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Page | 58 International Journal of Education, Learning and Training www.ftms.edu.my/journals/index.php/journals/ijelt Vol. 2 (No.1), April, 2017 ISSN: 2289-6694 DOI: 10.24924/ijelt/2017.04/v2.iss1/58.71 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Research Paper ETHICAL BEHAVIOUR OF ACCOUNTING STUDENTS AND INTENTION TO MAKE AN ACADEMIC OFFENSE ABSTRACT This research seeks to study the relationship between ethical behaviour of accounting students and intention to make an academic offense. A questionnaire was constructed based on ACCA model. The independent variables engaged are confidentiality, integrity, objectivity, professional behaviour and professional competence and due care to measure ethical behaviour of accounting students. Academic offense is the dependent variable used in this research. The research design for this research is explanatory research. A total of 120 questionnaires were distributed using convenient sampling to the accounting students in one of the local universities in Malaysia and the adapted sample size was 106. The survey consists of 30 questions with Likert-scale (Strongly Agree-5 and Strongly Disagree-1). The collected data was analysed using SPSS to generate correlation and regression outputs. The study found that four types of ethical behaviour such as confidentiality, objectivity, professional behaviour and professional competence and due care have a positive and significant influence on academic offense however integrity has a negative and non significant affect on academic offense. Future studies may include larger sample of accounting students by conducting research on more universities to widen the research span. At the same time, future studies may include responsibility as one of the types of ethical behaviour to portray a better picture Key Words: Ethics, Ethical behaviour, Academic dishonesty, Academic Offense, Confidentiality, Integrity, Objectivity, Professional Behaviour, Professional Competence and Due Care Ranjheta Subramaniam School of Accounting and Business Management FTMS College, Malaysia Abdul Basit School of Accounting and Business Management FTMS College, Malaysia [email protected] Zubair Hassan School of Accounting and Business Management FTMS College, Malaysia [email protected]

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Page 1: School of Accounting and Business Management FTMS College ... · from four selected Universities which are IIUM, UiTM, MMU, and UNITEN. Samples are the accounting students of these

Page | 58

International Journal of Education, Learning and Training

www.ftms.edu.my/journals/index.php/journals/ijelt

Vol. 2 (No.1), April, 2017 ISSN: 2289-6694 DOI: 10.24924/ijelt/2017.04/v2.iss1/58.71

This work is licensed under a

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Research Paper

ETHICAL BEHAVIOUR OF ACCOUNTING STUDENTS AND INTENTION TO MAKE AN

ACADEMIC OFFENSE

ABSTRACT

This research seeks to study the relationship between ethical behaviour of accounting students and intention

to make an academic offense. A questionnaire was constructed based on ACCA model. The independent

variables engaged are confidentiality, integrity, objectivity, professional behaviour and professional

competence and due care to measure ethical behaviour of accounting students. Academic offense is the

dependent variable used in this research. The research design for this research is explanatory research. A

total of 120 questionnaires were distributed using convenient sampling to the accounting students in one of

the local universities in Malaysia and the adapted sample size was 106. The survey consists of 30 questions

with Likert-scale (Strongly Agree-5 and Strongly Disagree-1). The collected data was analysed using SPSS to

generate correlation and regression outputs. The study found that four types of ethical behaviour such as

confidentiality, objectivity, professional behaviour and professional competence and due care have a positive

and significant influence on academic offense however integrity has a negative and non significant affect on

academic offense. Future studies may include larger sample of accounting students by conducting research

on more universities to widen the research span. At the same time, future studies may include responsibility

as one of the types of ethical behaviour to portray a better picture

Key Words: Ethics, Ethical behaviour, Academic dishonesty, Academic Offense, Confidentiality, Integrity,

Objectivity, Professional Behaviour, Professional Competence and Due Care

Ranjheta Subramaniam School of Accounting and Business Management FTMS

College, Malaysia

Abdul Basit School of Accounting and Business Management FTMS

College, Malaysia [email protected]

Zubair Hassan

School of Accounting and Business Management FTMS College, Malaysia

[email protected]

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1.0. INTRODUCTION

Ethical behaviour of accounting students and intention to make an academic offense is one of the studies

that receive serious attention from researches in the scholarly circles. The aim of this exploration is to

analyse the ethical behaviour of accounting students and intention which lead to an academic offense.

Atul, (2014) the first book Summa de arithmetica, geometria, proportioni, et proportionalita, published in

1494 about accounting ethics wrote by Luca Pacioli (Father of Accounting).

