This course is also available as a Live Webinar session. To view the available dates, please click here. 

Programme Objective

The programme examines the ethical challenges confronting accountants, auditors and management over the corporate financial reporting process. It focuses on what accounting and finance professionals can do to drive organizational ethics, and the signs to watch out for which might lead to unethical practices and fraud. The programme will also present the underlying issues related to Ethics and Corporate Governance by the illustration of appropriate case studies. Some current issues relating to ethics such as whistle-blowing procedures, ethical issues in S-Chips listed firms and internal control weaknesses are also examined.

 

Programme Outline

1. Case studies of corporate fraud to illustrate ethics and corporate governance issues:

• Capital market incentives and pressure.
• Executive compensation structure and incentives.
• Role of top management in driving organizational ethics
• Role of the board of directors.
• Post-detection consequences.

2. Detecting financial statement fraud

• Earnings manipulation.
• Incentives and motivations underpinning financial statement fraud.
• Do financial statements provide useful warning signals?

3. Internal control weaknesses

• Characteristics of firms with material internal control weaknesses.
• Challenges arising when top management over-ride internal controls.
• Consequences of material deficiencies in internal controls.
• Illustrative cases.

4. Practical implications

• Who are the perpetrators?
• Potential red flags.
• Fraud reporting mechanisms.
• Is there an over-reliance on audits?
• Vulnerability of small and mid-sized businesses.

5. Discussion of current issues

• Ethical issues in S-Chips listed firms
• How effective are whistle-blowing policies?
• Profile of the typical fraudster.

Training Methodology

Lecture style, with Exercises/Case Studies, Quiz / Knowledge Check

Closing Date for Registration

1 week before programme or until full enrolment

Intended For

A Foundation to Intermediate level programme intended for Accounting and Finance Professionals, Accountants in Business or for anyone who wish to broaden their perspective on issues related to ethics.

Programme Facilitator(s)