ABSTRACT

This chapter presents the various ethical theories that provide the conceptual foundations of ethical behaviour in the accounting profession, and identifies the normative foundations that support research into ethical judgment and behaviour of accountants. In particular, ethical theory provides a normative standard of ethical behaviour against which the standards and principles of professional accountants’ behaviour can be compared. More specifically, ethical norms, obligations, duties and trust bestowed on professional accountants by society are explored, as well the consistency of these factors with the normative foundations as encapsulated by consequential, deontological and character-based ethics.