Barriers to Corporate Fraud: How They Work, Why They Fail

Description

The report focuses on the internal controls on American corporations (including corporate governance, business ethics, managerial structure and compensation, internal counsel, and whistleblowers), as well as external controls (government regulation, external auditors and accountants, and the judicial process). A recurring theme is the limited efficacy of many safeguards and watchdogs in cases of "control fraud," where fraud is directed or abetted by top management, and where unethical or abusive practices may become the organizational norm. Another broad question raised by the report is whether the post-Enron scandals were a one-time event, made possible by the stock market bubble of the … continued below

Physical Description

62 p.

Creation Information

Jickling, Mark December 27, 2004.

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This report is part of the collection entitled: Congressional Research Service Reports and was provided by the UNT Libraries Government Documents Department to the UNT Digital Library, a digital repository hosted by the UNT Libraries. It has been viewed 103 times. More information about this report can be viewed below.

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  • Jickling, Mark Specialist in Public Finance; Government and Finance Division

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UNT Libraries Government Documents Department

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Description

The report focuses on the internal controls on American corporations (including corporate governance, business ethics, managerial structure and compensation, internal counsel, and whistleblowers), as well as external controls (government regulation, external auditors and accountants, and the judicial process). A recurring theme is the limited efficacy of many safeguards and watchdogs in cases of "control fraud," where fraud is directed or abetted by top management, and where unethical or abusive practices may become the organizational norm. Another broad question raised by the report is whether the post-Enron scandals were a one-time event, made possible by the stock market bubble of the 1990s and several other unique historical developments which together constituted a "perfect storm," or whether fraud is a cyclical phenomenon associated with the end of long bull markets.

Physical Description

62 p.

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Congressional Research Service Reports

The Congressional Research Service (CRS) is the public policy research arm of Congress. This legislative branch agency works exclusively for Members of Congress, their committees and their staff. This collection includes CRS reports from the mid-1960's through 2018—covering a variety of topics from agriculture to foreign policy to welfare.

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Creation Date

  • December 27, 2004

Added to The UNT Digital Library

  • Dec. 5, 2014, 9:57 a.m.

Description Last Updated

  • Aug. 20, 2020, 6:35 p.m.

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Jickling, Mark. Barriers to Corporate Fraud: How They Work, Why They Fail, report, December 27, 2004; Washington D.C.. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc462705/: accessed April 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.

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