Debate Issues

Accounting Debate Issues

  • Auditor Independence DI: Is a year enough time to ensure auditor independence when an auditor takes a high-level position with a client firm?
  • Accounting Principles vs. Rules DI: Are principles more important than rules?
  • Revenue Recognition DI: When should revenue be recognized in accounting?
  • Tax Inversion DI: Is it ethical for businesses to engage in inversions to lower their tax rates?
  • Mark Cuban DI: Does the SEC target highly visible celebrities for publicity?
  • Enron DI: To what degree are CEOs Ken Lay and Jeff Skilling responsible for not preventing ethical misconduct and illegal activities within the organization?

Debate Issues

  • Employee Monitoring DI: Should employee monitoring occur in the workplace?
  • FCPA Compliance DI: To comply with FCPA or not to comply with FCPA.
  • For Your Consideration DI: To what degree do you believe companies should have an ethical responsibility?
  • Monterry Bearings DI: Do you think Monterrey Industries management practices were ethical?
  • Predictive Analytics DI: Should firms use predictive analytics to monitor employee emails for insider risk?
  • Lawmaker Conflict DI: Should government officials be allowed to pursue outside interests that appear to conflict with their jobs as lawmakers—even if they do not violate any ethical standards?
  • Cosmetics DI: Should the Personal Care Safety Act exert oversight over the effectiveness of cosmetics products?
  • Cell Phones and Banking Fraud DI: Is it ethical for banks to track customers' cell phones as a way to prevent credit-card fraud?
  • Sharing Economy Model DI: Should workers under the sharing economy model be classified as employees rather than independent contractors?
  • Drug Cost DI: Is it ethical for pharmaceutical firms to charge such high prices for drugs in the United States?
  • Corporate Psychopathy DI: Do white-collar criminals tend to be corporate psychopaths?
  • Plagiarism DI: Do some claims of plagiarism go too far?
  • Russia DI: Should the United States continue to import from Russia during the Ukraine dispute?
  • Amazon DI: Is Amazon using its power to take over the world?
  • Citizens United DI: Business’ New Freedom and Potential Responsibilities Under Citizens United
  • Native Advertising DI: Is using native advertising a deceptive practice?
  • Monsanto DI: Should organic farmers have legal protection against Monsanto for inadvertent contamination of their crops?
  • Shareholder Model DI: Is the shareholder model the best strategy of corporate governance in managing a public company?
  • Cuba DI: Should the trade embargo against Cuba be lifted?
  • POM Wonderful DI: Does the Federal Trade Commission's verdict on POM Wonderful's advertising protect consumers or limit the company's First Amendment rights?
  • Google Breakup DI: As digital firms gain monopoly status in some markets, should regulators intervene to break their monopolies?
  • Nationwide DI: Was the Nationwide Insurance advertisement "The Boy Who Couldn't Grow Up" an authentic attempt to save lives or a shameless attempt to promote the brand?
  • Criminalizing Business DI: Is overcriminalization of businesses harming society?
  • Ticketmaster DI: Should companies reimburse consumers stuck in traffic for missed events?
  • CVS DI: Should major pharmacies discontinue selling cigarettes because they are in the healthcare business?
  • Performance Review DI: Should companies get rid of the performance review?
  • Marijuana DI: Should marijuana be advertised where it is legally sold?
  • EU Harvesting DI: Is it ethical for the European Union to harvest wood from the United States to meet its energy goals?
  • Antibacterial Soap DI: Are consumers being harmed by antibacterial soap?
  • Google Glass DI: Will Google Glass make it easier for privacy violations and cheating to occur?
  • Boundless Learning DI: Is it fair to offer a reconstruction of an original textbook?
  • Luxottica DI: Is it ethical for one company to control all aspects of an industry if it is legal?
  • Clearance DI: Should the use of clearance pricing be regulated?
  • China vs. Mexico DI: Should U.S. companies choose to outsource to Mexico over China?
  • Pesticide DI: Are seeds that have been genetically modified a better alternative than pesticides?
  • Hollywood vs. Silicon Valley DI: Will more effective laws enforcing copyright infringement on the Internet halt innovation and undermine free speech?
  • Relationships at Work DI: Should employees be allowed to pursue relationships at work?
  • The Dilemma of Showrooming DI: What are the ethical ramifications of showrooming for the consumer and the retailer?
  • Working from Home DI: Is it fair to allow employees to work from home and then require them to only work in the office?
  • Network Marketing DI: Is network marketing a reputable business model that offers a chance to earn income or achieve personal goals?
  • Herbalife DI: Is Herbalife operating a pyramid scheme?
  • Green Funerals DI: Are green funeral companies meeting the needs of environmentally-conscious consumers, or does the industry need more regulation?
  • Tattoo Barbie DI: Does Tattoo Barbie send the right message to girls?
  • Nuclear Power DI: Despite the fact that nuclear power is a more sustainable energy source than fossil fuels, is it worth the risks it poses to people and the environment?
  • Marijuana Legalization DI: Do the benefits of marijuana legalization outweigh the costs?
  • Gender-Based Discrimination DI: Should Companies Be Allowed to Engage in Gender-Based Pricing?
  • Tariffs DI: Should Footwear Tariffs Be Eliminated Under the Trans-Pacific Partnership?
  • Buckyballs DI: Do Buckyballs represent enough of a threat to child safety that they should be banned?
  • Occupy Wall Street DI: Is the Occupy Wall Street movement an effective means of inciting corporate reform?
  • Calorie Labeling DI: Should restaurants be required to provide calorie counts on their menus?
  • Ashley Madison DI: Should AshleyMadison.com have fewer business opportunities because the website offers its users opportunities to pursue extramarital affairs?
  • Gambling DI: Do the economic benefits gained from the gaming industry outweigh the damage that gambling inflicts on those who are addicted?
  • Marketing and Sex Appeal DI: Is using sex appeal in a marketing campaign appropriate for product promotion?
  • Outsourcing DI: Has outsourcing production and manufacturing to low-wage countries helped or hurt the United States?
  • Bribery Laws DI: Will the FCPA and the U.K. Anti-Bribery Law affect a firm's competitiveness?
  • Culture DI: Does national culture predict consumer behavior and organizational culture?
  • Enron Prosecution DI: Was it unethical for prosecutors to use abusive tactics to secure witnesses and convictions in the investigation of Enron's corporate wrongdoing?
  • Facebook Privacy DI: Should social networking sites allow outside parties to have access to user information?
  • Smokeless Tobacco DI: Should tobacco companies promote smokeless tobacco products due to declining cigarette sales?
  • Higher Education Opportunity Act DI: Will the Higher Education Opportunity Act truly cut textbook costs for students?
  • Childhood Obesity DI: Is it necessary to create public policy to regulate the marketing of unhealthy food to children?
  • Facebook DI: Is Facebook leading to more positive social movements or to negative social dysfunction?
  • African Rice Center DI: Should genetic modification be used to further economic development?
  • Regulation DI: Are less formal systems and agreements likely to be more successful than formal legal and regulatory systems?
  • NAFTA DI: Has NAFTA been socially and economically productive for the U.S. and Mexico?
  • Greenwashing DI: Is it acceptable for companies to exaggerate environmental claims in order to sell products, or is this practice deceiving consumers?
  • China DI: Should the World Trade Organization crack down on China for its protectionist policies?