The Importance of Eating Nutritious Food - 7345 Words

The Basic Information Of Tioman Island Tioman Island (Malay language: Pulau Tioman) is a small island located 32 km off the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia in the state of Pahang, and is some 39 km long and 12 km wide. It has eight main villages, the largest and most populous being Kampung Tekek in the north. The densely forested island is sparsely inhabited, and is surrounded by numerous coral reefs, making it a popular scuba diving spot. There are also a lot of resorts and chalets around the island which has duty free status. Its beaches were depicted in the 1958 movie, South Pacific as Bali Hai. In the 1970s, TIME Magazine selected Tioman as one of the worlds most beautiful islands. Apart from its diverse marine life, the inland†¦show more content†¦Enraptured by the charms of the place, she decided to discontinue her journey. By taking the form of an island, she pledged to offer shelter and comfort to passing travelers. Politics Tioman Island lends its name to the state constituency of Tioman, comprising the island and part of the Rompin district including the town of Kuala Rompin. Its representative to the State Legislative Assembly is YB Mohd. Johari from Barisan Nasional. Its representative to the Malaysian Parliament is former MOSTI Minister Dr Jamaluddin Jarjis, also from Barisan Nasional. Radio and Television As of May 2011, only 2 FM radio stations can be received from Kuantan, and some from Kuala Rompin, and 12 AM stations. Viewing television needs large antenna or satellites, as indoors antenna cant get the signal. Only TV3 and ntv7 can be received with antennas. Get in There is a RM5 conservation fee to enter the island, which can be paid at a little kiosk just before departing from the Mersing ferry terminal). [edit] By Ferry Most visitors arrive by ferry from Mersing on the mainland. Bluewater Express operates the ferry services and its boats are fast and comfortable taking approx 1 hour 20mins to the first jetty. This ferry is now the only option, the smaller and faster services being cancelled because of safety concerns after a tragedy. Unfortunately in countries that cannot afford to patrol their regulations well, some ferry companies overcrowd their vessels. If you ever feelShow MoreRelatedNational Instructional Pl A Health Program954 Words   |  4 PagesEmotional Health, Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs and Safety. This health education instructional plan relates to the students’ growth because it addresses health issues with age appropriate topics and materials. Students will learn the importance of eating a nutritious and balanced meal. They will also learn how to demonstrate safety. Also, emotional health is addressed. In Teaching Today’s Health, it states, â€Å"The concept tha t emotionally healthy people are in touch with their feelings and can expressRead MoreHow to Lead a Healthy Lifestyle619 Words   |  3 Pagesmaintaining a balanced and nutritious diet as well as engaging in sports or other fitness related activities. A healthy diet alone however is inadequate to ensure a healthy body as physical activity helps to keep one in shape and free of sickness and disease. According to the World Health Organization, only one in ten people exercise regularly and a majority do not follow a healthy diet. The main culprit is our penchant for junk food as can be seen from the popularity of fast food chains and other westernRead MoreBreakfast Is The Most Important Meal Of The Day900 Words   |  4 Pagesenergy that one needs to perform during the day. Skipping breakfast can lead to exhaustion, extreme hunger, and lack of focus. The importance of breakfast cannot be overlooked, but the nutritional value of one’s morning meal is equally important. My target area began as a focus on eating more in general. The food available at PSP was not always ideal, many times the food was either unhealthy or there simply weren’t enough options that I enjoyed. As a result, I noticed that my weight began to significantlyRead MoreFood Safety, Food, And Food Choice At Mcdonalds1167 Words   |  5 PagesThis represents a low-calorie food choice at McDonalds, an example of how Public Health practices continue to influence how we eat. Throughout history, advances in food science and technology have played a pivotal role in making food safer and healthier for an ever evolving society. Today, we have much greater access to an abundant, diverse food supply that is largely safe, convenient, nutritious, flavorful, and less costly than ever before. This access to such food is largely because of Public HealthRead MoreEssay about Teach Everychild About Food by Jamie Oliver1345 Words   |  6 Pagespast few decades food has took a drastic plunge towards unknown ingredients and chemicals. Most of society would agree that children are the future but surprising statistics make that hard to believe; they cannot become the future if they are being fed to death. Jamie Oliver and Ann Cooper are two of many chefs who are working hard to educate people about real food. Lectures given by each of them send the overall message that the future of humanity is within the food we are eating. Jamie Oliver’sRead MoreNutrition Is Essential For The Development Of Physical And Cognitive Health1394 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"Ministry of Food†? The ministry of food was introduced in 1942 by the British government to advocate eating nutritious food’s during the time of WW2, when there was sparsity of crops and fresh produce, due to the war effort. It also educated people on ways to feed their families healthy food on a budget. However more recently in 2008, Jamie has reintroduced this concept of a â€Å"national network of food,† by spreading awareness and reminding people of the influence nourishing food can have on ourRead MoreEffects of Nutrition on Academic Performance Essay723 Words   |  3 Pagesthe expectations to graduate and pursue a career in their new field of study. Low test scores, however, are preventing this from becoming reality for some. As a student, we tend make more time to study rather than focussing on eating properly and consuming nutritious food. That is why many new students find that they gain 15 pounds during the first-year of school, referred to as freshman 15, also not do as we ll as expected in their studies when they first applied for the program. Diets of individualsRead MoreFood Medicine And Medicine Be Thy Food1544 Words   |  7 PagesRyan MacLellan Eng101H Final Paper May 1, 2015 â€Å"Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food† Is your well-being and health important to you? The assumed answer to this question is yes of course it is , but yet a rapidly increasing number of people in te United States are overweight and obese. If people were aware of how much of a positive impact eating healthy can have on an individual s immediate well-being, as well as their long term overall well-being, they would likely no longer seeRead MoreEating Healthy Lifestyle Is Simple1754 Words   |  8 PagesHealthy Lifestyle The reason why I chose to write this essay about healthy lifestyle is simple. I wanted to learn the benefits, disadvantages and consequences of eating healthy have in our lives. This is a very significant issue, considering that a very high percentage of the population in the United States is obese or overweight. It has been proven that several health risks are caused by being overweight, such as heart diseases, high blood pressure and diabetes. Unfortunately, thousands of livesRead MoreHelping The Elderly. Density Of Food853 Words   |  4 Pages HELPING THE ELDERLY Density of food is a major factor to those who have trouble eating, like injured soldiers or the elderly. PERonalized Food using Rapid Manufacturing for the Nutrition of elderly ConsumErs (a.k.a. PERFORMANCE) is a project for which the goal is to produce personalized meals by 3D printing that are both nutritious and appealing. The project cost more than $4 million dollars to complete, but PERFORMANCE now has a plan to help the elderly. Each elderly person in a residence

Ethical Issue Faced By The Accountant Maria Mars Of Sunshine Ltd

