Statement on Auditing Standards No. 99

Introduction A lot of attention has recently been given to fraud committed by business management and auditing. A lot of light has been shed on the ability of these public accounting firms on whether they are able to discover and report fraud. Fraudulent activities are available in large organizations not only in America, but also in the whole world. This necessitated the need for review and revision of the procedures that these firms use to detect fraud in present and future financial audit statements.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Statement on Auditing Standards No. 99 specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Rollins and Lanza stated: â€Å"To meet this need and to serve as the cornerstone of its anti-fraud program, the Auditing Standards Board (ASB) of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) issued Statement on Auditing Standards (SAS) No. 99, Consideration of Fraud in a Financial Statement A udit, which supersedes SAS No 82 (which has the same title)† (56). Regulations in SAS 99 improve necessary procedures involved in the elimination of fraud in the accounting profession. The role of the auditor was not affected in the transition from SAS No. 82 to No. 99. It sheds light on the procedures the auditor should follow to detect fraud in financial statements. The main aim of this essay is to describe key requirements of SAS No. 99, and outline its importance on financial statement audits. Statement on Auditing Standards No. 99, as shall be seen is a crucial regulation that tries to prevent fraud in financial statements by auditors. Some auditors link up with clients in a bid to fraud the company. It is therefore duty of SAS 99 to outline the guidelines necessary to oversee this vice. Components of SAS No. 99 SAS 99 identifies fraud as a global act that yields a considerable misstatement in statements of finance. Two categories of fraud are discussed: misstatements cro pping up from illegal financial coverage (e.g. faking of accounting reports) and misstatements cropping up from embezzlement of assets (e.g. asset stealing or illegal spending). SAS 99 outlines the triangle of fraud. Normally, three conditions are available when a swindle takes place. First is a pressure that gives a basis to engage in fraud. Then there is a chance for fraud to be downsized. Third, people involved in the swindle have an approach that makes them downsize the fraud. Fraud is serious no matter how less an evil it might seem in some situations. SAS 99 requires that there be a discussion of fraud involving all group members. This discussion involves professionals and specialists. The topic of discussion revolves around misstatements detected in the client’s financial statements. SAS 99 requires a rise in associate participation, in the scheduling process, and a much stress on professional skepticism.Advertising Looking for essay on business corporate law? Le t's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More A new procedure is the completion of introductory analytical steps to discover unanticipated associations on revenues. These associations may show material misstatements because of illegal financial reporting. The key components are describing fraud, brainstorming, checks on risk in formation, evaluating entity programs and controls, assess the risks and provide guidance with regards to communication about fraud management. For a STATEMENT AUDIT STANDARD to describe fraud and its characteristics, it entails that fraud is either misstatement arising from corrupt financial report or misstatement arising from misappropriation of assets. These form the fraud triangle; first, there is a pressure that leads to a person committing fraud. Second, there is an opportunity for the perpetuation of fraud. Third, individuals committing fraud rationalize it. Brainstorming comes in handy to enable the entity to check where the financial statement might be susceptible to material misstatement. The entity achieves this by allowing team members to share their experiences with clients and set the proper tone at the top. Another element is ensuring that the auditor gathers necessary information concerning risk of material misstatement by making enquiries of management, analyzing the results of procedures, and risks. It requires the auditor to assess management and create awareness about fraud. In addition, the auditors are to instill knowledge to the management about fraud and the control measures. Moreover, performing internal audit is also necessary. Statement audit standard ensures that the auditors have a guideline and support on assessment of risks. It gives the auditors a challenge on the procedures to take and synthesize how the risk leads to misstatement of material.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Statement on Auditing Standards No. 99 specifically for you fo r only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Statement audit standard also provides measures that explain the identified risks of material misstatement. Moreover, it evaluates the outcome of the audit procedures and other observation that affects the assessment. It ensures clear guidance on fraud management and how auditors communicate this vital information. When documenting this important document the auditor should; give details on brainstorming session, procedures performed in assessment of risk and its results, give the efficiency of the management of the entity. This most of the time leads to unannounced visits by the audits to the entities. Criticism of SAS 99 More than half of the procedures are recommended rather than necessary. An outstanding example is; it suggests that auditors appear at the client’s end during inventory audit without notifying the client. Practically, auditors inform clients in advance on the location that the audit would be implemented. This easily provides an opportunity for fraud by the client. Auditors informing a client the location of the audit beforehand are only giving an alert that there would be an audit. It thus makes it easy for clients to cover their tracks where there was fraud. If a client knows that the audit results would reveal discrepancies in the statements of accounts, and then they would do all they can to make the records straight. SAS 99 has also been criticized for not sealing gaps of expectations. The strategy suggested in the standard enhances expectation on the auditing career. Because of this, auditors have to consider the expectations of SAS 99 as the lowest work level needed to identify fraud. They must be able to protect any choice that does not follow any of the suggested procedures in SAS 99. It is their responsibility to ensure that all procedures are followed in detecting and handling fraud. Conclusion Public auditors should follow SAS 99 standards accordingly. This will help in the e limination of fraud, in financial statements. Procedures laid out in SAS No. 99 are crucial for auditors. Auditors use this standard to know the necessary steps they need to take in order to identify fraud in financial statements. SAS 99 was created to give guidelines. It provides the foundation for malpractice assertions in accounting. They act as a guideline that defines the manner in which they should carry out the auditing process. SAS 99 inflict massive documentation obligations on the auditors than is necessary in SAS 82.Advertising Looking for essay on business corporate law? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Works Cited Rollins, Steven and Lanza, Richard. Essential Project Investment Governance and Reporting : Preventing Project Fraud and Ensuring Sarbanes-Oxley Compliance. New York: J. Ross Publishing, 2004. Print. This essay on Statement on Auditing Standards No. 99 was written and submitted by user Salvad0r to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Haig †Butcher of the Somme Essays

