Accounting Ethics free essay sample

The Bible and accounting have numerous similarities when it comes to ethics. First, let us take a look at the definition of ethics; â€Å"ethics are the beliefs that distinguish right from wrong. They are accepted standards of good and bad behavior† (Wild, p. 8). Therefore when comparing the two we are able to distinguish certain verses in the bible, with the code of ethics in accounting that are recognized in the accounting industry or any industry at that. There are a few verses that I would like to start off with, just to give the reader an idea of the many scriptures that pertain not only to accounting ethics but general code of ethics for any form of business. â€Å"You shall not steal; you shall not deal falsely; you shall not lie to one another† (Leviticus 19:11, English Standard Version). By examining the scripture we can identify how this relates to accounting ethics. We will write a custom essay sample on Accounting Ethics or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page For instances, Leviticus 19:11 explains that that we are not to steal, and basically deceive those who have decided to do business with us, when we compare that to accounting ethics it would describe a person or the organization misleading the buyer into thinking they are getting a great deal on a particular product when really the person/organization is deceiving them to get more money out of buyer. Another example would be a worker inputting more hours than they really worked in order to get paid more. This hurts the company and possibly the workers position if it is found out that the worker knowingly did this. The next verse that will be discussed will deal with the sex, diversity, religion of an individual that works for a company. â€Å"You shall not wrong a sojourner or oppress him, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt† (Exodus 22:21). This verse describes the tendency people have in taunting others at the workplace for the following reasons; they may be of a different race, have different views when it comes to religion, or be a woman in a male dominant field. Either way discrimination is not acceptable in the workforce, â€Å"diversity is necessary if a firm wants fresh ideas, solid growth, and a positive image†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Friedman 2003). Those changes can only come with hiring different people who have different backgrounds and ideas, and without that the company itself will not stand out to potential clients. Lastly I will discuss competition within different companies. When it comes to competition for different companies one company may think that wiping out their fellow ompetition would be beneficial to their business when in fact it is immoral. â€Å"If you meet your enemy’s ox or his donkey going astray, you shall bring it back to him. If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying down under its burden, you shall refrain from leaving him with it; you shall rescue it with him† (Exodus 23:4-5, English Standard Version). Basically what this scripture is trying to get across is that even though they are competition it is moral to compete in a friendly way. Making it a goal to destroy that company because they are competition is unethical. For instance, put yourself in the competitor’s shoes would you like it if your fellow competition was striving to put you out of business for their own personal gain? To be an honest company one must follow the ethics of the Bible, not only for personal reasons but to honor our Lord who will reward in the end.