Question: Discuss about the Financial Accounting of Sunshine Ltd. Answer: Introduction Financialaccounting is mainly concerned with theaccounting regarding the summary, analysis and presentation of financial transactions relating to business. It also comprises preparation of financial statements which are made available to internal and external users. The present report deals with discussions relating to the ethical issue faced by the accountant of Sunshine Ltd and the manner in which she resolved the same. Further discussion relating to AASB 116 has been provided in detail so that it could be appropriately understood. Relevance and importance of ethics and governance for management have also been explained in the report. As they both play a vital role while taking the major decision relating to an organisation in an appropriate manner. The impact of AASB 116 due to the decision was taken by management has also discussed in the report. Ethics Financialaccounting ethics form the structure relating to legal and regulatory requirements and comprise issues relating to maintaining and continuing public trust. Many professional organisations have their own ethical conducts which are to be complied by its members. As the main objective of IFAC is to serve the public interest; for the purpose of accomplishing the same objective code of ethics for professional accountant has been established by them. For strengthening the same and developing strong international economies, it is promoting these standards to adherence these high-quality standards. The fundamental principles that might be followed by an accountant as they are having responsibility for taking a decision in public interest; thus he is required to comply following: Integrity; confidentiality; Objectivity and Professional competence and due care. These can be followed by accountants also in their profession for resolving ethical dilemma issues as even they have to take decision for the benefit of company i.e. benefit of shareholders. A company which discloses clear explanation ofaccounting procedures and policies which have been applied in preparing of books of accounts appears to be more ethical and trustworthy in comparison to companies which do not provide such facts and details in its notes to accounts. Thus; it can be said that in present scenario as the company is not providing details relating to change in depreciation method and the reason behind it; the possibility exist that in case the users of statements assess any such fault that they might question the other figures available and rethink regarding investment decision. Governance Governance structures assure the shareholders that they will be provided reliable information relating to the value of organisation and that managements will take every decision after considering the interest of the company. Financial accounting comprises both corporate accounting and external reporting system which assesses quantitative data presenting the financial position of the company. The structure even encourages managers and other senior officers for maximising firms value rather than their personal objectives. In other words, it can also be said that governance in the system of rules, practise and policies through which companies are directed as well as controlled. It initially evolves balancing the interest of companys shareholders, financiers, management and community. It provides a framework for attaining the objectives of the company and encompasses every operation of management from action plans and internal controls for evaluating the performance and corporate disclos ure. In the present case as per the facts available that as the management is aware that economist is predicting an economic slowdown and subsequent fall in profits in the year 2018 and 2019. Therefore, the general manager Kam has discussed the same issue with accountant Maria and requested to find a way so that the profits can be reduced to a couple of years and thus the same will provide consistent profits to the shareholders. This will provide satisfaction to the shareholders that their company is performing in an appropriate manner and providing consistent profits even when economies are slow down and other companies are not able to perform well. As per the analysis, it can be said that no governance exists in Sunshine Ltd. as the manager itself is forcing the accountant to find a way to misinterpret the profits of the company. Even she is not satisfied the solution she has provided to him, but for achieving the contract of the company, she took such steps which mean for her personal objectives are prior in comparison to companys objectives. AASB 116 The aim of accounting standard AASB 116 Property Plant and Equipment is to assist in prescribe details relating to appropriate accounting of plant, property and equipment so that the users can discern information relating to it and the changes in such investment. The major issues of accounting regarding property, plant and equipment have been discussed in this standard such as the method of ascertaining their carrying value; depreciation charges and accounting treatment of impairment losses relating to them. As per this standard depreciation is the systematic allocation of the depreciable amount of asset over its useful life. The depreciation method which has been applied for the accounting purpose shall replicate the pattern in which the future economic benefits which are expected to be received by the organisation. Any change in depreciation method should be done as per the provisions specified in AASB 108 Accounting policies, change in accounting estimate and errors; as the same is specified in AASB 116. The change in accounting policy such as the method of depreciation can be made only in the case when such change is specified by the amended Australian accounting standard or in case the specified change will result in the presentation of financial statement in more appropriate format. In the present scenario, the accountant Maria has taken the decision of changing the depreciation method followed by the company from straight line method to the sum of years digit method. The reason behind same was to charge higher depreciation present and next year, and due to this change, consistent profits will be presented to the shareholders who will make them more satisfied with the performance of the company. Further, she has also not disclosed the details regarding same in the notes to accounts of the f inancial statement which is compulsory to be done as per the provisions available in accounting standard. Thus, it can be concluded that in present case Sunshine Ltd. has not complied with applicable accounting with accounting standards thus its financial statement does not represent the true and fair view of books of accounts. Accountants Role In Changing Depreciation Methods The obligations and responsibilities of an accountant are to be carried after application of the high level of ethics and governance. They have to take many important decisions relating to policies and procedures which are the base for the preparation of books of accounts. Depreciation is a fundamental expense for every organisation which comprises assets excluding land. The method which is adopted for depreciation impacts revenue in profit and loss account and assets in Balance Sheet. The pace of technology and economic change has resulted in the increase in demand of skilled accounting professional, and thus their work is no more limited to entering the transactions and preparing financial statements. In the present scenario, the accountant is having a pivotal role in a decision relating to change in depreciation policy. As the manager discussed the issue relating to economic decline and asked her to find a way so that the lower profits can be presented in the present as well as next year. This action will subsequently make the profit consistent with upcoming years in which it is expected that the profits will be lowered. As accountant deal with the transaction of business of day to day basis; they are having much detail and appropriate knowledge regarding the impact of the change in policy on the financial statements. In this case, the accountant decided to change the depreciation method as the same will accomplish the need of manager but the same will not accomplish the objective of the organisation. It can be said that the decision taken by the accountant is not ethical as depreciation method can be changed only after complying the specified provision available in AASB 116 and in the present case they have not been followed. On the other hand, even the accountant decided that details relating to same will not be disclosed in the financial statement as the disclosure will not satisfy the shareholders. It can be said that in present situation accountant has not fulfilled his obligations in an appropriate manner and given priority to her personal interest rather than accomplishing her obligations in an ethical way. Stakeholders A stakeholder refers to any individual, social group, establishment or the community at large that holds a stake in the business activities and outcomes. A stake signifies an important interest in the business and its operations. Customers, investors, accountants, auditors and employees are vital stakeholder groups that have high influence and high interest in a companys activities. They have the power of making recommendations pertaining to improvement in the dependability of financial reports, mitigating costs and so on. When a business contemplates a voluntary change in its accounting principles, then it should ensure that the advantages beat the cost. However, it is highly critical that prior to introducing any modifications in an accounting policy, the company should review it with its existing auditor to gain relevant insights about the implications of the change and the pertinence of the new policy (West, 2016). As far