Called to Account: Financial Frauds that Shaped the Accounting Profession

by Paul M. Clikeman

Selected as an Outstanding Academic Title by Choice Magazine in 2014!Called to Account takes a broad perspective on how financial frauds have shaped the public accounting profession by focusing on cases of fraud around the globe. Ever entertaining and educational, the book traces the development of the accounting standards and legislation put in place as a direct consequence of these epic scandals.The new edition offers updated chapters on ZZZZ Best and Arthur Andersen, plus new chapters devoted to Parmalat, Satyam, and The Great Recession. Through stories like Barry Minkow’s staged constructions sites and MiniScribe’s fake inventory number generating computer program, "Cook Book", students will learn that fraud is nothing new, and that financial reform is heavily influenced by politics. With discussion questions and a useful chart showing instructors and students how each chapter illustrates the topics covered in other textbooks, Called to Account is the ideal companion for any class in auditing, advanced accounting or forensic accounting.

Genres: Accounting

383 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2013

Reviews

[Katharine · Rating 4 out of 5]

First time reading something related to my college studies that's not a textbook. I'd say I picked a good one! The author wrote about the frauds like stories, making it a much easier timeline to follow than textbook appendices and margins. He also explained the frauds from an accounting perspective, which made it a true supplement to my education! I learned a lot from this book AND thoroughly enjoyed it, so it's a win-win.

[E. Kahn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a competent but not brilliant account (heh) of some of the most important cases of egregious cases of financial fraud and the reforms they led to - often too small and too riddled with loopholes to make any difference. Three stars for writing, five stars for the anecdotes, split the difference.