For each scenario, assume that you are an accounting staff member working for a large, publicly traded manufacturer in the cost accounting department. Indicate whether each of the following scenarios listed a through e, may be in conflict with the IMA’s Statements of Ethical Professional Practice related to (1) competence, (2) confidentiality, (3) integrity, or (4) credibility.

a. You casually mention to a friend that your company will report earnings above the financial analyst forecasts. You have full confidence that your friend will not pass along this information.

b. In your role in supervising the physical inventory count for the first time, you notice that some lots of inventory are not tagged. Although you are uncertain as to the monetary value, you conclude that it is not important enough to bother your manager at 11 p.m.

c. As a token of appreciation for the business, the members of the software purchasing committee (of which you are a member) all receive restaurant gift cards from the software vendor.

d. You notice that an internal control procedure is deliberately being circumvented by your colleague. Because the company’s report on internal controls has already been issued for this year, and that in your estimation, this doesn’t seem to be a big deal, you decide that it is best to communicate the deficiency for the next audit.

e. In order to meet the current year’s financial forecasts, your manager has asked you to contact three suppliers to see if they will delay December billings until January of the following year.