as the current situation is concerned, management is persu ading companys accountant to devise a technique through which higher revenues of the current and following year are reduced so that they correspond with future years. The ethical responsibilities of stakeholders and the business render business ethics a two-way conversation. Nonetheless, it is critical that stakeholders assume accountability in the companys success as well as its failure in an ethical way and supply real information to the investors. Stakeholders are also charged with the responsibility of developing the core of partnership between the company and other stakeholder groups by their actions. They are in charge of following rational and just policies so that the fair view of the business is put forth through the financial records (Bhasin, 2015). They need to evaluate the prevalence of non-ethical activities and operations in the company because they hold the authority to question it. As per the provisions of accounting standards, modifications in accounting policy must be done if any of the below-mentioned conditions is met: Modifications in the accounting policy is required by the law of the land, or Modifications in the accounting policy will lead to the better presentation of financial records. Impact of AASB 116 AASB 116 specifies provision relating to Plant, Property and Equipment regarding their accounting treatment and disclosure in financial statements. In present case, if the accountant has complied with AASB 116 that he had not taken the decision of changing depreciation method for decreasing the profit of current as well as next year. The decision which has been taken by her not only made the financial statements not complied with accounting standards but also made the whole financial statements inappropriate. As the change in depreciation method had an impact on the value of assets also. Conclusion Recommendation It can thus be concluded that a company must not resort to unethical means to solve any issues. This will only give momentary solution and can have dire consequences in the future. It is recommended that rather than making modifications in the accounting policy, the organisations management must disclose the reason behind falling profits in the financial statements. Through this, the firm will be representing the true business state and justify it in correspondence to industry standards. References Omran, M. and M. El-Galfy, A., 2014. Theoretical perspectives on corporate disclosure: a critical evaluation and literature survey. Asian Review of Accounting, 22(3),Pp.257-286. Abbas, S.A. and Klemm, A., 2013. A partial race to the bottom: corporate tax developments in emerging and developing economies. International Tax and Public Finance, 20(4), Pp.596-617. ArAs, G., 2016.A handbook of corporate governance and social responsibility. CRC Press. Bhasin, M.L., 2015. Corporate Governance and Forensic Accountants' Role: Global Regulatory Action Scenario. Brown, K.M., 2014. Integrating Ethics into Financial Management Courses: A Role-Play Approach. Accounting Education for the 21st Century: The Global Challenges, P.370. Fassin, Y. and Drover, W., 2015. Ethics in entrepreneurial finance: Exploring problems in venture partner entry and exit. Journal of Business Ethics, pp.1-24. McAlister, D.T., Marcos, S. and Ferrell, O.C., 2016. Corporate governance and ethical leadership. Business Ethics: New Challenges for Business Schools and Corporate Leaders: New Challenges for Business Schools and Corporate Leaders, p.56. Radu, M., 2013. The Impact of Depreciation on costs. Annals of the University of Petro?ani, Economics, 13(1), pp.251-260. Rothaermel, F.T., 2015. Strategic management. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. Ryan, M.J., 2014. The Role of Stakeholders in Requirements Elicitation. Tricker, R.B. and Tricker, R.I., 2015. Corporate governance: Principles, policies, and practices. Oxford University Press, USA. Tsamis, A. and Liapis, K., 2014. Fair Value and Cost Accounting, Depreciation Methods, Recognition and Measurement of Fixed Assets. International Journal of Economics Business Administration (IJEBA), 2(3), Pp.115-133. Walsh, J., 2014. The Role of Ethics in a Future Accounting Career. Wang, C., 2014. Accounting standards harmonisation and financial statement comparability: Evidence from transnational information transfer. Journal of Accounting Research, 52(4), pp.955-992. West, A., 2016. The ethics of professional accountants: An Aristotelian perspective. Accounting, Auditing and Accountability Journal. Yao, D.F.T., Percy, M. and Hu, F., 2015. Journal of Contemporary Accounting Economics. Journal of Contemporary Accounting Economics, 11, pp.31-45.

Weapons Training Essay Example For Students

Weapons Training Essay Weapons Training Bruce Dawe ‘Weapons Training’ was written by Bruce Dawe. Who became one of Australia’s most well known poets in the 1960’s. In 1959 he joined the RAAF, Royal Australian Air Force, and left to become a teacher in 1968. As his occupation in the RAAF, Bruce served as an air force officer, a person of high rankings. And from his years fighting in the Vietnam War, and serving our country, Dawe – along with many others, wrote a substantial amount of protest, or anti-war poems. Many of which became extremely well known. My personal interpretation of this poem is an instructor, or person of high authority, teaching new recruits about their weapons, and the true experience of war. This is done to ensure that the new soldiers are prepared and completely understand what is to be expected of the coming months. The poem is about an experience, rather than a person. This was most likely a personal experience of Dawe’s, as many people in his position wrote poetry about everyday experiences throughout the war. Bruce Dawe is an Australian that hated war; thus this poem represents the viciousness and brutality of war. We will write a custom essay on Weapons Training specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Therefore, since he hated war, he only represents the brutality of war; he makes use of a silence and simply doesn’t bring up the issue of the reasons for war. He simply thinks of was as an unnecessary for the war to take place, no ifs, buts or maybes. The reason behind soldiers writing poetry while at war, besides them removing their bottled up emotions in a healthy manner, was to bring truth to the public. The views that an average person, living in a standard society has on war, differ extremely to one that has fought the hardships of war themselves. The way in which people think of war is that it’s a heroic journey taken by strong people that want to defend their country, and will return home equally as strong. Now, to a certain extent this statement is true. However, these strong people do not always realise how horrifying the occurrence of war may be before leaving. Once it is realised, many soldiers brake down, and when they return it seems impossible for them to live life to the fullest, as they have seen many that no longer have the capabilities of doing so anymore. The main theme of ‘Weapons Training’ is simply, war. This is obvious as it is what the poem is based upon. It is a truthful poem written to ensure all know that war isn’t everything it seems to be. War is an extremely traumatic experience for those involved, and their families and surrounding friends need to realise this – and many do, through the poetry written during these times of heartache. One of the ideas portrayed in this poem is that of the male sexuality. During the years of war, the male soldiers would usually be in close proximity to one another. This then brings up the argument of homosexuality. As is brought up in the text, ‘you there what’s the matter, why are you looking at me, are you queer? ’ This poem is a cynical and harsh protest poem. The poet sounds aggressive and demanding, this is shown through the language used throughout the poem. ‘Open that drain you call a mind and listen. ’ Similar language is present throughout the entire text; the poet does not change the way in which the poem was written, as therefore the mood does not change. It is easy to imagine the sergeant speaking forcefully, telling the soldiers that they won’t return the same. .ue462c068f472774a61526bea13025ab4 , .ue462c068f472774a61526bea13025ab4 .postImageUrl , .ue462c068f472774a61526bea13025ab4 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ue462c068f472774a61526bea13025ab4 , .ue462c068f472774a61526bea13025ab4:hover , .ue462c068f472774a61526bea13025ab4:visited , .ue462c068f472774a61526bea13025ab4:active { border:0!important; } .ue462c068f472774a61526bea13025ab4 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ue462c068f472774a61526bea13025ab4 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ue462c068f472774a61526bea13025ab4:active , .ue462c068f472774a61526bea13025ab4:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ue462c068f472774a61526bea13025ab4 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ue462c068f472774a61526bea13025ab4 