The ruination of investors in Enron, WorldCom, Waste Management, Aldelphia, Tyco and scores of other business concerns has raised questions about the adequacy and relevance of academic research into accounting ethics, as well as the ethical nature of professional parties. This research collection includes important papers from key journals and books that reassess theories, research studies, and professional practices in the field of accounting ethics. In addition to examining the current crisis in the creditability of financial reports, many of the papers here work toward developing a body of knowledge that will protect the investing public in the future.
Stephen Zeff has been a prolific researcher on the history of accounting and auditing in the twentieth century. He has written numerous papers on the history of standard setting and regulation, of accounting and auditing practice, of the accounting profession, of accounting thought, and of the intellectual contributions of major authors (such as Hatfield, Canning, Paton and MacNeal). This volume brings together the greatest hits of Zeff's academic career, including several articles that were published in out-of-the way places, for easier use by students and researchers of the field. In an introduction, Zeff discusses the evolution of his research interests and explains the factors led to the writing of the papers and their intended contribution to the literature. The book also includes a complete list of his publications.