Describe the enforcement mechanisms for CPA conduct
REVIEW QUESTIONS
4-1 (OBJECTIVE 4-1) What are the six core ethical values described by the Josephson Institute?
What are some other sources of ethical values?
4-2 (OBJECTIVE 4-2) Describe an ethical dilemma. How does a person resolve an ethical
dilemma?
4-3 (OBJECTIVE 4-3) Identify some of the most important ways that the profession and soci-
ety encourage CPAs to conduct themselves at a high level.
4-4 (OBJECTIVE 4-4) What are the three categories of members under the AICPA Code of
Professional Conduct?
4-5 (OBJECTIVE 4-4) What organization is responsible for developing ethics standards at the in-
ternational level? What are the fundamental principles of the international ethics standards?
4-6 (OBJECTIVE 4-5) Why is an auditor’s independence so essential?
4-7 (OBJECTIVE 4-5) Explain how the rules concerning stock ownership apply to partners and
professional staff. Give an example of when stock ownership would be prohibited for each.
4-8 (OBJECTIVE 4-5) Describe some of the reasons why there have been calls for mandatory
rotation of audit firms. How could an investor of a public company determine how long
an audit firm has served as that company’s auditor?
4-9 (OBJECTIVE 4-6) What consulting or nonaudit services are prohibited for auditors of
public companies? What other restrictions and requirements apply to auditors when pro-
viding nonaudit services to public companies?
4-10 (OBJECTIVE 4-6) Many people believe that a CPA cannot be truly independent when
payment of fees is dependent on the management of the client. Explain two approaches
that could reduce this appearance of lack of independence.
4-11 (OBJECTIVE 4-7) After accepting an engagement, a CPA discovers that the client’s indus-
try is more technical than she realized and that she is not competent in certain areas of the
operation. What are the CPA’s options?
4-12 (OBJECTIVE 4-7) Assume that an auditor makes an agreement with a client that the audit
fee will be contingent upon the number of days required to complete the engagement.
THE AUDITING PROFESSION
Is this a violation of the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct? What is the essence of the rule of
professional conduct dealing with contingent fees, and what are the reasons for the rule?
4-13 (OBJECTIVE 4-7) Identify and explain factors that should keep the quality of audits high
even though advertising and competitive bidding are allowed.
4-14 (OBJECTIVE 4-7) Identify two examples of acts or behavior by CPAs that would be con-
sidered acts discreditable to the profession.
4-15 (OBJECTIVE 4-7) What is the purpose of the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct restriction
on commissions?
4-16 (OBJECTIVE 4-7) State the allowable forms of organization a CPA firm may assume.
4-17 (OBJECTIVE 4-8) What types of disciplinary action may be taken if a member has violated
the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct?
