Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Ethical Education in Accounting: Integrating Rules, Values and Virtues

  • Published:
Journal of Business Ethics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Ethics in accounting and ethical education have seen an increase in interest in the last decade. However, despite the renewed interest some important shortcomings persist. Generally, rules, principles, values and virtues are presented in a fragmented fashion. In addition, only a few authors consider the role of the accountant’s character in presenting relevant and truthful information in financial reporting and the importance of practical reasoning in accounting. This article holds that rules, values and virtues are interconnected. This provides a sound approach to ethics in accounting, in which character and practical reasoning are crucial. Consequently, ethical education in accounting has to simultaneously include the knowledge of proper rules and principles and their correct application; values (understood as moral goods) and virtues, whose acquisition, in the view of the author, should be encouraged.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • A. Abbott (1983) ArticleTitle“Professional Ethics” American Journal of Sociology 88 856–885

    Google Scholar 

  • B.L. Adams F.L. Malone W. James (1995) ArticleTitle“Confidentiality Decisions: The Reasoning Process of CPAs in Resolving Ethical Dilemmas” Journal of Business Ethics 14 IssueID12 1015–1020

    Google Scholar 

  • American Accounting Association Committee on the Future Structure, Content and Scope of Accounting Education: 1986, “Future Accounting Education: Preparing for the Expanding Profession”, Issues in Accounting Educaction, Spring, 168–195.

  • E. Anscombe (1958) “Modern Moral Philosophy”, Philosophy 33, 1–19. Reproduced R. Crisp M. Slote (Eds) 1997, Virtue Ethics Oxford Oxford University Press

    Google Scholar 

  • Aquinas, T.: (1273/1947). Summa Theologica, translation: Fathers of the English Dominican Province (Benziger Brothers: New York).

  • Aristotle, Nichomachean Ethics in R. McKeon (ed.), 1941, The Basic Works of Aristotle, (Randon House, New York).

  • M.B. Armstrong (1993) Ethics and Professionalism for CPAs South-Western Cincinnati

    Google Scholar 

  • M.B. Armstrong (2002) “Ethics Issues in Accounting” N. E. Bowie (Eds) The Blackwell Guide to Business Ethics Oxford Blackwell

    Google Scholar 

  • M.B. Armstrong J.E. Ketz D. Owsen (2003) ArticleTitle“Ethics education in accounting: moving toward ethical motivation and ethical behavior” Journal of Accounting Education 21(1) 1–16

    Google Scholar 

  • J. Azpiazu (1964) La moral del hombre de negocios Fax Zaragoza

    Google Scholar 

  • F. Baudhuin (1954) Déontologie des affaires, 4th Edition Universelle Bruxelles

    Google Scholar 

  • E.J. Bond (2001) “The Concept of Value”, in L C. Becker and C. B. Becker C. B. (eds.), Encyclopedia of Ethics (Routledge, New York, London), pp. 1745–1750

    Google Scholar 

  • N. Bowie R. Duska (1985) Business Ethics Prentice-Hall New Jersey

    Google Scholar 

  • D. Callahan (1980) “Goals the Teaching of Ethics” in D. Callahan S. Bok (Eds) Ethics Teaching in Higher Education New York Plenum Press

    Google Scholar 

  • D.R. Cooley (2004) ArticleTitle“The Moral Paradigm Test” Journal of Business Ethics 50(3) 289–294

    Google Scholar 

  • P. Cottell Jr. T. G. M. Perlin (1990) Accounting ethics. A Practical Guide for Professionals Quorum Books New York

    Google Scholar 

  • J. Dobson M.B. Armstrong (1995) ArticleTitle“Application of Virtue Ethics Theory: a Lesson from Architecture” Research in Accounting Ethics 1 315–330

    Google Scholar 

  • R.F. Duska (1993) ArticleTitle“Aristotle: A Pre-modern Post-Modern? Implications for Business Ethics” Business Ethics Quarterly 3 IssueID3 227–249

    Google Scholar 

  • R.F. Duska B.S. Duska (2003) Accounting Ethics Blackwell Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • R.E. Ewin (1995) ArticleTitle“The Virtues Appropriate to Business” Business Ethics Quarterly 5 IssueID4 823–832

    Google Scholar 

  • D.W. Finn L.B. Chonko S.D. Hunt (1988) ArticleTitle“Ethical Problems in Public Accounting: The View from the Top” Journal of Business Ethics 7 IssueID8 605–615

    Google Scholar 

  • J.R. Francis (1990) ArticleTitle“After Virtue? Accounting as a Moral and Discursive Practice”, Accounting Auditing and Accountability Journal 3 IssueID3 5–17

    Google Scholar 

  • P.T. Geach (1977) The Virtues Cambridge University Press Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  • C. Gowthorpe J. Blake (Eds) (1998) Ethical Issues in Accounting Routledge New York, London

