A field overview of the most important problems and ethical issues facing management accountants in Libyan industrial organizations

Abstract

This study aimed to identify the most important ethical problems or issues face management accountants within Libyan industrial organizations. To achieve this aim, the study adapted an exploratory analytical descriptive methodology. 229 valid questionnaires were collected from participants. Descriptive statistic tests were used to analyze collected data. The results of this study revealed that there were several common and frequent ethical issues and problems face Libyan management accountants at their workplace. The most important ethical issues for participants were Misuse of equipment and computer information system, Managers use discrimination and nepotism when dealing with accountants, Accountants fail to blow the whistle when something wrong happened to in the organization, Disclosing confidential information to people outside the organization and Injustice in distributing the company's resources and budgets between projects and programmes. The study recommended that the Libyan industrial organizations should consider the justice when distributing their economic resources between individuals, projects and programmes. In addition, workshop and training were recommended to train and educate management accountants to positively use and maintain the organizations' resources and equipments. The study also recommended that the organizations and researchers should conduct more research related to ethical issues and problems whether they are frequent, medium, or less frequent to limit and eliminate them happening within these organizations in particular, and in accounting and management accounting area in general.