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ue462c068f472774a61526bea13025ab4 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ue462c068f472774a61526bea13025ab4 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ue462c068f472774a61526bea13025ab4:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ue462c068f472774a61526bea13025ab4 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ue462c068f472774a61526bea13025ab4 .ue462c068f472774a61526bea13025ab4-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ue462c068f472774a61526bea13025ab4:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Social Work Interventions and Strategies to promot EssayHis tone is disciplined, yet harsh towards his students. The poem is created to be said in a negative tone, because the subject portrayed it that of a negative incidence. The poet isn’t holding anything back; he says exactly what he thinks, without the concern of how, neither the soldiers nor the reader will react. The reader’s response to the poem, filled with harsh sayings and aggressive language, is a realisation of the reality and brutality of war, thus, making the reader feel sympathy towards those that have spent part of their lives fighting for our country in the war. Their realisation of this has made a difference, and the poet is successful in bringing truth and emotion to the public. Dawe uses gaps in his text. He expects the readers to know to some extent the horrors of war and conflict. Although he provides graphic imagery, he expects the responders to be able to relate them to their own personal experiences, therefore enhancing the quality of this poem by creating a link between the readers and death due to war and conflict. Most importantly, he uses language to attract attention to his views on war and its horrors. He represents this conflict in the form of vivid imagery which adds to the motional aspect of the text; thus creating interest through tension and the readers’ past experience. Beginning with ‘and’ shows that the sergeant has been talking when the reader enters the picture, and his language is a continuous stream. Therefore, giving the impression to the reader as if they are inside a soldier and he had not bee n listening and only rejoined the conversation. The speech never does come to a full stop; there are rhetorical questions to raise the involvement of the reader â€Å"only to find back home because of your position; your chances of turning the key in the ignition; considerably reduced? Alright now suppose In this example, Bruce Dawe uses a rhetorical question to create an atmosphere that is strict and disciplined. The type of language used, is definitely a technique that attracts the audience. Different forms of poetry are used in the text. On the second line of the poem, an onomatopoeia is used ‘and when I say eyes right I want to hear those eyeballs click and the gentle pitter patter of falling dandruff’. Onomatopoeia is the formation or use of words that imitate the sounds associated with the objects or actions they refer to. Pitter patter’ is an example of this. This poem includes a hyperbole, which is defined as a figure of speech in which exaggeration is used for emphasis or effect. The poem builds up to the end saying ‘you know what you are? You’re dead dead dead’ this is an exaggeration to emphasise the conflict of war. Bruce Dawe is saying that all that war turns out to be is men having to kill others, as a resoluti on – when nothing should come to this. My personal response in reading this protest poem is that war is an event that no person should ever be subject to. I’ve learnt through reading this poem and doing research on war that it affects the soldier in many ways. The biggest negative affect seen in military members is PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. ) Its said to have been caused by a traumatic experience (fellow soldier dies, shot a civilian by mistake) in which the human mind doesnt know how to recover from. The effects mimic depression: feeling separated from others, thoughts of suicide, and some are different, such as increased sensitivity to loud noises. This poem had a rather large impact on me; it brought reality to my previous thoughts of war. Thus, making me consider not only the soldiers themselves and the way they have had to live their lives and the tragedies they have faced, but their families as well. These families of the soldiers have had to spend each and every day wondering whether their child, father, mother or siblings were alive or lay dead on the floor in an unknown area. All aspects of this poem work together in order to create a desired impact on the reader, the language and use of structure has helped in to develop the mood intended.

U of M Dearborn Admissions and Acceptance Rate

U of M Dearborn Admissions and Acceptance Rate Are you interested in attending the University of Michigan-Dearborn? It is a moderately accessible school with an acceptance rate of 65 percent of applicants. Learn more about admissions requirements. Calculate your chances of getting in with this free tool from Cappex. University of Michigan-Dearborn Description The University of Michigan at Dearborn is a highly-ranked regional public university located in Dearborn, Michigan, just west of Detroit. It is one of the 15 public universities in Michigan, and 95 percent of students come from Michigan. UMD was founded in 1959 by a 196-acre gift from the Ford Motor Company, and the campus features a 70-acre natural area and the Henry Ford Estate. The University of Michigan at Dearborn has a 17 to 1 student/faculty ratio, and classes average between 15 and 25 students. The college takes advantage of the business and industrial centers in the area, and professional programs in business and engineering are some of the strongest and most popular among undergraduates. UMD is largely a commuter campus and has no housing facilities. Admissions Data (2016) University of Michigan-Dearborn Acceptance Rate: 65Â  percentGPA, SAT and ACT Graph for UM-Dearborn AdmissionsTest Scores: 25th / 75th PercentileSAT Math: 520 / 670SAT Writing: - / -What these SAT numbers meanCompare top Michigan colleges SAT scoresMichigan public university SAT score comparisonACT Composite: 22Â  / 27ACT English: 22Â  / 28ACT Math: 21 / 27What these ACT numbers meanCompare top Michigan colleges ACT scoresMichigan public university ACT score comparison Enrollment (2016) Total Enrollment: 9,131Â  (7,141 undergraduates)Gender Breakdown: 52 percent Male / 48 percent Female70 percent Full-time Costs (2016-17) Tuition and Fees: $12,032 (in-state); $24,272 (out-of-state)Books: $1,200 (why so much?)Room and Board: $8,064Other Expenses: $3,364Total Cost: $24,760 (in-state); $37,000 (out-of-state) University of Michigan-Dearborn Financial Aid (2015-16) Percentage of New Students Receiving Aid: 92Â  percentPercentage of New Students Receiving Types of AidGrants: 79Â  percentLoans: 65Â  percentAverage Amount of AidGrants: $7,523Loans: $5,459 Academic Programs Most Popular Majors: Accounting, Biology, Business Administration, Communication Studies, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Finance, Marketing, Mechanical Engineering, PsychologyWhat major is right for you? Sign up to take the free My Careers and Majors Quiz at Cappex. Retention and Graduation Rates First Year Student Retention (full-time students): 74Â  percent4-Year Graduation Rate: 17Â  percent6-Year Graduation Rate: 54Â  percent Intercollegiate Athletic Programs: Mens Sports: Ice Hockey, Lacrosse, Soccer, Basketball, Track and Field, Cross CountryWomens Sports: Basketball, Softball, Track and Field, Cross Country, Volleyball If You Like the University of Michigan Dearborn, You May Also Like These Schools: Michigan State University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphOakland University: ProfileWayne State University: ProfileHarvard University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphFerris State University: ProfileNew York University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUniversity of Chicago: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphPurdue University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphOhio State University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphDuke University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUniversity of Michigan - Ann Arbor: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT Graph University of Michigan Dearborn Mission Statement: read the complete mission statement at http://umdearborn.edu/about/mission-vision University of Michigan-Dearborn is an inclusive, student-focused institution. We are committed to excellence in teaching, learning, research and scholarship, as well as access, affordability and metropolitan impact. Data Source: National Center for Educational Statistics

