A cross-country comparison of the codes of professional conduct of certified/chartered accountants

This research examines the extent to which similarities and differences exi st in the codes of professional conduct of certified (chartered) accountant s across the following countries: the United States, Taiwan, South Korea, M alaysia, Ontario (Canada), Australia, India, and Hong Kong. These eight cou ntries exemplify some of the diversity in economic, political, legal, and c ultural environments in which public accountants practice. The professional codes of ethics establish the ethical boundary parameters within which pro fessional accountants must operate and they are a function of these environ ments. The results of the study reveal that commonalities exist on some ethical ru les indicating that some rules are indeed "culture free". Cross-country var iations, however, exist as to the specificity and elaborateness of the rule s. Such variations can be attributed to cultural and legal differences, as well as the length of time each professional organization has been in exist ence. An understanding of the similarities and differences in the codes is important to individuals who may work in these countries. Professional acco untants involved in international business must understand the implications of the decisions they make in light of the ethical codes and moral values of their counterparts in foreign countries. After a discussion of the simil arities and differences in the codes, the implications of these comparisons for accounting practice are discussed.