Similar research on students cheating shows that studies of academic dishonesty among college students

date back 70 years or more. According to Crown et al. (1998), the latest recent review of empirical

research on student cheating was attempted in the mid-1990s preceding the Internet blast. However to

perform customary exercises in expedient mode, another innovation is embraced where these two audits

set valuable principles for systemically considering the impact of data innovation on student attitudes

and behaviours. According to Aristotle, (1984), Aristotelianism theory is the oldest research for ethical

behaviour and intention to make academic offense. This hypothesis is still a noteworthy contender in

philosophical verbal confrontation gets from the old Greek scholar Aristotle (384-332 BC).

According to Ameen et al. (1996); Keith-Spiegel et al. (1998); Tom and Borin, (1988); Wryobeck and

Whitley, (1999), the students’ unethical behaviour is a widespread phenomenon has been a very serious

problem of significant attention among researchers in psychology, ethics, higher education and sociology.

Academic dishonesty to be linked with employee theft any other type of fraud in working place (Sims et

al., 1993). Brimble & Clarke, (2004) indicate that business students are less dishonest than accounting

students. The issues that raise some concerns for teachers or lecturers in the accounting profession are

because of the future generation of auditors and accountants are accounting students. And also students

applied ethical issue raised in academic misconduct in business environment.

As stated by Thomas (2000) cheating and stealing words, materials, data, phrases, statements were begin

as early as the 17th and 18th century. No proper systems to access to link literature and scholarly articles

which have done research by previous authors during those times. According to Fawkner et al. (2004);

Groar et al. (2001), complex technology of devices and software created to search hidden sentences which

have been rephrased or copied in coursework, essays and scholarly work. Fawkner & Keremidchieva,

(2004) described that cheating or academic dishonesty’s issue has become world-wide situation because

“everyone doing it”. Also in the studies shows that knowledge towards academic cheating still in infant

stage because they believe that academic cheating is okay as everyone is doing (Arieff et al., 2008).

1.2. Research Objectives

To study how confidentiality influence the intention to make an academic offense To study how integrity influence the intention to make an academic offense To study how objectivity influence the intention to make an academic offense To study how professional behaviour influence the intention to make an academic offense To study how professional competence and due care influence the intention to make academic

offense

1. LITERATURE REVIEW

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Ethics is to determine what to perform in a particular situation which is a complex process (Ward et al.,

1993). Another view by Maisarah et al.(2004) that ethics characterized as benchmarks of behaviour that

demonstrate how one should carry on in light of particular qualities and good obligations and

excellencies emerging from standards. According to CMA Alberta Code, (2004), ethical behaviour is being

in concurrence with the standards of appropriate behaviour which portrayed by conduct and traditions of

a general public. It explains that society judged conducts of an individual appropriate. Another view of

ethical behaviour is applied interchangeably with the moral act (Curtin University, 2001). So, the

researcher found that ethical behaviour which may different for each individual according to their ethical

guidelines. The relative individual’s importance and social responsibility are different due to time

changes. Atul, (2014) state that the study of moral values and judgements is accounting ethics which is

primarily a field of applied ethics as they apply to bookkeeping. It knows as one of professional ethics. In

higher educational institutes especially in accounting courses are teaching ethics as one of the core

subject by auditors and companies training accountants.

According to Gilman, (2005), the purpose of ethics code is written to guide behaviour. According to Locke,

(1975), ethical conduct, moral principles and truth are only gained through conception and perception

because some philosophers argued that those principles are not natural. The theory of ethics had become

interest subject to many researchers. The theory of ethics had become interest subject to many

researchers. According to Al-Hasan, Faridahwati and Kamil, (2013), late research has been progressively

committed to explore ethical issues with the collapsed of many businesses and companies. There are

numerous hypotheses to clarify what is correct and what isn't right to identify whether behaviour is

ethically performed such as utilitarianism theory, deontology theory, divine command theory, relativism

theory, and virtue ethics theory.

According to Fritzche and Becker, (1984), utilitarianism is the most famous ethical theory that has been

attributed to address individual’s actions and thought in the business world. Consequences of acts for

moral justifications considered under this model and to denote capacity in actions to have good results as

it is derived from the word “utility” (Cottell and Perlin, 1990). According to Bonde and Firenze, (2013),

the duty-based approach which known as deontological ethics is most commonly associated with the

philosopher Immanuel Kant (1724-1804). Smriti, (2015), a “deontologist” focuses on doing what is “right”

based on moral principles while a “teleologist” concentrates on doing what will expand societal welfare.