    Google Scholar 

  • R. Guardini (1999) Ética. Lecciones en la Universidad de Munich BAC Madrid). Original: 1993, Ethik. Vorlesungen an der Universität München (Matthias-Grünerwald-Verlag, Mainz

    Google Scholar 

  • R.E. Houser (Eds) (2004) The Cardinal Virtues. Aquinas, Albert and Philip the Chancelor Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies Toronto, Canada

    Google Scholar 

  • D. Koehn (2000) ArticleTitle“What is Practical Judgment ” Professional Ethics Journal 8 IssueID3/4 3–18

    Google Scholar 

  • H.Q. Langenderfer J.W. Rockness (1989) ArticleTitle“Ethics into Accounting Curriculum: Issues, Problems and Solutions” Issues in Accounting Education 4 58–69

    Google Scholar 

  • J.C. Lere (2003) ArticleTitle“The Impact of Codes of Ethics on Decision Making: Some Insights from Information Economics” Journal of Business Ethics 48 IssueID4 365–379

    Google Scholar 

  • S.E. Loeb J.P. Bedingfield (1972) “Teaching Accounting Ethics” The Accounting Review October, 811–813

    Google Scholar 

  • S. Loeb (1978) Ethics in the Accounting Profession Wiley New York

    Google Scholar 

  • S.E. Loeb (1988) ArticleTitle“Teaching Students Accounting Ethics: Some Crucial Issues” Issues in Accounting Education 3 IssueID2 316–329

    Google Scholar 

  • A. MacIntryre (1984) After Virtue. A Study in Moral Theory, 2nd Edition Notre Dame University Press Notre Dame, IN

    Google Scholar 

  • A. MacIntryre (1993) ArticleTitle“Plain Persons and Moral Philosophy: Rules, Virtues and Goods” Convivium (2nd serie) 5 63–80

    Google Scholar 

  • J. Maurice (Eds) (1996) Accounting Ethics Pitman London

    Google Scholar 

  • J.G. Messerly (1994) An Introduction to Ethical Theories University Press of America Lanham, New York, London

    Google Scholar 

  • S.M. Mintz (1995) ArticleTitle“Virtue Ethics and Accounting Education” Issues in Accounting Education 10 IssueID2 247–267

    Google Scholar 

  • S.M. Mintz (1996) ArticleTitle“The Role of Virtue in Accounting Education”, Accounting Education: A Journal of Theory Practice and Research 1 67–91

    Google Scholar 

  • S.M. Mintz (1997) Cases on Accounting Ethics and Professionalism, 3rd Edition McGraw-Hill New York

    Google Scholar 

  • InstitutionalAuthorNameNational Commission on Fraudulent Financial Reporting (Treadway Commission) (1987) “Report of the National Commission on Fraudulent Financial Reporting”, http://www.coso.org/NCFFR.pdf accessed on July 13 2004

    Google Scholar 

  • J. Pieper (1965) Four Cardinal Virtues Notre Dame University Press Notre Dame, IN

    Google Scholar 

  • E.L. Pincoffs (1986) Quandaries and Virtues University Press of Kansas Lawrence

    Google Scholar 

  • J. Roth K. (consulting editor) (1994) Ethics Salem Press Pasadema, CA

    Google Scholar 

  • M.K. Shaub (1994) ArticleTitle“Limits to the Effectiveness of Accounting Ethics Education” Business & Professional Ethics Journal 13 IssueID1/2 129–145

    Google Scholar 

  • Y. Simon (1986) in V. Kuic ed.) The Definition of Moral Virtue. (Fordham University Press New York

    Google Scholar 

  • C.R. Solomon (1992) Ethics and Excellence: Cooperation and Integrity in Business Oxford University Press New York

    Google Scholar 

  • I. Stewart (1997) ArticleTitle“Teaching Accounting Ethics: The Power of Narrative”, Accounting Education: A Journal of Theory Practice and Research 2 173–184

    Google Scholar 

  • H. Veatch (1968) For an Ontology of Moral Northwestern University Press Evaston, IL

    Google Scholar 

  • S. Velayutham (2003) ArticleTitle“The Accounting Professions”s Code of Ethics: Is It a Code of Ethics or a Code of Quality Assurance?” Critical Perspectives on Accounting 14 IssueID4 483–503

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Business Ethics, IESE Business School, University of Navarra, Av. Pearson, 21, 08034, Barcelona, Spain

    Domènec Melé

Authors
  1. Domènec Melé
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Domènec Melé.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Melé, D. Ethical Education in Accounting: Integrating Rules, Values and Virtues. J Bus Ethics 57, 97–109 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-004-3829-y

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-004-3829-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation