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Preparing accounting students for ethical decision making: Developing individual codes of conduct based on personal values

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  • Sheehan, Norman T.
  • Schmidt, Joseph A.

Abstract

Ethical failures in business have led many to question the role and efficacy of ethics training in business schools. Some scholars (e.g., Gosenpud & Werner, 2009; Lund Dean & Beggs, 2006; Taft & White, 2007) argue that instructing accounting students to behave ethically has a minimal effect on their future professional behavior. So instead of lecturing accounting students on ethical behavior, this exercise asks accounting students to clarify their values and then write individual codes of conduct that are intended to instruct their future professional selves to behave ethically. The exercise provides undergraduate and master's level accounting students an introduction to the importance of values on ethical behavior and has also been used as a preface to applying the Giving Voice to Values framework (Gentile, 2010). The exercise is effective in the eyes of the students surveyed, as 97% of students (n = 110) recommended that instructors at other universities adopt this exercise. When asked to provide reasons why they would recommend the exercise, students reported that they found the exercise a reflective way to discover their values and develop value-based codes of conduct.

Suggested Citation

  • Sheehan, Norman T. & Schmidt, Joseph A., 2015. "Preparing accounting students for ethical decision making: Developing individual codes of conduct based on personal values," Journal of Accounting Education, Elsevier, vol. 33(3), pages 183-197.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:joaced:v:33:y:2015:i:3:p:183-197
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jaccedu.2015.06.001
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Barry Posner, 2010. "Another Look at the Impact of Personal and Organizational Values Congruency," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 97(4), pages 535-541, December.
    2. Loren Falkenberg & Jaana Woiceshyn, 2008. "Enhancing Business Ethics: Using Cases to Teach Moral Reasoning," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 79(3), pages 213-217, May.
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    Cited by:

    1. Apostolou, Barbara & Dorminey, Jack W. & Hassell, John M. & Rebele, James E., 2016. "Accounting education literature review (2015)," Journal of Accounting Education, Elsevier, vol. 35(C), pages 20-55.
    2. Anne Christensen & Jane Cote & Claire Kamm Latham, 2018. "Developing Ethical Confidence: The Impact of Action-Oriented Ethics Instruction in an Accounting Curriculum," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 153(4), pages 1157-1175, December.
    3. Pruijssers, Jorien Louise & Singer, Gallia & Singer, Zvi & Tsang, Desmond, 2023. "Social influence pressures and the risk preferences of aspiring financial market professionals," Journal of Accounting Education, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).
    4. Andersen, Margaret L. & Klamm, Bonnie K., 2018. "Haidt’s social intuitionist model: What are the implications for accounting ethics education?," Journal of Accounting Education, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 35-46.
    5. Grace Mubako & Kallol Bagchi & Godwin Udo & Marjorie Marinovic, 2021. "Personal Values and Ethical Behavior in Accounting Students," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 174(1), pages 161-176, November.
    6. Muslichah Muslichah & Wiyarni Wiyarni & Evi Maria, 2018. "The Effect of Ethical Sensitivity on Ethical Decision Making With Religiosity as Moderating Variable," International Review of Management and Marketing, Econjournals, vol. 8(1), pages 86-92.
    7. Ariail, Donald L. & Khayati, Amine & Shawver, Tara, 2021. "Perceptions by employed accounting students of ethical leadership and political skill: Evidence for including political skill in ethics pedagogy," Journal of Accounting Education, Elsevier, vol. 55(C).

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