Despite the fact that, the results of certain activities were great yet those activities would be viewed as

off-base. This model depicted as a general class of moral or oral speculations that characterize right

activity regarding obligations and good principles (Mitcham, n.d). there are two fundamental principles

held by Kant such as always act on a principle that willing to have everyone else act upon and always be

respectful to others (Gaffikin, 2007).According to Rodin (1886), hypothesis that sees the essential center

of morals to be the character of the individual instead of individual's activities or obligations is known as

virtue morals. As indicated by Aristotle, (1980); Van Staveren, (2007), the wellsprings of moral conduct in

an ethical group is the virtues. Other than that, Lavan et al. (2008) portrays this hypothesis as what makes

a decent individual than what makes a decent activity. Dobson, (2007), there is four essential ascribes

from this way to deal with morals.

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A study by Amanuddin et al. (2015), to examine the factors that influences the ethical sensitivity of

accounting students in Malaysian universities. This study used survey questionnaires in collecting data

from four selected Universities which are IIUM, UiTM, MMU, and UNITEN. Samples are the accounting

students of these above universities taking accounting degree course regardless of their years of study.

The study found that demographic factors such as age, gender, current year of study, hometown, and race

have significant influence on the students’ ethical sensitivity based on the 485 responses received among

the total population of 4591 students. the suggested number of sample size is 354. However, this study

managed to get a total of 485sample sizes which is more than suggested by Sekaran and Bougie

(2013).And also, in between students’ academic performance and ethical sensitivity there is a significant

relationship.

Alleyne, Cadogan McClean and Harper, (2013), did an examination to inspect individual values and ethical

conduct recognitions among undergraduate students in a Caribbean college. This study tried for contrasts

by sexual orientation and scholarly major on individual values and ethical conduct, and in addition the

impact of individual values on ethical conduct by scholastic significant (accounting versus non-accounting

majors). The creator utilized a specimen of 231 undergraduate students and utilized an overview

instrument which was adjusted from Akaah and Lund's (1994) individual values and Newstrom and

Ruch's (1975) ethical conduct scales. Results observed that females held higher individual values and saw

that they were more ethical than guys. Furthermore non-accounting students held higher individual

values however were less ethical than accounting students. This study has impediments where this study

depended on self-reports which can raise some worries about regular strategy difference (Podsakoff and

Organ, 1986).

Research papers by Nabil, (2012), particularly its motivations are twofold. To start with intention is to

analyze students' demeanours as to code of morals. Furthermore, is to learn whether contrasts business

and non business students do exist concerning these states of mind. An aggregate of 858 students enlisted

in seven colleges in the north-eastern and south-eastern United States took an interest in the study. A

multivariate examination of difference (MANOVA) was performed where students' scholastic field of

study (business/non-business) constituted the two levels of the free variable and their scores on eight

things were the needy variables. The MANOVA uncovered that in general there were huge contrasts

between the business and non-business majors. Each of the reliant variables was tried utilizing a one-ay

examination of difference (ANOVA) with the two gatherings regarded as our two levels of the

autonomous variable. The discoveries uncovered that critical contrasts between two specimens.

Generally speaking, the non-business students were more cheery about the viability of code of business

morals. Extra research with bigger national specimens from every gathering would be important to affirm

these discoveries. An individual's ethical point of view could be affected by geological and social area

(Shaub, 1994). Another admonition concerns the respondents to some degree constrained all day work

experience.

Al-Hasan, Kamil and Faridahwati, (2011) conduct an exploration on build up an ethical code of conduct

for Yemeni expert bookkeepers from an Islamic viewpoint. The surveys were circulated actually by the

scientists to 533 clients while the quantity of substantial polls for information investigation is 386. The

study utilized interdependency investigation, utilizing exploratory component examination, to uncover

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the areas of ethical code of conduct. Results demonstrates that the ethical code of conduct comprises of

seven builds, for example, acting with uprightness, acting with obligation, agreeing to A'del, Sabr and

Ihsan standards, practicing due care, taking after the breaking points of extension, respecting people in

general and keeping up impartially and autonomy. The discoveries could be pertinent by strategy

creators to build up an ethical code of conduct for Yemeni bookkeepers to help them with their expert

work. This paper has a few impediments that should be reported. In the first place, despite the fact that

this study has attempted to build up an Islamic ethical code of conduct for Yemeni expert bookkeepers,

there are sure confinements identifying with a moderately little example that concentrated just on

Yemen. Therefore, the after effects of this study may not inexorably reflect other Muslim nations and this

concentrate just focused on expert bookkeepers in Yemen.