Haig – Butcher of the Somme Essays Haig – Butcher of the Somme Essay Haig – Butcher of the Somme Essay Essay Topic: History Haig was appointed commander of the army on 10th of December 1915, and he had had a very successful military career. Haig decided to attack the Germans at the river Somme in 1916 to attract German soldiers from the town of Verdun where they were fighting the French and had almost broken through. But even though he was victorious there was a very high number of casualties. But does this make Field Marshall Haig The Butcher of The Somme?† â€Å"Britain should be prepared for a high loss of life,† was Haig’s view on the war, and this shows that he did recognise that the nature of World War One trench warfare meant that men’s lives would be the cost of ‘victory.’ Haig did expect large casualties, but made them larger than they should have been, as the strategies he used were very outdated, and by telling his soldiers to walk slowly in a line towards the enemy he, unfortunately, gave the enemy machine gunners an easy target. A German soldier is quoted to have said, â€Å"No longer call it war, this is mere murder.† : Haig also knew that the shells that were being used did not cut through the wire, but with so many resources and untrained men concentrated along this stretch of the front, there wasn’t much room for change, and plus there wasn’t a plan B anyway. Another fatal flaw in the planning was that some men had marched seven miles with a full pack, the day before the assault, so were tired, and therefore were not as useful as they could have been. Of course, certain facts have to be taken into consideration when deciding if Haig should be called â€Å"The Butcher of the Somme.† For instance: The force was made up of 500,000 volunteers with inadequate training, plus the British force was commanded by young officers with no experience who had risen too fast owing to the number of Junior officers lost. Also Joffre’s force at Verdun needed relief, so he was forced to attack as soon as possible, as if they waited until August the French army would cease to exist. In addition to this, Haig was pressurised into making a decision due to the soldiers’ morale, as many believed that the Somme would be a turning-point in the war, and that soldiers’ morale would be lifted. One overwhelming fact about the battle of the Somme, is that three lives were lost per foot of ground gained. This shows the sheer size and scale of human loss in this great Battle. Also, the taking of Delville wood cost 80,000 British troops, and taking Pozieres cost 23,000 Anzacs, which again is a huge loss. To an extent I do think that Haig does deserve to be nicknamed ‘Butcher of the Somme’, as there was ‘futile death due to incompetent leadership’ – there were more men lost on that day than ever before, or since then – but I do think part of the failure, was due to misfortune rather than bad planning. For instance, how can Haig be blamed for the failure of Joffre’s force at Verdun, of for the 17 tanks that failed to start on 15th September. Anyway, the battle wasn’t a complete failure, the British did eventually gain a bit of land it just dragged on for months. Maybe the historian Richard Holmes is right – perhaps the British came out better, but the price was too high.