Ethical Steps in Decision Making Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Ethical Steps in Decision Making - Essay Example As a psychiatric nurse, I work in the therapy section and yesterday while on duty, I was faced with a dilemma. I received young male patient, who had on several occasions attempted suicide. On checking his report, there was a record of symptoms pointing to severe depression. I thus consulted with the mental health nurse, who affirmed that indeed the patient had shown signs of depression during examination, moreover that the psychotherapist in charge was aware of the mild symptoms, but had advised against any further follow-up on the patient, who, he considered was experiencing a post-traumatic stress disorder. Confronted with a dilemma, I utilized the five steps involved in the ethical decision making process, so as to come up with a solution. The first step I took, as set forth by Aiken (104) was to analyze the data I had, in order to come up with relevant information concerning the situation. Thus, after an interpretation of the data I had, I noticed that the patient had displayed several suicidal attempts in the past single month. I therefore concluded that, the physician had let the symptom pass. I thus went on to take the second step, which involves spelling out the dilemma at hand, as suggested by Aiken (104). I was torn between administering therapeutic treatment meant for depressed patients in order to prevent possible harm after discharge, or discharge the patient after slight recovery, as ordered by the doctor, since the mild symptoms had been treated. I was thus left with the option of moving on to the third step. This involved the identification of all the causes of action that can be taken, without emphasizing on the possible results (Aiken 104). I thus followed my judgment, in line with the best interest of the patient. Considering that the psychotherapist had chosen not to order a therapy meant for depressive patients, I went to the chief physician and made known my findings. Thereafter, I examined the merits and demerits that

Management, Innovation and New techonology Essay

Management, Innovation and New techonology - Essay Example The development and improvement incorporate technical specifications, materials and components, software, user-friendliness and other functional characteristics. Many scholars have examined product innovation which is based on various resource-based views. The process of product innovation can be analyzed as a dynamic capability of the core competence of an organization that helps them in renewing and configuring various resources. From the studies of Daniels in 2002 in which product innovation of five high-tech firms was examined and it directs towards the competencies of the firm associated with technology and customers. Daniels also stress on the fact that for development of new products there is a requirement of the combination of the potential customers and technology. For optimal product innovation, the resources of the firm associated with the current technology and customers are highly essential. From the studies of Shane in 2000 reveals that development of technology gives r ise to the creation of new markets as well exploration and exploitation. From the studies of Shane in 2000 eight enterprises were thoroughly studied and it signifies that the entrepreneurial opportunity recognition signifies to the fact that the entrepreneurs generate the ability for recognizing new knowledge for exploiting new products and technology which includes knowledge of market, knowledge of the ways in serving the markets, knowing the problems of the customers and that of the knowledge of technology. The recognition of entrepreneurial opportunities may lead to better understanding of the new technology or that of the technology for innovation (Huang & Wang, 2011, p.71). Bessant in 1994 creates a model which incorporates several processes and influences within the innovation process as depicted in the following diagram. Fig. 1. Brady, (1995), p.14 The strategy system incorporates information regarding the environment with respect to various forces in the economy like economic, political and so on. Identification of the opportunities as well as needs related to innovation in the light of overall business strategy. This leads to dynamism and change. The system of enabling acts as a support mechanism in the development of the innovation process to take place. Involvement in this respect may include tangible and intangible resources like time, money, people, equipment and management’s support and so on. The system of acquisition can be regarded as the technology powerhouse as it is the area where potential strength of the technology of the organization resides.

Conflict of Interest Essay Example for Free

Conflict of Interest Essay Abstract Information about the financial health of public companies provided by auditors ideally allows investors to make informed decisions and enhances the efficiency of financial markets. However, under the current system auditors are hired and fired by the companies they audit, which introduces incentives for biases that favor the audited companies. Three experiments demonstrate bias in auditors judgments, and show that these biases are not easily corrected because auditors are not fully aware of them. The first experiment demonstrates that the judgments of professional auditors tend to be biased in favor of their clients. The second and third experiments explore more closely the psychological processes underlying the bias. The results suggest that the closeness of the relationship between auditor and client may have a particularly strong biasing influence on auditors private judgments. Key words: Conflict of interest; Auditor independence; Self-serving bias; Motivated reasoning Auditor Independence, Conflict of Interest, and the Unconscious Intrusion of Bias By certifying the public reports that collectively depict a corporation’s financial status, the independent auditor assumes a public responsibility transcending any employment relationship with the client. The independent public accountant performing this special function owes ultimate allegiance to the corporations creditors and stockholders, as well as to the investing public. This public watchdog function demands that the accountant maintain total independence from the client at all times and requires complete fidelity to the public trust. -Chief Justice Warren Burger, writing on behalf of a unanimous United States Supreme Court in the case of United States v. Arthur Young Co. (1984) Independence is central to the function served by auditors. Although managers may have an interest in exaggerating, misrepresenting, or falsifying reports of their firm’s performance, an independent audit report is supposed to provide a credible, unbiased appraisal of the firms financial status. The importance of auditor independence is reflected in the Code of Professional Ethics of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and has been reinforced by numerous legal decisions, such as that rendered by the U.S. Supreme Court in the opening quote. Recent events, however, have led many to question whether the modern practice of public accounting is independent enough. In the wake of a number of accounting scandals, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) conducted a series of hearings on auditor independence in 2000. The SEC instituted modest changes to disclosure rules after the 2000 hearings and the issue receded from the public agenda until the failure of the Enron Corporation and the role of its auditor, Arthur Andersen, in that failure brought the issue of auditor independence to the fore. In analyzing the problem of auditor independence, both the academic accounting literature and the mass media have implicitly adopted what could be considered an â€Å"economic† perspective on the problem. Theoretical papers, empirical analyses, and media discussions of the Conflict of Interest 4 issue of independence assume, sometimes explicitly and sometimes implicitly, that auditor bias is a matter of deliberate choice (Antle, 1984; DeAngelo, 1981; Simunic, 1984). Auditors are assumed to have the ability to complete high-quality, independent, unbiased audits if they choose to do so. Bias, to t he extent that it is thought to exist, is seen as a deliberate response to incentives. This â€Å"economic† account of independence and bias is challenged by psychological research which suggests that biased information processing is not only pervasive, but is typically unconscious and unintentional—i.e., seldom a matter of deliberate choice. Applied to auditing, this research suggests that auditors who face conflicts of interest may find it difficult, if not impossible, to avoid bias even if they attempt to do so. Whether auditor bias is a matter of conscious choice or is unintentional and unconscious has wide-ranging implications for policy, because conscious corruption and unconscious bias respond to different influences. In this paper, we first review findings from empirical research on biased information processing. Then we report results from three experiments. The first experiment documents biased judgment among professional auditors. The second and third experiments delve deeper into the psychological