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

Source: Adapted from ACCA :P1-Corporate governance and ethics

As indicated by Policy 71,(2010), conduct which meddles with the study, work, or workplace of different

individuals from the University or any part of another's University action is managed under Policy 33-

Ethcial Behaviour. Students are required to realize what constitutes scholarly trustworthiness to abstain

from submitting offenses and to assume liability for the activities. As per Masten, (2012) people have a

tendency to be an inside created set of values despite the fact that their own morals and an individual's

I

N

T

E

N

T

I

O

N

ACADEMIC

OFFENSE

CONFIDENTIALITY

INTEGRITY

OBJECTIVITY

PROFESSIONAL

BHAVIOUR

PROFESSIONAL

COMPETENCE

AND DUE CARE

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ethical values affected by outside components. This contention is that through an educated basic

leadership process where an individual may create ethical values..

According to Gilman, (2005), those following are several purposes of code of ethics. Firstly, these codes

can increase the probability that will behave in certain ways by focussing on the character of their

actions. Secondly, good ethics codes can bring out actins that result in doing the right things for a reason.

Thirdly, honour codes do not take away one’s own moral autonomy. Lastly, it can be function as a

professional statement. According to Collision, (1990), the viability of ethic or honour codes on today’s

campuses is open to some question even though the codes tradition dates back over a century.(McCabe

and Trevino, 1993).

Gilman, (2005), on the other hand, suggests that ethics codes are too abstract and due to this they are

difficult to enforce is the primary critique. The problem lies with the institutionalisation of the civil

service and the ability to enforce behaviour in only the narrowest of areas yet there is some truth to both

of these critiques conflicting view expressed by Fulmer and Cargile (1987), it is found that AICPA’s Code

of Professional Conduct being practised by accounting students who recognised ethical issues in the

“ethical scenarios” used by them more often than the other business students. This was supported by

Bowers, (1964), that a study conducted in 1964 which compared academic dishonesty at code and non-

code schools.

2. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY

3.1 Research Investigations Methods

The researcher applied explanatory approach as it is designed to test whether one event cause another

(Hair et al., 2003). This was supported by Saunders et al. (2003), in order to explain the relationship

between confidentiality, integrity, objectivity, professional behaviour and professional competence and

due care are those variables studied in this problem. On the other hand, exploratory approach has no

ability to prevent defects

3.2 Research Methodology

The Study will be adapting the quantitative research methodology. Since this methodology will help in

theory and hypothesis testing, gathering a large number of data, which are more suitable to respond the

research questions, as this method is more objective and reliable and not even affected by personal

opinion of researchers in the phenomenon

3.3 Nature of Data

The researcher utilized primary data as a part of the proposed research. As indicated by Sindhu, (2012),

the upside of primary data is ebb and flow one and ready to depict sensible perspective to the researcher

about the subject under thought.

3.4 Population and Sampling

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This study comprises of 1000 students in one of the nearby colleges in Malaysia for the year 2016. The

sample size of this study consists of 106 students. The researcher utilizes convenience sampling as a part

of this research. As indicated by Lund Research Ltd, (2012), it is characterized as the units that are chosen

for consideration in the specimen are the least demanding to get to. There are some focal points for this

above strategy. Firstly, to complete a comfort test the relative cost and time required are little in contrast

with likelihood sampling strategies. It helps the researcher to accomplish the example size required in a

moderately quick and reasonable way.

3.6 Data Accessibility

According to Hodkinson, (2008), recruitment methods are diverse. Those following are resources applied

in other type of research such as placing advertisements on billboards, magazines, or internet. The main

difficulty in this proposed research is to gain access respondents and being able to study them. Timeline

of the project delayed due to the problem in finding respondents who are willing to cooperate. Ethical

research committees whose task is to weigh the costs of the research against the benefits scrutinised a

research project whether is ethically sound or not.

3.7 Ethical Consideration and Limitation

A code of behaviour considered correct is known as definition of ethics. According to Brink and Wood,

(1998), there are several ethical issue observed in a research such as beneficence, confidentiality,

informed consent, justice, respect for persons, right to anonymity and privacy. So, the study should be

carried out with justice and fairness by excluding all potential risks.

