Tae Franklin is the sales manager of Darius Enterprises, a very profitable distributor of office furniture to local businesses. A recent economic downturn has created an extremely tight cash position, and the company has been hurt by the bankruptcy of two key customers.

In late October, anticipating an economic recovery, Franklin began an extensiveremodellingof the company's sales floor. Construction costs, decorating and equipment purchases are projected to cost $250 000.Darius has a policy that individual expendituresin excess of$200 000 must be approved by the firm's board of directors. Franklin, unfortunately, missed the deadline to have the board consider this project at its regular September meeting. Not wanting to wait until the next meeting in December, he subdivided the project in two partsconstruction and decorating ($190 000) and equipment purchases ($60,000)neitherofwhichneeded board approval because of the dollar amounts involved. The project was recentlycompletedand sales have begun to recover.Customers have raved about the new sales area, noting that it is far superior to those of Darius's competitors.

Required:

A. Would Franklin's approach of subdividing the project in two parts have any effect on the company's financial statements? Briefly explain.

B. Briefly discuss whether Franklin behaved in an ethical manner.

C. Which, if any, of the following standards of conduct would have applicability to Franklin's conduct: competence, confidentiality, integrity or credibility? Briefly explain.