Analysis of a Women’s Quota in India

Analysis of a Womens Quota in India INTRODUCTION OF WOMEN’S RESERVATION BILL The question of a women’s quota in India is distinct from any other nation because the Constitution of India has already provided for quotas for the ‘Scheduled Castes’ (SCs) formerly untouchable castes in the Hindu community and the ‘Scheduled Tribes’ (STs). It has provisions for similar measures for the socially and educationally backward classes now termed as the ‘Other Backward Classes’ (OBCs). These quotas are for admissions to educational institutions, public sector employment and political representation. The 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments provided for 33% quotas for women’s representation in the local self-government institutions. These Amendments were implemented in 1993. They were enacted without any pressure or persistent demand from women or any other section. Prior to these Amendments the State of Karnataka had introduced 25% women’s quota in Panchayati Ra j Institutions.1 First elections after the implementation of quotas were held in 1987 (Jain 1996). Later, State of Maharashtra passed a law providing for 30% reservation of seats for women in rural as well as urban local self-government institutions. It is curious that, in spite of over 1,000,000 elected women representatives flooding the local governments; the women’s movement in India was totally silent over this issue till 1996. The smooth passage of the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments encouraged all major national political parties to commit themselves to extending 33% women’s quota to state legislatures and Parliament. The 81st Constitutional Amendment Bill, popularly known as the Women’s Reservation Bill, was introduced in the Parliament in 1996 to that effect. The women’s movement had no role in bringing about this Bill. It did offer some inputs in the Committee hearings but it became vocal and visible on this issue only after its first deb acle in eleventh Lok Sabha. Even then, this visibility was in the form of demonstrations and sit-ins in front of the Parliament and not by way of proactive intervention in the electoral process by supporting women candidates or recruiting movement’s spokespersons in elective roles on various levels. OBJECTIVES OF WOMEN’S RESERVATION BILL The proposer of the policy of reservation state that although equality of the sexes is enshrined in the Constitution, it is not the reality. Therefore, forceful affirmative action is required to improve the condition of women. Also, there is evidence that political reservation has increased redistribution of resources in favour of the groups which benefit from reservation. A study about the effect of reservation for women in panchayats shows that women elected under the reservation policy invest more in the public goods closely linked to women’s concerns. In 2008, commissioned by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, reveals that a si zeable proportion of women representatives perceive an enhancement in their self-esteem, confidence and decision-making ability. Some opponents argue that separate constituencies for women would not only narrow their outlook but lead to perpetuation of unequal status because they would be seen as not competing on merit. For instance, in the Constituent Assembly, Mrs Renuka Ray argued against reserving seats for women: â€Å"When there is reservation of seats for women, the question of their consideration for general seats, however competent they may be, does not usually arise. We feel that women will get more chances if the consideration is of ability alone.†12 Opponents also contend that reservation would not lead to political empowerment of women because:

Gender, Crime and Criminal Justice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Gender, Crime and Criminal Justice - Essay Example However this is not necessary, as research shows certain cases where women are convicted to such acts just in order to gain internal satisfaction, which indicates psychological disorders. Prostitution, which is considered to be a common societal dilemma today, was not, always, a criminal offence in England. In eighteenth century; the prostitution offences were specifically soliciting, living off immoral earnings, and running 'houses of ill fame', but these were enforced selectively. Manifestly neither the proprietors, nor the women who catered for gentlemen in these establishments, were perceived as members of a criminal class or professional criminals; and at this end the profits were handsome. The less salubrious 'houses of ill fame' were more vulnerable, though even in some of the poorest districts the police did not interfere with them. (Chesney, 1970) Women could be violent. Some beat, or otherwise ill-treated, servants and apprentices; on occasions such violence went too far and landed them in court. (Crime and Punishment in Eighteenth-Century England, 1989) Women fought each other; less commonly they fought with men and, like Jane Smith, a few fought with the police. Like their men folk Irish women had a particular reputation in this respect. (The Unwritten Law: Criminal Justice in Victorian Kent, 1991) Today a chivalry perspective holds the view that male officers are reluctant to arrest females, thus reducing the number of female offenders counted. Also it is observed that most women offenders are never caught because of the types of crimes they commit. (Otto, 1950) Finally, some observers claim 'paternalism' toward female offenders in the juvenile and criminal justice systems that effectively operates as a filtering-out mechanism. Official accounts, which are largely based upon arrest and court data, are the basis for the compilation of most crime and delinquency statistics. Court data introduce the potential problems of diversion, paternalism, or chivalry, which may distort the number of female offenders. The number of female arrests presents the 'danger of using the terms arrest and crimes committed interchangeably, and arrest statistics may not be the most reliable source of data for determining actual crime rates.' (Rita James Simon, 1975, p. 36) Three different aspects can examine the dilemma of female crime; first, all the specific offenses which are historically associated with female offenders. (Carol Smart, 1976, p. 6-8). The second area of focus includes those offenses for which women and girls are more frequently arrested as indicated in the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Uniform Crime Reports (1978). Third, a number of offenses that are generally considered unusual from female characteristics. Violent Crimes Most crimes of violence by females take place in the family setting where the victims are usually the

Response paper to this qustionIn Candide, what are the various Essay

Response paper to this qustionIn Candide, what are the various attitudes, ideas, and behaviors that Voltaire is lampooning - Essay Example Voltaire's Candide shows the complete transformation of philosophical idelogoly of Pangloss that this is the best of all possible worlds. This may clearly fit to a person someone like Candide who is not aware of the outside world other than his baron's castle. But in reality, world is full of misery and corruption. The change in the mindset of a person depending on the situation is rightly presented throughout the process as he sees corruption and violence all over the world. It must be noticed that Voltaire has criticized the ideology of various characters and has tried to enlighten us about the real world. Candide is an exemplary work by Voltaire as he brings to light the behavior of various characters and criticizes the philosophies and ideologies of various religions like Roman Catholic Church, Islam and others. The idea of free will is questioned by an individual's control over his own destiny. Voltaire criticizes the idea of free will through Candide as a person is predestined to act irrespective of the fact whether he is doing good or evil. The main notion as stated by Pangloss that "there is no effect without a cause' and "we live in the best of all possible worlds and whatever happens is for the best' is strongly ridiculed as there is lot of violence and bloodshed resulting in loss of lives.