3.8 Data Analysis Plan

According to John Tukey (1961), data analysis is the procedure for analyzing the data, the technique for

interpreting the results of such procedures, methods of data collection plan to make the analysis easier,

more accurately or more precisely, and all the equipment and the results of (mathematical) statistics

were used to analyze the data. Three methods of data analysis involved in this research are regression,

correlation and descriptive statistics. The data was imported into SPSS to facilitate advanced analysis of

data such as correlations between variables. Another way to determine the association between variables

is regression which was engaged to examine the impact of independent variables on dependent variables

(Zikmund, 2003).

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4. DATA ANALYSIS

Table1: Correlation Coefficients

Table 1 shows Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient between types of ethical behaviour and intention to

make an academic offense. It is found that the results show that all the dimensions for types of ethical

behaviour have overall strong relation with academic offense with a Pearson correlation of R=0.556,

0.518, 0.652, 0.702, and 0.705 respectively. Confidentiality is positively correlated with academic offense.

The strength between the variables is strong with the value of 0.556. The confidentiality is significant

with probability of 0.00 which is lower than 0.01. Amponsah, Boateng, Onuoha, (2016) found a similar

result. Integrity is also positively correlated with academic offense. The strength between both variables

is strong with the value 0.518. The integrity is significantly with probability value of 0.00 which is lower

than 0.01.A similar study showed that better corporate governance is highly correlated with better

operating performance and market valuation (Klapper and Love, 2002). Next, objectivity is positively

correlated with academic offense. The strength between the variables is strongly with the value of 0.652.

The objectivity is significant with probability value of 0.00 which is lower than 0.01.Similar finding found

by (Amponsah, Boateng, Onuoha, 2016). Professional behaviour is positively correlated with dependent

variable. The strength between the variables is very strong with the value of 0.702. The professional

behaviour is very significant with probability value of 0.00 which is lower than 0.00 than 0.01. Previous

result by Hema, Friedman, Cox, (2009)auditing course (AU) and organisational behaviour course (OB)

students also had significantly lower scores which deal with ethical courses of action, indicating higher

levels of personal ethical behaviour. AU students exhibited significantly lower on the self-serving interest

factor (t = 7.25, p < .05). AU and OB students did not differ with respect to the amoral factor. Finally,

professional competence is positively correlated with dependent variable. The strength between the

variables is the strongest compare to other independent variables with the value 0.705. The Kalbers and

Fogarty’s (1995) study, suggest that there is a positive correlation between organisational commitment

and professional commitment.

ACADEMIC OFFENSE

CONFIDENTIALITY

INTEGRITY OBJECTIVITY PROFESSIONAL BEHAVIOUR

PROFESSIOANAL

COMPETENCE AND

DUE CARES

ACADEMIC OFFENSE

Pearson Correlation

1

CONFIDENTIALITY Pearson Correlation

.556** 1

INTEGRITY Pearson Correlation

.518** .573** 1

OBJECTIVITY Pearson Correlation

.652** .534** .541** 1

PROFESSIONAL BEHAVIOUR

Pearson Correlation

.702** .592** .621** .632** 1

PROFESIONAL COMPETENCE AND DUE CARE

Pearson Correlation

.705** .454** .508** .646** .629** 1

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Regression Analysis

Table 2: Regression analysis

a. Predictors: (Constant), PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCE AND DUE CARE. CONFIDENTIALITY, INTEGRITY, OBJECTIVITY, PROFESSIONAL BEHAVIOUR b. Dependent Variable: ACADEMIC OFFENSE

Table 2 shows the regression model summary and was performed to predict the influence on academic

offense based on five types of ethical behaviour. The dependent variable for this study is academic

offense. According to this table, the R2 is 0.638 which indicates that 63.8 percent of the changes in

dependent (academic offense) is elaborated by independent variables such as confidentiality, integrity,

objectivity, professional behaviour and professional competence and due care. Alternatively, 36.2% of

dependent variable is being explained and addressed by other factors which will not considered in this

research.. The adjusted R2 0.620 which is higher than 0.60, so this model is good fit model. Furthermore,

the significant F change is 0.00 which indicates the model is significant. Thus, the F change value is 35.305

shows that there is relationship between dependent variable and independent variables. The Durbin

Watson value is 2.287 which explain that there are no auto correlations, therefore it is acceptable.

