Course Details
Course Information Package
Course Unit Title | ACCOUNTING AND BUSINESS ETHICS | ||||||||
Course Unit Code | AFBE320 | ||||||||
Course Unit Details | |||||||||
Number of ECTS credits allocated | 5 | ||||||||
Learning Outcomes of the course unit | By the end of the course, the students should be able to:
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Mode of Delivery | Face-to-face | ||||||||
Prerequisites | ABSA308 | Co-requisites | ABSA411 | ||||||
Recommended optional program components | NONE | ||||||||
Course Contents | Ethical theories: Distinguish between various ethical theories such as: relativism and absolutism. Distinguish between the deontological and teleological approach to ethics. Ethical decision-making models in accounting and professional contexts. Social responsibility: Describe and evaluate the different approaches to ethics and social responsibility. Appraise corporate and personal ethical stances. Analyse the variables determining the cultural context of ethics and corporate social responsibility. Code of ethics and ethical conflicts: Corporate codes of ethics. Professional codes of ethics. Critically evaluate the code of ethics relevant to accounting professionals. Evaluate issues associated with conflicts of interest and ethical conflicts. Appraise the nature and impacts of ethical threats and safeguards. Analyse the relationship between independence and ethical behaviour. Corporate governance and agency theories: Definition, purposes and objectives of corporate governance. Evaluate the roles of external parties involved in corporate governance. Define and explore agency theory and its key concepts. Explain the relationship between corporate governance with the principal agency relationship. Boards and corporate governance: Roles and responsibilities of boards of directors. Analysis of board structures. Characteristics of board composition. Purposes, roles and responsibilities of non-executive directors. Distinguish between the roles of the chairman and the chief executive officer (CEO). Assess the importance of board expertise. Analyse the frameworks for assessing board performance. Committees and director remuneration: Explain and assess the importance, roles and accountability of board committees. Analyse the roles in effective corporate governance of various committees. Describe and assess the general principles of remuneration. Assess the effect of remuneration packages on directors’ behaviour. Social and environmental issues in business and ethical behaviour: Describe and assess the social and environmental effects economic activity can have. Explain and assess the concept of sustainability and evaluate the issues concerning accounting for sustainability. Describe the main features of internal management systems for environmental accounting. Explain the nature of social and environmental audits and evaluate its contribution to environmental accounting. | ||||||||
Recommended and/or required reading: | |||||||||
Textbooks |
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References |
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Planned learning activities and teaching methods | The taught part of course is delivered to the students by means of lectures. Lecture notes and presentations are available through the web for students to use in combination with the textbooks. Lectures are supplemented with class exercises carried out in class and via homework. The students will be asked to complete an assignment during the course. | ||||||||
Assessment methods and criteria |
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Language of instruction | English | ||||||||
Work placement(s) | NO |