Sophocles The Women of Tarchis :: Sophocles Women Tarchis Desire Essays

Sophocles' The Women of Tarchis Sophocles’s The Women of Tarchis tells the story of the desires that killed Heracles and Deianira, his wife. Heracles desires another woman, Iole, and, off stage, destroys her father’s kingdom so that he can have her and then sends Iole to his home. In response to this, Deianira, desiring Heracles to love her, and not keep another woman in their house, uses a deadly poison, which she believed was a love potion, hoping to make him love only her. Because of this, he dies, and she kills herself out of remorse. Both of them desire, both of them act on their desires, and both of them die because of desire. However, the way these desires are discussed and understood by the characters and, presumably, the audience are very different. Heracles desire is very direct. He desires people and acts on that desire. In other words, he sees what he wants and he goes and gets it, destroying anything that stands in his way. Deianira, on the other hand, is not the active agent. She desires to be desired by Heracles. Even the grammar used to talk about her situation is passive. When she does act on her desires, it is not straightforward, but through trickery and love potions. Later, when the potion’s true form is revealed, her actions are attributed to Nessus, the centaur that tricked her into believing the poison was a love potion. These descriptions reveal assumptions about desire, and what form it takes for men and for women. Heracles and Deianira, in Sophocles’s The Women of Tarchis, exemplify desire’s gender difference. An important aspect of desire in ancient Grease is that a deity represents this set of feelings. Eros, the young son of Aphrodite, it the imp the rules everyone’s hearts. Deianira describes his control over mortals when she publicly responds to the news that Heracles has fallen in love and literally taken a new wife: "How foolish one would be to climb into the ring with [desire] and try to trade blows with him, like a boxer. For he rules even the Gods as he pleases, and he rules me†¦You see that I would be altogether mad to blame my husband, because he suffers from this sickness" (441-446). She explains that it is foolish to fight with desire, but that desire will rule everyone at some point, including herself and Heracles.

