Introduction
Increasing financial statement integrity
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1. The Types of Problems that Can Occur in Financial Statements
Classic cases: WorldCom
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Errors in the reporting process
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Disagreements in judgment
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Fraud: Theft and fraudulent financial reporting
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2. Safeguards to Minimize Financial Reporting Problems
The fraud triangle
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The control environment
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Segregation of duties and physical control
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Proper procedures and documents plus independent checks
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3. The Motivations Behind Earnings Management
Classic cases: Enron
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Why do companies manage earnings?
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The earnings management continuum
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Is earnings management ethical?
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4. Sarbanes Oxley
Accounting credibility crisis in 2002
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Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB)
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Constraints on auditors
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Constraints on management
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5. The Role of Auditors, Both Internal and External
Classic cases: Arthur Andersen
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Internal auditors
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External auditors
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What do auditors do?
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Are external auditors really independent?
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6. The Role of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
Classic cases: Stock market crash of 1929
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What is the job of the SEC?
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Common SEC filings: Registration statement, 10-K, and 10-Q
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Common SEC punishments
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Conclusion
Internal controls and management credibility
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Glossary_AccountingFoundations_InternalControls.zip
(100 KB)