6. Conclusion
This paper has examined the literature pertaining to ethics education in accounting
and has categorized it according to Thorne’s Integrated Model of Ethical Decision-
Making. Table 1 summarizes that categorization and reveals that the majority of the
literature reviewed pertains to the first category of Thorne’s model, moral development,
but not as much emphasis is given to virtue, the second category of the model. Even
within the first category, the two components are not equally addressed. Accounting
researchers should explore ways to enhance sensitivity of accounting students, perhaps
utilizing models such as Bebeau’s (1994) in dentistry. The preponderance of
research is found to be in the second component of Thorne’s model, prescriptive
reasoning.
The paper emphasizes a need to further explore ways of enhancing moral motivation,
component three of Thorne’s model. To increase accounting students’ moral
motivation, the paper recommends exhorting students to good behavior, pointing
out that they, indeed, are masters of their moral selves, and encouraging them to
take pride in their profession. The paper also advocates the use of accounting
exemplars to help instill moral virtues in accounting students. Finally, the paper
urges all accounting faculty to recognize that they also play an important part in
their students’ moral maturation. Accounting faculty are the leaders of that branch
of the accounting community to which students are first exposed, the academic
accounting community. As such, they are responsible for setting the moral tone of
the community and providing a nurturing environment in which ethical motivation
and ethical behavior can flourish. As explained in the paper, directly enhancing
students’ ethical behavior is probably beyond the scope of academic accountants.
Finally, the paper addresses implementation issues and directions for future
research.