is essential to answer their queries. The members are happy with the interaction as they have little knowledge about CQI. Stepchuck is taking advantage of the client’s ignorance by assigning Todd as an expert in CQI. Although Todd is genuine and wants to ensure openness, the president insists her to continue with the project. Now Todd has two options; either quit the job or take up the role of CQI expert. (1). At this juncture, the new job raises certain ethical dilemmas that Todd has to address immediately. Both ‘role ambiguity and role conflict’ are identified in the context, because as stated above â€Å"neither the client nor the OD practitioner is clear about the respective responsibilities† (p. 62). Moreover, the role ambiguity and role conflict will lead to subsequent dilemmas especially ‘coercion, value and goal conflict, and technical ineptness’. To illustrate, Todd does not want to jeopardize her honesty while working with the new project. At the same time she wants to help her client in some way, though CQI is not her cup of tea. The current dilemmas can be solely attributed to the unethical stance of Todd’s employer, because his intention is entirely different from that of the client firm and his staff Todd. Evidently, Stepchuck is running a profit driven business heeding little attention to the actual needs or interests of the clients. As the case indicates, if the client is not sure about the issues they want to address, an unethical professional like Stepchuck tends to take unfair advantage of the situation. Even if Todd undertakes the assignment, she may have to face challenges associated with the stated dilemmas. (2). The way Todd responded to the situation at the meeting seems reasonable. A professional like Todd does not want to disclose the

Tabloid, Celebrity Internet Assignment Research Paper

Tabloid, Celebrity Internet Assignment - Research Paper Example He suggested four categories for the purveyors of news, namely: elite, prestige, popular, and tabloid (Sparks and Tulloch, 2000, 292). It follows a hierarchical classification where the best is the elite and the tabloid - at the bottom rung - is typified by poor quality in terms of structure and content. The differences demonstrate a reverse progression of content standards - from objective stories that are factual and substantial, the additional use of images, the emphasis on drama, action, entertainment, simplicity and immediacy, to the pure sensationalized content that focus on scandals, celebrity and crime. It is interesting to note that Paletz, identified TV shows such as American Journal, A Current Affair, Hard Copy and Inside Edition in addition to supermarket tabloids in the category of tabloid news (Sparks and Tulloch, 293). Rainwater supported this stratified characteristics when he explained the hierarchy and characteristics of taste and cultures are similar to the hierarc hy and characteristics of the U.S. class structure, pointing out that the taste that a person develops can largely depend on his or her class origins, particularly the quality of education. The idea is that tabloid media must cater to the low taste culture of a segment of the population that are not exposed to higher cultural origin - those that prefer â€Å"greater literalness† and the emphasis on action, as found in adventure stories, melodrama and violent sports (Rainwater, 2009, 356). Rainwater stressed that â€Å"taste culture often express the class concerns of their public† (356). This aspect highlights the cultural and social dimension to tabloid programming. The public reception to the Bonnie and Clyde movie demonstrate this position. It was positively received by the audience across various class groupings. But the appreciation came from diverging perspectives. The elite saw the material as a critique to the American society whereas lower class public saw it as a crime thriller, one that shocks and entertains. A comparison to history or historical documentary/narrative is an excellent approach to highlight the nature of tabloid media. According to Glynn (2000), history â€Å"depicts the current regime as the inevitable expression of an unbroken continuity rooted in human nature and a presumptively teleological social evolution† (138). The opposing approach is identified as genealogy, which focuses on discontinuity into our very being in an attempt to explore possibilities of the past and the future. As Glynn pointed out, the origin of tabloid media is aligned with its modalities since genealogy is all about depicting history â€Å"in the form of a concerted carnival† (138). What makes it appealing is the fact that it supposedly provokes laughter and entertainment as opposed to the sobriety and solemnity of pure truth. These points of view highlight the perception that tabloid media public tends to be drawn to fantastical m aterials that show extremely distorted truth in order to satisfy a thirst for entertainment. Also, media today - through technological advancement - has become a public forum where producers of content sets the stage and the millions of spectators can access or watch at the same time, regardless of geographical distance and time. There are authors who consider the media and the entertainment industry as a battleground wherein important messages, images, issues and constructs