Miranda Pain

Ethics Signature Assignment Acct 2010

Development of personal ethics is something that can assist in making good decisions within
ones occupation. A persons family, parents, guardians, etc. teaches them right from wrong from the
time they are a child through adulthood, and then those guidelines are developed further throughout
the remainder of their lives. One takes the teachings they received growing up and determines what
things best apply to them and what they truly agree with. Those teachings are imbedded in their minds
throughout their life, and is lingering with every day to day decision that they make. The same can be
said for religious influences and the environment a person was exposed to as a child.
The terms right and wrong are subjective. Depending on what kinds of morals or basis a
person had growing up; be that religion, familial influence, societal influences, a person can have
different ideas of what is right from wrong. However, there seems to be a basic general understanding
for what these terms mean that everyone can agree upon. For example, giving to charity is widely
accepted as the right thing to do, while stealing money from a corporation that employs you is widely
accepted as something that is wrong.
If we hold true to the general expectations for what is right and wrong, we can confer that, not
only is stealing from a corporation that employs you wrong, but falsifying any kind of financial reporting
as well. Anything that could be construed as untrue documentation for ones own betterment, or for the
betterment of the company, is a lie, and is not accurately relaying their financial stance. And that is
unethical. It gives false impressions, and unrealistic expectations.
Personal ethics could affect a companys financial reporting because if someone were to notices
something was being done unethically, or doing something dishonest, they would have the opportunity
to speak up, or suggest alternative ways to proceed. Each member of a business can have an influence
on how different pieces of the company runs, they would just have to speak about the things they
disagree with. And recommend a change.
Ethics are developed from very early on in a persons life from the influences that that person
was exposed to. Some examples of those influences are religious, familial, and social. The things that
people are taught define to them what is right and wrong based on what is acceptable behavior or
actions in the world today, and is imbedded in their minds throughout their life. If a company were to
falsely report financials, for example, this is something that would be deemed wrong by societal
norms, however anyone has the ability to speak up and suggest alternatives if it conflicts with their
personal code of ethics.