processes at work and examine the causes of bi ased judgment. Finally, we discuss the implications of our findings for the practice of and rules surrounding auditing. Motivated Information Processing Research shows that people evaluate evidence in a selective fashion when they have a stake in reaching a particular conclusion. They tend to focus on evidence that supports the conclusion they would like to reach and evaluate that evidence in an uncritical fashion (Holyoak Simon, 1999; Koehler, 1991; Lord, Ross, Lepper, 1979; Russo, Medvec, Meloy, 1996; Russo, Meloy, Medvec, 1998, see Rabin Schrag, 1999 for a theoretical model). When evidence conflicts with their desired conclusions, people tend to either ignore it or subject it to particularly critical scrutiny (Ditto Lopez, 1992). This selective information processing effect is so strong that when people on different sides of an issue are exposed to the same information they can all feel that the information supports their position. As a result, they may even hold more strongly disparate opinions after receiving the same information (Lord et al., 1979). One important influence on how people evaluate information is accountability. When people know that they will be accountable for their decisions, they show more concern for how their decisions will be received. When they do not know the preferences of their audience, this heightened concern leads to more systematic cognitive processing and a more thorough justification of the conclusion (Tetlock, 1983). However, when the preferences of the audience are known, accountability need not lead to more thoughtful processing, but can instead increase the likelihood that the decision-makers judgment will be consistent with the known preferences of the audience (Tetlock, 1983). In an audit, there can be little doubt regarding the preferences of the management of the client firm: They want to get an unqualified audit report. The effect of accountability cannot be easily explained by simple self-interest, because most of the research on accountability has not included any rewards for agreeing with the individual to whom one is accountable (Tetlock, 1992). But this is not to say that self-interest does not influence judgment. When a particular interpretation of the evidence will benefit them materially, people gravitate toward that interpretation, even when they hold an explicit goal of being impartial. For example, people tend to think that the allocation of resources that benefits themselves is fair (Messick Sentis, 1979), and believe that others will share their perspective (Diekmann, 1997; Diekmann, Samuels, Ross, Bazerman, 1997; Messick Sentis, 1983). Moreover, they are typically unaware that they are processing information in a self-serving fashion and, thus, are unaware that they are biased. Thompson and Loewenstein (1992) found evidence of a self-serving bias in negotiators’ reports of fairness. In their experiment, participants played either the role of management or union in a wage negotiation, and both roles were given the same information about the details of the situation. Before they negotiated, both parties were asked what they believed a fair outcome to be from the vantage point of a neutral third party. Their responses were egocentrically biased; individuals representing the union tended to believe that a higher wage was fairer, whereas those representing management tended to report that a lower wage was fairer. The parties then proceeded to trade bids until they came to settlement, and delay was costly to both parties. The magnitude of the egocentric bias—the difference between the two sides perceptions of a fair wage—predicted the length of time it took parties to come to agreement: The more egocentric the parties ex ante perceptions of fairness were, the longer strikes tended to last. Later research demonstrated the same result in real negotiations between union and school board presidents in Pennsylvania (Babcock, Wang, Loewenstein, 1996). In the studies cited above, the pre-negotiation fairness judgments had no direct consequence for the negotiators, so it is unlikely that the bias resulted from strategic misrepresentation. However, subjects were not given any incentive to report their judgments accurately, so the studies do not reveal whether people are able to provide impartial judgments when they are motivated to do so. Two studies (Babcock, Loewenstein, Issacharoff, Camerer, 1995; Loewenstein, Issacharoff, Camerer, Babcock, 1993), however, offered a clear incentive to participants to be accurate in their private fairness judgments. Participants whose judgments came close to the determinations of an impartial judge were given a cash bonus. This incentive did not eliminate egocentrism in participants reports, suggesting that their roles influenced their assessments of fairness in ways they could not disregard even when it was in their interest to do so. Kunda (1990) argued that this motivated reasoning leads to biased conclusions whenever there is sufficient ambiguity in the evidence to allow for a biased interpretation. Thompson and Loewenstein (1992) explicitly manipulated ambiguity and confirmed Kundas prediction: Greater ambiguity leads to more bias. In general, as Babcock and Loewenstein (1997: 120) concluded on the basis of the aforementioned studies: As soon as asymmetries are introduced between the parties—for example, different nonagreement values or costs of non-settlement, or subtle differences in roles—both parties notions of fairness will tend to gravitate toward settlements that favor themselves. They will not only view these settlements as fair, but believe that their personal conception of fairness is impartial. In sum, research on information processing and bargaining suggests both that people process information in a biased, self-interested, fashion, and that this bias is strong, automatic, and unconscious. Implications of Motivated Information Processing for Auditor Independence The research on motivated information processing has significant implications for auditor bias. Very few auditors begin their work hoping to find a client has breached accounting standards. Rather, auditors typically start with a desire to reach a positive conclusion about their clients and issue an unqualified audit report. Auditors generally want to be rehired by their clients, and it is often the case that an unfavorable audit report is likely to result in a client firm changing auditors (Levinthal Fichman, 1988; Seabright, Levinthal, Fichman, 1992). Even if the accounting firm is large enough that one account is a trivial percentage of its revenues, individual auditors’ jobs and careers may depend on success with specific clients. Perhaps more importantly, accounting firms often treat auditing work as a way to build relationships that will allow them to sell other services including management consulting, information technology assistance, or tax accounting. Although some have argued that the contingent rents available through consulting services should not influence audit quality (Antle, Griffen, Teece, Williamson, 1997; Dopuch, King, Schwartz, 2001), other recent evidence suggests that it may (Frankel, Johnson, Nelson, in press). An auditor’s job is complex, involving the accumulation and synthesis of a great deal of information about a client firm. The information available to auditors often includes the kind of ambiguity that facilitates motivated information processing. Joseph Berardino, Arthur Andersen’s former chief executive, in his congressional testimony on the Enron collapse, commented that: Many people think accounting is a science, where one number, namely earnings per share, is the number, and it’s such a precise number, that it couldn’t be two pennies higher or two pennies lower. I come from a school that says it’s really much more of an art (as quoted in Harris, 2001). This imprecision allows motivated reasoning to insinuate itself into auditors judgments. Historically, those who have defended auditors against charges of bias have emphasized their high ethical standards and professional values. For example, at the SEC hearings on auditor independence, Gary Shamis, Chairman of the Management of an Accounting Practice Committee at the AICPA, stated that: Conflict of Interest 9 We take the existing independence rules quite seriously, and consequently abide by all the existing rules. We are professionals that follow our code of ethics and practice by the highest moral standards. We would never be influenced by our own personal financial well being (Shamis, 2000) While it is likely that most auditors attempt to remain independent, neither ethical codes nor training are likely to be effective remedies against a bias that is unconscious and unintentional. Undoubtedly, the vast majority of auditors do not deliberately author biased reports. Instead, auditors’ roles influence their professional assessments so that their private beliefs become consistent with the interests of their clients. Although it is possible that auditors sometimes intentionally