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How are financial accountants challenged in their work to make ethical decisions? Is technical mastery of GAAP not sufficient for the practice of financial accounting?

User Meade
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Final answer:

Financial accountants are not just challenged by the technicalities of GAAP, but also by ethical decisions which can affect personal and corporate economic success as well as social, economic, and environmental sustainability. Ethical dilemmas become more complex with emerging technologies due to a lack of established norms, making the integration of ethics into business practices a significant concern.

Step-by-step explanation:

Financial accountants face significant challenges in their work, particularly when it comes to making ethical decisions. While technical mastery of the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) is essential, it is not altogether sufficient for the practice of financial accounting. Ethical dilemmas in accounting often arise because the financial interests of the business or the clients can conflict with legal and ethical standards.

In making sound and purposeful financial decisions, individuals and corporations must consider their personal economic success within the framework of national and global economies. Corporation's responsibility extends to social, economic, and environmental issues, and thus, the challenge is to integrate ethical practices effectively. This is particularly intricate when it comes to emerging technologies where established norms and laws may not yet be fully developed.

Business ethics and the emerging technology industry face many broad issues. These include the assessment of corporate responsibility for social, economic, and environmental problems, and the difficulty of establishing ethical guidelines as new technologies evolve. The incentives behind decisions play a significant role, and one has to consider how different incentives might alter these choices.

User Dmitry Osinovskiy
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