Chapter 10Professional ethics

ACCA BT， Ethics（伦理学） is the system of moral principles that examines the concept of right and wrong.伦理学是检验对与错的概念的道德原则体系。

Chapter 10 Professional ethics in accounting and business 职业道德

• Ethics（伦理学）
  • Ethics（伦理学） is the system of moral principles that examines the concept of right and wrong.伦理学是检验对与错的概念的道德原则体系
  • depending on
    • consequences后果
    • the motivation behind the action行为动机
    • guiding principles指导原则
    • key values核心价值观
  • some types
    • consequentialist vs pluralist
      • consequentialist(结果主义者)
        • Egoism (利己主义)
          • as long as the outcome is favourable for the individual making the decision.结果对做决定的个人有利即可
        • Utilitarianism(功利主义)
          • ) if the outcome is favourable for the greatest number of people or causes or is for, the greater good.使更多人获得更大的利益
      • Pluralist (多元论者)
        • Decision is aimed to favour everyone.对每个人有利
    • Relativist vs absolutist
      • Relativism（相对主义）
        • This is an approach which analyses whether something or an action is right or wrong on the basis of the circumstances surrounding the action. This is the view that there is no universal moral code 没有绝对的正误，事情的对错取决于事情发生的环境和预期目的
          • advantage
            • 灵活性更强，包容性高
          • disadvantage
            • 组织要对当地政府的政策态度更敏感
            • 可能会被当作不道德的商业活动的借口
      • absolutist（绝对主义）
        • This approach to ethics argues that certain actions are inherently (naturally) totally, definitely, completely, 100%, no doubt, certainly right or totally, definitely, completely, 100%, no doubt, certainly wrong, regardless of their context or the circumstances that they occur in, i.e. ‘not everything goes’：不管事情发生的背景如何，有其绝对的正确性和错误性
  • importance of business ethics
    • For the organisation
      • drives increased profitability盈利up
      • It provides a good framework for ethical practices and good corporate governance in organisations 为道德实践和公司治理提供了良好的框架
      • It increases stakeholders’ confidence in the organisations增加利益相关者的信心
      • increases employees’ motivation员工主观能动性up
    • For the individual
      • Consideration of ethics enable the organisation to meet employees’ and consumers’ expectations满足员工和消费者的期望
      • Provides choices to consumers to purchase from organisation that adopt good ethical practices为消费者提供更好的选择
      • It enables individuals, not to blindly accept orders to act in a manner that they personally believe to be unethical.不盲目接受命令，有道德底线
• Ethics for professional accountants
  • Integrity诚信
  • Objectivity客观性
  • Professional competence and due care专业能力和应有的注意力
  • Confidentiality保密
  • Professional behavior专业准则
• Ethical threats
  • Self-interest threat利己主义
  • Self-review threat自我检讨，审查自己很难客观
  • Advocacy宣传某一观点时，为了达成目的，客观性受损
  • Familiarity熟悉（因熟悉，走关系）
  • Intimidation恐吓，有人威胁
  • 面对不法行为的措施
    • 1st
      • Consult with whoever is responsible for governance or ethics within the organisation.询问企业内负责监督的部门
    • 2nd
      • If problem remains unsolved, the accountant should take legal advice and or advice from their professional body (e.g. ACCA).听取法律或者专业机构的建议
    • 3rd
      • If the problem cannot be resolved the accountant should consider reporting to the relevant authority and withdrawing from their engagement.举报，并解约
• Difference between an occupation and a profession
  • 专业不仅具有专业技能，还有证书认证和实践经验
• The action is acceptable if the outcome is right 结果对即可