Together with other scholars (Callahan, 2004; cf.
Herron and Gilbertson, 2004; Imhoff, 2003), we
share the perspective that a principle-based approach
is necessary to significantly change the ethical
behavior of the financial reporting and auditing
profession, and note that despite the changes in the
1989 AICPA Code that incorporated principlebased
language into the code, it is mere verbiage and
lip service and not sufficient. Action-oriented dialogue
involving practitioners, academics, enforcement
staffs, boards of directors, and political
decision-makers seems to be a critical step in
implementing the changes necessary in the culture of
today’s business climate for any substantial change in
the behavior of the accounting profession to occur.
As part of that dialogue, we offer six suggestions that
we think worthy of including in this discussion: