Education Regarding Ethics in the Accounting Profession - a Literature Review

• Author: Alin Chelariu - Emil Horomnea - Tanasa Florentin
• Position: PhD student, Doctoral School of Economics and Business Administration, 'Alexandru Ioan Cuza' University of Iasi, Romania - Professor, PhD, 'Alexandru Ioan Cuza' University, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Romania - PhD student, Doctoral School of Economics and Business Administration, 'Alexandru Ioan Cuza' University of Iasi, ...
• Pages: 372-379

European Integration - Realities and Perspectives 2014

372

Education Regarding Ethics in the

Accounting Profession – A Literature Review

Alin Chelariu

1, Emil Horomnea2, Florentin-Emil Tanas 3

Abstract: The objective of this paper is to group authors from the specialty literature which approach

education regarding ethics in the accounting profession in currents of thought, intrinsic and extrinsic in order

to offer a view on current theories regarding ethics education in the accoun ting profession and the ways to

improve it. In order to achieve this article’s objective we used conceptual content analysis through a positive

approach. The research involved the analysis of recent and representative articles indexed in international

databases with the purpose of identifying trends and authors which contributed actively on our theme or

research. A trend towards “extrinsic” visions can be seen with: enforcing the legislation of the profession,

modifying the curriculum, putting the accent on the ethical part in teaching by professors, introducing an

interactive reply system for students; and “intrinsic” visions like: offering models of ethical professional

accountants, paying attention to the social and economical context in which professional accountants work,

paying attention to the moral and cognitive development of the student as future professional. The key

contribution of the paper presented is grouping the autho rs from the specialty literature in the cu rrents of

thought, intrinsic and extrinsic.

Keywords: intrinsic, extrinsic, desirable social model, locus of control

JEL Classification: M41, M48

1. Introduction

The current world economy is governed by “information” and “globalization”. In the context of the

new challenges, the quality of the decision process, the efficiency of the tax system and of the

international capital markets are directly linked to the quality of financial reporting. The information

from financial reporting continues to occupy a privileged position.

Here is where the professional accountant and the auditor intervene and they must base their work on

responsibility, professionalism, objectivity and independence, answering at the same time to the new

challenges imposed by globalization and financial crises. The certainty of this fact derives from the

importance of the accounting profession considered the formal language of communication in the

business world. The quality of information and thus the quality in the accounting profession concern

the users of national and international rules and regulations as well as theoreticians. As a consequence,

the objective of this article is to analyze and discuss the currents in education regarding ethics in the

1 PhD student, Doctoral School of Economics and Business Administration, “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of I asi,

Romania, Address: 11 Carol I Blvd, 700506 Iasi, Romania, Tel.: +40 (232) 201000, Fax: +40 (232) 201121, Corresponding

author: alin_chelariu@yahoo.com.

2 Professor, PhD, “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Romania, Address:

11 Carol I Blvd, 700506 Iasi, Romania, Tel.: +40 (232) 201000, Fax: +40 (232) 201121, E-mail: emilhoromnea@yahoo.com.

3 PhD student, Doctoral School of Economics and Business Administration, “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iasi,

Romania, Address: 11 Carol I Blvd, 700506 Iasi, Romania, Tel.: +40 (232) 201000, Fax: +40 (232) 201121, E-mail:

tanasa.florentinemil@yahoo.com.