Business education helps create a culture where the profit justifies the means

by saggara o. saga

Business students learn about accounting techniques, but not enough about ethics. This is why corporate scandals persist.

As a university teacher of accounting, I see the world through a particular lens. When I read about the sales scandal at Wells Fargo, I can’t help but think about the people who naively designed the incentive schemes that triggered this type of unethical behaviour. When I hear about the complex transfer pricing schemes at companies such as Amazon and Starbucksthat enable them to avoid tax, I start wondering which accounting techniques they used. In short, I see the strong connection between unethical business practices and accounting techniques