misrepresent their findings in public, it is more likely that self-interest operates indirectly, by unconsciously influencing auditors’ assessments of a client’s financial condition. The Studies The three experiments reported here bring together research on motivated reasoning and accountability to study the psychology auditors judgments. Experiment 1 presents data from professional auditors and tests the hypothesis that their judgments may be biased in favor of client firms (Hypothesis 1). The second and third studies examine the causes behind this effect; they examine factors that could moderate the magnitude of bias, and test the extent to which the bias can be consciously undone. Participants were asked to produce two judgments: one public and the other private. For the public judgments, subjects were given an explicit incentive to be biased. For the private judgments, they were given an incentive to be unbiased; they were paid on the basis of how close their judgments came to those provided by an impartial panel of experts. If participants were fully aware of the bias in their public reports, and if properly motivated to do so, they should have been able to adjust their evaluations to eliminate the bias in their private judgments. If they were not fully aware of the bias, as the research on motivated information processing would suggest, then their private estimates should have been biased as well (Hypothesis 2). Experiment 2 specifically tests the consequences of financial incentives on bias. To the extent that financial incentives affect the strength of the auditors desire to reach a particular conclusion, one might expect to observe parallel changes in the magnitude of bias. Experiment 2 tests the hypothesis that the greater one’s financial interest in a particular outcome, the more biased one will be in the direction of that outcome (Hypothesis 3). The third study examines the effect of the relationship between the auditor and the principal. Material interests are not the only factors that can undermine the impartiality of judgments. Personal relationships and affiliations can have a similar effect. The power of affiliations is evident in sports fans; questionable referee calls often provoke outrage by the fans of the call’s loser, but rarely by fans on the winning side. Indeed, one of the first studies that documented the self-serving bias involved sports teams. In their classic study of a particularly rough football game, Hastdorf and Cantril (1954) showed that fans from each side blamed the other team for behaving more aggressively; this result also held for fans who had not seen the game live but only watched a film of the game. These fans obtained no material benefit from their energetic advocacy but nevertheless made judgments that favored their own teams. The self-serving bias does not require the powerful affiliations associated with sports teams. Thompson (1995) has shown, in a simulated labor dispute, that it takes only a whiff of affiliation with a partisan to create sympathetic leanings. Naturally, this tendency is only strengthened when people feel accountable to the partisan (Lerner Tetlock, 1999; Tetlock, 1992). Most auditors are likely to have frequent close contact with a client, creating much stronger affiliations. Indeed, it is the cooperation of the client that makes it possible for auditors to do their jobs. Thus, Experi ment 3 tests the hypothesis that the closer one’s personal relationship with a particular individual, the more biased one will be in that person’s favor (Hypothesis 4). EXPERIMENT 1: Role-Conferred Biases Method Participants were 139 professional auditors employed full-time by one of the Big Four accounting firms in the United States. Their ages ranged from 23 to 55, with a mean of 29 years (SD = 6.2). Fifty-six percent of the participants were male. They had a mean of five years (SD = 5.7) working as an auditor. Nine participants requested, after they had handed in their questionnaires, that their responses be excluded from subsequent data analyses. Participants were given five different auditing vignettes and asked them to come to a judgment regarding the proper auditing in each case. The problems were intentionally chosen to be somewhat difficult accounting problems for which generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) did not provide an unambiguous solution. Each of the vignettes depicts a situation in which accounting issues that are not clearly addressed by current rule-based accounting standards. The issues addressed include the recognition of intangible assets on the financial statements (vignette 1), the restructuring of debt with dilutive securities (vignette 2), the recognition vs. deferral of revenues (vignette 3), capitalization vs. expensing of expenditures (vignette 4), and the treatment of research and development costs on the financial statements (vignette 5). Subjects were told that these cases were independent of each other and hypothetical, although are intentionally realistic. It was our goal to design these vignettes such that the issues that are described are more general and do not particularly apply to any one  industry, to ensure that auditors specializing in one industry will not have a specific advantage or disadvantage in answering any of the questions. All participants saw all five vignettes in the same order. The five vignettes are listed in Appendix A. The experiment had a 2 (role: hired by issuer or by outside investor) X 2 (question order: make accounting valuation first vs. evaluate other’s accounting first) between-subjects factorial design. The role manipulation varied whom participants were told they were working for. Half the participants’ materials informed them that they had been hired as the external auditor for the firm in question. The other half of participants were told that they were working for an outside investor considering investing money in the firm. The question order manipulation varied the order of the questions that followed every vignette. Those in the choice-first condition were first presented with (1) the firm’s unaudited accounting, and were asked whether they would accept it as complying with GAAP; and (2) what the right accounting would be. Those in the valuation-first condition got these two questions in the reverse order. All participants were also asked how confident they were about their judgments. Results Neither age nor years of auditing experience affected the dependent measures reported below. Therefore, we do not report them in any of the subsequent analyses. We hypothesized that participants would be more likely to come to the conclusion that the accounting behind a firm’s financial reports complied with GAAP if they were working for the firm than if they were not (Hypothesis 1). To test this hypothesis, we conducted a 2 (role: hired by issuer or by outside investor) X 2 (question order: make accounting valuation first vs. Conflict of Interest 13 evaluate other’s accounting first) MANOVA using the five approval decisions as dependent variables. The results show a significant main effect of role. Consistent with Hypothesis 1, those working as external auditor for a firm were significantly more likely to approve its accounting (M = 29%, SD = 24%) than were those who represented outside investors (M = 22%, SD = 21%), F (5, 107) = 2.9, p .05. Neither the main effect of question order nor its interaction with role is significant. We also expected, consistent with Hypothesis 1, that in addition to being more willing to endorse the firm’s own accounting, participants would be more likely to come to valuation decisions that were favorable to the target firm when they were considering the problem from the perspective of an outside auditor then when they had taken the perspective of a potential investor. To test this prediction, we first generated standardized scores for each item by computing a zscore of the valuation and reverse-scoring items as appropriate so that higher scores indicated valuations more favorable to the target firm. We then computed an average valuation for each participant and submitted these valuations to a 2 (role: hired by issuer or by outside investor) X 2 (question order: make accounting valuation first vs. evaluate other’s accounting first) ANOVA. The results show a main effect of role: Those playing the role of outside auditor came to more favorable valuations (M = .08, SD = .56) than did those working for a potential investor, (M = -.11, SD = .50), F (1, 134) = 4.07, p .05. Neither the main effect of question order nor its interaction with role is significant. Discussion The results of Experiment 1 are broadly consistent with research on accountability that shows that people tend to be proactively responsive to those to whom they expect to be accountable. When people are accountable to others with known preferences, then their judgments tend to be consistent with the preferences of those to whom they are accountable (Tetlock, 1983). An auditor who feels accountable to the client is more likely to issue a clean, unqualified