Table 3: Regression Analysis

Model Unstandardized

Coefficients

Standardized

Coefficients

t

Sig.

Collinearity

Statistics

B

Std.

Error

Beta

Tolerance

VIF

1

(Constant)

CONFIDENTIALITY

INTEGRITY

OBJECTIVITY

PROFESSIONALBEH9AVIOUR

PROFESIONALCOMPETENCEANDDUECARE

-.053 .319 -.167 .867

.128 .075 .138 1.711 .090 .560 1.787

-.023 .093 -.021 -.249 .804 .527 1.899

.179 .093 .170 1.929 .057 .466 2.146

.336 .102 .306 3.285 .001 .417 2.401

.403 .098 .350 4.100 .000 .496 2.017

Dependent variable: Academic Offense

From table 3, Beta coefficient for academic offense can be seen. The standardised coefficient beta value is

for confidentiality is 0.138 and the significant value is 0.090 which is higher than 0.05, so confidentiality

is found to have insignificant and positive relationship with academic offense. All the confidentiality

factors that were retained were reckoned as having significant impact of expensive lawsuits which can

increase recruitment and legal costs of the universities because their accounting faculty prove themselves

to be unfaithful trustees of confidential information (Amponsah, Boateng, Onuoha, 2016). The

Model

R

R

Squar

e

Adjusted

R Square

Std. Error

of the

Estimate

Change Statistics

Durbin-

Watson

R

Square

Change

F

Change

df1

df2

Sig. F

Change

1 .799a .638 .620 .3779 .638 35.305 5 100 .000 2.287

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standardised coefficient beta value for integrity is -0.021 and the significant value is 0.804 which is higher

than 0.05 thus integrity is found to be not significant and negative relationship with academic offense. A

similar study on cheating behaviour will decrease as the incentive or pressure that gives students the

motivation to commit fraud has increased, and vice versa. This is indicated by negative beta coefficient

(Widianingsih, 2013). High integrity and low opportunity individuals need high pressure to be dishonest

(Albrecht, 2006). Next, the standardised coefficient beta value for objectivity is 0.170 and the significant

value is 0.057 which is slightly higher than 0.05 therefore objectivity is found to have significant and

positive relationship with academic offense. Similarly, there is a positive association between the

internalization of objectivity and students’ ethical perception (Andian, 2014). Professional behaviour has

a standardised coefficient beta value of 0.306 and the significant value is 0.001 which is lower than 0.05,

so professional behaviour is found to be significant and positive relationship with academic offense.

Similar findings of Giacomino and Akers (1998) and Conner and Becker (2003), supports for personal

values which influencing ethical behaviour. Finally, professional competence and due care obtained a

standardised beta value of 0.350 and the significant value is 0.000 which is lower than 0.05 thus this

variable found to be significant and positive relationship with academic offense. A similar study by

Heyrani, Banimahda, Roudposhti, (2016), the test of each hypothesis is performed through examination

of the sign, size and statistical meaning of the path coefficient (beta) between each hidden variable and

the dependent variable. The higher the path coefficient, the higher is the predictive effect of the hidden

variable with respect to the dependent variable.

5. CONCLUSION

This study concludes that only professional behaviour and professional competence due care have

significant and positive impact on the intention to make an academic offense. The study concludes that

confidentiality, integrity and objectivity founds to be non contributors in generating any intention of

doing an academic offense in sample of accounting students selected for conducting this study. Also we

concluded that those who have engage in ethical behaviour such as confidentiality, integrity and

objectivity behaviours discourage students to engage in any unethical behaviour or having an intention

to engage in academic offense. Since on the other hand the other two independent variables (Professional

Behaviour and Professional Behaviour Competence and Due Care) are found to are the poolers in creating

intention of academic dishonesty amongst the sample of accounting students taken to do this study. This

needs more investigation by modifying the instrument or using another analysis

6. FUTURE RESEARCH DIRECTION

More research is needed on this very important topic. It is hoped that by more clearly understanding the

perceptions of students regarding this issue, will be better able to ensure clarity in this context. At the

same time, the future studies should be study on more institutions of higher learning in Malaysia, both for

public and private universities in Malaysia. The larger sample size and population enhance more

acceptable results and generalization of the findings could be made.

REFERENCE LIST

Abo-Ahmeed, W. (2006). The Extent Of The Auditor’s Compliance In Jordan With The Ethical Codes Of Professional Conduct. Journal Of University Of The King Abduallah Abdalaziz, 20(2), 161-207.

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