Frankenstein Blade Runner

Frankenstein Blade Runner Essay Analyse how ‘Frankenstein’ and ‘Blade Runner’ Imaginatively portray individuals who challenge the established values of the time. In your response, refer to both excerpts below. i) ‘Slave, I before reasoned with you, but you have proved yourself unworthy of my condescension. Remember that I have powers, you believe yourself miserable, but I can make you so wretched that the light of day will be hateful to you. You are my creator, but I am your master;-obey! ’ ii) the still of Roy holding Tyrell’s faceThrough the relationship between the characters of Victor and his creature, Shelley challenges nineteenth century values about the role of science, the benefits of ambition and fame and the dominance of nature by man. Similarly Scott develops the characters of Roy and Tyrell to challenge the same assumptions about science and nature but he does so in a context of technological development that allows multinatio nal corporations to exploit on a massive scale. Both texts also explore the larger issue of human values, asking what potential lies in a human and whether we can readily define human nature.In Shelley’s novel, Victor’s portrayal challenges the assumptions of the previous eighteenth century that the progress of science is the most important human pursuit. He is the ‘The modern Prometheus† a Greek mythological human who stole fire from the gods and brought it back to earth. This story like Shelley’s questions the benefits and consequences of ambition. In Shelley’s Romantic context science is seen as a threat towards nature and Shelley conveys this threat through the hubris of Victor.Shelley explores Victor’s blind ambition to â€Å"penetrate into the recesses of nature and show how she works in her hiding-places†. Victor’s character is seen as self-absorbed and his ambition is fueled by selfish reasons â€Å"A new species would bless me as its creator and source†¦would owe their being to me†. Victor’s character is obsessed to the point of moral blindness but when the creature is not perfect it quickly turns to hatred. Shelley’s imagery suggests decay rather than new life. â€Å"I saw the dull yellow eye of the creature open†¦ How can I describe my emotions at this catastrophe†.This characterisation of Victor and his lack of morals and blind ambition are all warnings against science and its unbounded progression. Similarly Roy’s confrontation with Tyrell, his creator, explores the powerful consequences of playing god with genetics, a new frontier of scientific experimentation. Scott challenges the established values, which worship science and the profits it can bring. Scott portrays Tyrell’s character as god-like, through the use of cinematic techniques, costume design and lighting. He is filmed from high angled shots empowering him in almost every sc ene.Scott uses a series of shots of Tyrell corporation over shadowing Los Angeles to build the image of Tyrell’s power and how much it dominates all. This corporation fueled by ambition is linked to the issues relevant to Scott’s context, the drive of the capitalist world and what the consequences may be if this ambition is not met with moral guidance. Scott uses costume design, with the thick lensed glasses as a metaphor for Tyrell’s moral blindness. The motif of eyes, used throughout the film, represent the window to the soul and Scott is saying that Tyrell’s window is damaged.Tyrell and Roy meet in Tyrell’s palace- like room, Tyrell is dressed in a huge kingly robe with candles bathing the room in a golden light, contrasting with the fake incandescent light that dominates the movie. Like Frankenstein’s creature, Roy has been made physically and morally superior to Tyrell his creator. In this scene the audience sees the creation come back to end the creator and the idea that science has progressed so far that is supersedes its creators is seen. This asks questions about the direction science should head in.Through the development of Victor and the creature’s relationship, questions are raised about the responsibilities of the creator and what values make us human. Victor makes a creature that he abandons to the harsh world where he is not understood. This shapes the way the creature is developed and supports the ‘blank slate’ idea of Shelley’s context. Shelley challenges the values that assume we are born with a certain fate and those who are bad deserve bad lives. She puts forward the Enlightenment idea that humans are ll born with the potential to be good. Shelly shows this through the relationship between Victor and the creature, who both need love and compassion; aspects of human nature that are given through nurture. The creature had been capable of impulsive acts of kindness as he res cues a child from the river and does acts of kindness for the De Laceys. Shelley uses this to represent the potential for good in human nature and that people are not predetermined but can be turned to evil if neglected: â€Å"I was benevolent and good; misery made me a fiend†.These are the results of Victor’s blind ambition, self pity and disregard for his responsibilities, all unfavorable aspects of human nature. With neglect, the creature is doomed to only find pleasure in the acts of hate towards Victor, but even these acts are not satisfying as he is morally just, causing the creature to be constantly unhappy. Similarly, Roy’s development from a child-like selfishness to maturity, capable of love and compassion, challenges the belief that science can control its creations and that they are only valuable for profit.Tyrell’s corporation represents the greed and ambition that drives the world of Scott’s context, it represents the negative consequ ence of a world bent on profit at the expense of moral justness. The commercialization of science is seen as profitable, but as Scott shows, commercialization of science doesn’t take into account the act of giving ‘life’ and the responsibility due to the creation, it only works on profits and losses and as a result, the replicants are seen as a quantity. When science is commercialized, greed and ambition blind the morals that science needs.Scott shows this through the act of Roy, like Shelley’s creature, killing his creator, in revenge for neglect. The replicants’ ability to absorb experience and change, challenges the values that assume humans are the supreme measure of everything. Scott draws upon modern psychology to portray the replicants’ development as a means of discussing human nature, Ironically the genius replicant Roy proves Tyrell’s slogan â€Å"More human than human† when he gradually develops into a better human be ing than the humans themselves. Roy is firstly portrayed as a child as he compliments J. F’s toys and plays a sort of hunting game with Deckard.Like the creature Roy is new to life and â€Å"emotionally inexperienced†, but through his development of memories and experiences, he becomes â€Å"human†, learning empathy and love. This development in the replicants’ emotions is a strong parallel to the creature with the effects of neglect and the ability to be morally educated. The four-year life span is a guard against emotional development triggered by experience. Memories given to the replicants are â€Å"creations† that allow for control: â€Å"If we gift them the past we create a cushion or pillow for their emotions and consequently we can control them better. Roy’s development of love and compassion is expressed with Pris, this is shown through his howling and stuttering over her name after she has been killed. Roy also develops empathy wh ich is seen in saving Deckard. Scott uses Roy’s monologue to fully express to the audience how Roy has become â€Å"human†. He does this through dialogue â€Å"all these moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain† expressing loss and a desire to preserve memory. Through the metaphor of the dove ascending into the heavens, his spirit is released through the only living creature seen in the movie.Both the novel Frankenstein, and the film Blade Runner imaginatively portray individuals who challenge the established values of the time; both discuss the role of science, the benefits of ambition and fame and the importance of nurture. The characterization and the development of relationships between creator and creature holds the key in both texts to not only challenging the contemporary values of the 19th and 20th century, but also issues and question about life and humans that have been dwelled upon over many centuries.