Ethical Factors Influencing Fraudulent Behavior of Accountants

Abstract

Fraudulent behavior among accountants poses significant risks to financial reporting, corporate
governance, and investor confidence. This study investigates the ethical factors influencing
fraudulent behavior among accountants in Thailand, focusing on ethical awareness, moral
reasoning, adherence to professional codes of conduct, and perceived organizational support.
A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining a quantitative survey of 362 accountants
from Big Four, Non-Big Four, and private organizations, and qualitative semi-structured
interviews with 20 accounting professionals. Quantitative results indicate that ethical
awareness (β = –0.28, p < .001) and adherence to professional codes (β = –0.25, p < .001) are
the strongest predictors of reduced fraudulent behavior, followed by moral reasoning (β = –
0.22, p < .001) and perceived organizational support (β= –0.18, p < .01). Correlation analysis
further confirmed significant negative relationships between all ethical factors and fraudulent
behavior (p < .001). Qualitative findings highlight that ethics training, leadership support,
organizational culture, and clear professional guidelines play essential roles in mitigating
fraudulent actions. These findings suggest that both individual ethical capacities and
organizational context are critical in preventing accounting fraud in Thailand. The study
provides practical implications for firms, regulators, and professional bodies to strengthen
ethics education, promote adherence to professional standards, and cultivate ethical
organizational cultures.