Richard T De George | Ethical Issues for Accountants

Richard T. De George | Ethical Issues for Accountants
In this reading, De George looks at the inherent conflicts of interest built into the US system in which accounting firms work for and are paid by the companies that hire them. Because of the rule of confidentiality, accountants may find themselves caught between loyalty to their clients and ethical obligations to the public at large. De George suggests a tightening of the guidelines for accountants presented in their professional codes.
-According to critics of the professional accounting rules, conflict of interest is built into the American accounting system because the accounting firm is working

A) on behalf of the general public.
B) on behalf of the state.
C) for the company whose accounts it is auditing.
D) independently of the company whose accounts it is auditing.