California Dreaming No More California used to be the dream state to live in. However, things have been changing during the past several years. There are many reasons for the shift including the high cost of living, including paying about $1 more per gallon for gasoline than in other states, "smash-and-grab" crimes that are plaguing many large cities with mobs of thieves making off with expensive goods in brazen, mostly nighttime raids, shuttered businesses as a result of the increase in crime, filthy streets, crumbling infrastructure, an increase in the homeless living on the streets, and a ..read more

The Value of Soft Skills I recently read an interesting article on Forbes Advisor online that addresses the importance of soft skills in the workplace. According to the article, “Soft skills—also known as “people skills” or “interpersonal skills”—are a set of personal attributes and abilities that allow individuals to effectively interact with others in a professional setting. At their core, these include the ability to collaborate effectively, manage time and communicate with clarity, among others.” I have championed soft skills in my teaching of ethics because it encompasses several of thos ..read more

Creating an Ethical Framework to Mitigate Risk I have previously blogged about the problem of creating an ethical framework and processes for AI. AI can improve human decision-making, but it has its limits. The possibility exists that bias in algorithms can create an ethical risk that brings into question the reliability of the data produced by the system. Bias can be accounted for through explainability of the data, reproducibility in testing for consistent results and auditability. Ethics Risks We often hear that AI systems must mitigate bias by understanding the workings of sophistica ..read more

NIL Deals With Commercial Entities Are a Long Time in Coming I have previously blogged about the new deals between college athletes and commercial enterprises that allow the athletes to profit off athletes’ names, images, and likenesses (NIL) via commercial opportunities and social media. The athletes shed blood, sweat, and tears in their sports competition. Universities make millions from admissions fees to sporting events, sponsorships, deals with athletic companies like Nike, and television deals. Given the mega amounts that flow to colleges from their sports activities, especially footbal ..read more

What Do Respondents Say? The 2024 Edelman Trust Barometer is a score that measures the average percentage of trust in institutions like NGOs, business, government, and media. It is essentially a global measurement of trust around the world. Trust is indicated by positive sentiment expressed over time regarding a brand's ability, dependability, integrity, purpose and personal relevance, which is based on personal experience with that brand. The Edelman Trust Barometer identifies rapid innovation as a trend in society that has many implications for the welfare of citizens in many soci ..read more

The Tax Code Run Amok I just finished filling out my tax forms for 2023. To say it's an ordeal is an understatement. It seems like the IRS Tax Code was written by lawyers who purposefully wrote it to confuse taxpayers, perhaps because it then becomes a full employment job opportunity. Having gone through the experience, I have become a devotee of a flat tax. It would make life easier for millions of taxpayers. It's also a fairer system than the one in place because it eliminates some of the techniques wealthy taxpayers use to reduce their taxable income. Then there is the Schedule D Tax Works ..read more

Internet and Digital Fraud on the Rise Recently, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission disclosed that consumers reported losing more than $10 billion from fraud in 2023, This is an astonishing number and reflects the decline of ethics in society over an extended period of time. Consumers alone reported losing more money to investment swindles—more than $4.6 billion—than any other category in 2023. That amount represents a 21% increase over 2022. The second highest reported loss came from imposter swindles, with losses of nearly $2.7 billion reported. In 2023, consumers reported losing more money ..read more

Fight or Flight Response There have been events in my life when I have experienced moral distress. It typically leads me to consider whether to fight it or flight. Life’s decisions are not always black or white. Typically, there are shades of gray. This creates uncertainty about what our response should be. I have found in such situations that tools exist to help alleviate moral distress. One is moral resilience. Moral resilience is an evolving concept in response to moral distress. Moral resilience requires dedication, discipline, and compassion toward our limitations and inevitable setbacks ..read more

Awarded by the Public Interest Section of the American Accounting Association The intent of the Excellence in Accounting Ethics Education Award is to recognize new pedagogy for teaching ethics to accounting students.  A monetary award of $1,000 and a plaque will be presented at the annual Ethics Symposium to an individual (or individuals) who has (have) developed and implemented an innovative technique/method for incorporating ethics into undergraduate or graduate accounting courses. Applicants should explain how they shared their pedagogical innovation with the public. Also, applicants ..read more

Who Will Defend the U.S. in Case of War? A new poll from Echelon Insights shows the alarming result that 72% of American voters would not be willing to volunteer to fight for their country if the U.S. faced a major conflict. Twenty-one percent said they are willing to volunteer. These results are staggering and raise so many questions, which is the purpose of this blog. Given the ongoing war in the Middle East, increased presence of Iranian-backed proxy groups, and the possibility that Putin will invade other countries after Ukraine, the likelihood of the U.S. being drawn into a global confli ..read more