audit report than one who feels accountable to an audit partner within his or her own firm (Buchman, Tetlock, Reed, 1996). However, it is worth noting that the accountability manipulation used in Experiment 1 was weak compared with the standard accountability manipulations in which people are led to believe that they will actually be meeting with a real person to whom they will need to justify their decisions. In Experiment 1, no mention was made of such accountability and participants were not required to justify their opinions. Nevertheless, this weak manipulation had an effect. We speculate that one reason for its effectiveness may be that the participants were familiar with the role of auditor, and so were able to easily put themselves in the role of being employed by, and accountable to, the client firm. One notable feature of the results of Experiment 1 is the low levels of endorsement. Nearly three quarters of the time, participants rejected the accounting proposed in the vignette as not complying with GAAP. This fact stands in contrast to the fact that the vast majority of all audit reports are unqualified. Two facts can explain the low endorsement rates in Experiment 1. First, the proposed accounting we gave participants in each vignette was intentionally designed to be fairly aggressive. Second, participants general suspiciousness was heightened because: (1) before they responded to the questionnaire, participants had to sign the consent form which, according to the rules of the institutional review board that approved it, had to include the name of the study: Auditor independence and bias; and (2) the participants had all been recently hired away from Arthur Andersen, and several expressed the concern that their ex-employers fate would be assumed to reflect badly on them. It is, perhaps, striking that the experiments manipulation worked despite participants heightened suspiciousness. Experiment 1 leaves a number of important theoretical questions unanswered. What, exactly, is it in the relationship between auditor and client that leads it to have the power to sway auditors judgments, given the clear ethical standards of their professions prohibiting such influence? Experiments 2 and 3 test two possible answers to this question: financial incentives and personal relationships. Because these two factors are confounded in actual auditor-client relationships, the experiments are conducted with participants who are not professional auditors. However, due to the fact that these non-auditor participants were unfamiliar with GAAP and so could not judge compliance with it, we created a slightly different experimental paradigm. EXPERIMENT 2: The Role of Financial Incentives Method Participants. One hundred twelve individuals participated for pay. Participants were recruited with advertisements in local newspapers and with flyers posted on the campuses of Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh. Forty-nine percent of the participants were male. They ranged in age from 20 to 41, with an average age of 24 years (SD = 5.18 years). Procedure. Participants were run in groups of four. They were assigned to one of four roles: the buyer, the buyer’s auditor, the seller, or the seller’s auditor. Principals (the buyer and the seller) were seated next to their auditors. All four participants received the same packet of information about the target firm, named E-Settle (see Appendix B). After reading through these materials, the principals made public reports on the value of the firm. The auditors then reviewed these reports and offered either an unqualified endorsement of the principal’s assessment or offered their own assessments that could include suggestions for revision. In addition, all auditors were asked to specify both the most they thought the buyer should consider paying and the least they thought the seller should consider accepting. Both the principals’ and the auditors’ public reports were viewed by both principals. Armed with their own estimates and those of their auditors, principals then negotiated the purchase of the firm. The principals were paid based on their negotiated outcomes. In addition to the auditors’ public reports, which went to both principals, the auditors each completed a private report that went only to the experimenter. This private report instructed auditors to report their true belief in the value of t he target firm, and told them, â€Å"Your goal is for this assessment to be as impartial as you can make it.† Participants were told that their estimates of the firm’s value would be compared with the opinions of nonpartisan experts. The panel of experts consisted of eight professors of accounting and finance at Carnegie Mellon University’s Graduate School of Industrial Administration. The experts had assessed the value of the firm at $14 million. If a participant’s valuation were within $3 million of the experts’, he or she would receive an additional $3 payment. Participants were then asked to express how confident they were in the accuracy of their private appraisals. They were given the opportunity to bet on their private appraisals. If they chose to take the bet, they stood to win more money ($6 instead of $3, but their appraisals had to be more accurate (within $1.5 million instead of $3 million). Finally, participants answered questions designed to assess the degree to which they believed their own appraisals of the target firm (E-Settle) may have been bias ed by the roles they played: Conflict of Interest 17 1) To what extent do you believe your private appraisal of the value of E-Settle was biased by your role? The response scale ran from 0 (no bias whatsoever) to 10 (powerfully biased). 2) To what extent do you think your role interfered with your ability to give an impartial estimate of E-Settle’s value in your private assessment? The response scale ran from 1 (it did not influence me at all) to 7 (I found it impossible to make an impartial assessment). 3) How do you believe your role influenced your estimate of E-Settle’s value in your private appraisal? The response scale ran from -$3,000,000 (It led me to make an appraisal that was at least $3 million below what it would otherwise have been) to +$3,000,000 (It led me to make an appraisal that was at least $3 million above what it would otherwise have been). Design. The experiments manipulation of incentive structures included three conditions: Fixed fee, Pay for performance, and Future business. In the fixed fee condition, auditors were paid a fixed $9 fee regardless of their reports and regardless of the principal’s outcomes. In the pay for performance condition, auditors received a $3 base payment plus the same contingent payments as their principals: $.50 per $1 million in sale price either above $0 (for the seller) or below $30 million (for the buyer). This manipulation was designed to mirror a practice that the SEC has made illegal in which auditors have a direct financial stake in the success of a client firm. In the future business condition, auditors received a $3 base payment; after the negotiation was complete, principals could choose to award future business to the auditor, worth anywhere from $0 to $10. The decision of how much business to give to the auditor did not influence the principal’s own earnings. This manipulation was designed to mirror the incentives present for auditors who would like to continue offering profitable services to a client who has the choice of hiring them or some other firm. Results Public reports. After reading about the target firm, principals provided estimates of its value. A 2 (role: buyer vs. seller) X 3 (pay: fixed, pay for performance, future business) ANOVA revealed a main effect for role. Sellers estimated the value of the firm to be higher (M = $21.5 MM, SD = $8.5 MM) than did buyers (M = $12.3 MM, SD = $12.3 MM), F(1, 49) = 18.94, p .001. After having seen this report, auditors had the option of either unconditionally endorsing the principal’s report or suggesting changes. A logistic regression reveals that neither role nor the extremity of the principal’s valuation influenced the frequency of endorsement. However, pay condition was a significant predictor of the tendency to endorse, B = -.75, p .05. Auditors in the fixed payment and pay for performance conditions were about equally likely to issue unconditional endorsements (50 percent and 47 percent respectively). However, auditors in the future business condition were less likely to issue an unconditional endorsement (17 percent) and instead tended to offer suggestions for revision (see Table 1), χ2(2) = 4.89, p .05. In professional auditing, issuing a conditional endorsement of a client’s financial statements suggests that the auditor believes there are problems. However, participants in the present experiment were not constrained in this way. In their reports, about 12 percent of auditors suggested that their principals had been too extreme in their valuation of the company, and advised moderation (lower prices recommended to sellers and higher prices to buyers).