Jenny Pike, assistant accountant for Blenheim Instruments Ltd, was finalising the Statement of Financial Position of the company as at 30 June 2022 with the accountant of the business, Russell Bayer. Although both agreed that everything appeared to be in order, Jenny had noticed that a large loan had been taken out by the company with ABB Bank and that, as part of the loan agreement, Blenheim Instruments Ltd was to maintain a ratio of current assets (less inventories) to current liabilities of at least 1.25:1. She was concerned that the company would not be able to maintain this ratio given the fact that she had just learned that two of the company's largest customers had gone into liquidation and there was every likelihood that the company would recover no more than 10% of the debts owing. The current allowance for doubtful debts was grossly inadequate and thus the accounts receivable was overstated. The relevant figures prepared for the Statement of Financial Position showed current assets (less inventories) standing at $1 250 000, and current liabilities stood at $1 000 000. Jenny raised her concerns with Russell Bayer about the overstatement of accounts receivable and not being able to maintain the desired minimum ratio for the purpose of the loan agreement, if the accounts receivable figure was updated. Russell replied: 'Yes, I can appreciate your concerns. However, we don't know how much will be recovered from the liquidated companies, so let's leave things the way they are. The bank wants only the 30 June figures and, as it is, the ratio will be okay as far as the bank is concerned.' Russell thought about the problem a little further and then explained: 'We won't have to write off the additional bad debts until next year when they occur and are known with certainty, and by then things will have picked up. I am sure the directors of the company will agree with me, and be happy to leave the accounts as they are, so there is no need for you to worry anymore." Required: (a) Identify the stakeholders involved in this situation. (b) What are the main ethical issues involved for Jenny? Explain.

FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING
10th Edition
ISBN:9781259964947
Author:Libby
Publisher:Libby
Chapter1: Financial Statements And Business Decisions
Section: Chapter Questions
Problem 1Q
icon
Related questions
Question
Jenny Pike, assistant accountant for Blenheim Instruments Ltd, was finalising the Statement
of Financial Position of the company as at 30 June 2022 with the accountant of the business,
Russell Bayer. Although both agreed that everything appeared to be in order, Jenny had
noticed that a large loan had been taken out by the company with ABB Bank and that, as part
of the loan agreement, Blenheim Instruments Ltd was to maintain a ratio of current assets
(less inventories) to current liabilities of at least 1.25:1. She was concerned that the company
would not be able to maintain this ratio given the fact that she had just learned that two of the
company's largest customers had gone into liquidation and there was every likelihood that
the company would recover no more than 10% of the debts owing. The current allowance for
doubtful debts was grossly inadequate and thus the accounts receivable was overstated.
The relevant figures prepared for the Statement of Financial Position showed current assets
(less inventories) standing at $1 250 000, and current liabilities stood at $1 000 000. Jenny
raised her concerns with Russell Bayer about the overstatement of accounts receivable and
not being able to maintain the desired minimum ratio for the purpose of the loan agreement,
if the accounts receivable figure was updated. Russell replied: 'Yes, I can appreciate your
concerns. However, we don't know how much will be recovered from the liquidated
companies, so let's leave things the way they are. The bank wants only the 30 June figures
and, as it is, the ratio will be okay as far as the bank is concerned.' Russell thought about the
problem a little further and then explained: 'We won't have to write off the additional bad
debts until next year when they occur and are known with certainty, and by then things will
have picked up. I am sure the directors of the company will agree with me, and be happy to
leave the accounts as they are, so there is no need for you to worry anymore.'
Required:
(a) Identify the stakeholders involved in this situation.
(b) What are the main ethical issues involved for Jenny? Explain.
Transcribed Image Text:Jenny Pike, assistant accountant for Blenheim Instruments Ltd, was finalising the Statement of Financial Position of the company as at 30 June 2022 with the accountant of the business, Russell Bayer. Although both agreed that everything appeared to be in order, Jenny had noticed that a large loan had been taken out by the company with ABB Bank and that, as part of the loan agreement, Blenheim Instruments Ltd was to maintain a ratio of current assets (less inventories) to current liabilities of at least 1.25:1. She was concerned that the company would not be able to maintain this ratio given the fact that she had just learned that two of the company's largest customers had gone into liquidation and there was every likelihood that the company would recover no more than 10% of the debts owing. The current allowance for doubtful debts was grossly inadequate and thus the accounts receivable was overstated. The relevant figures prepared for the Statement of Financial Position showed current assets (less inventories) standing at $1 250 000, and current liabilities stood at $1 000 000. Jenny raised her concerns with Russell Bayer about the overstatement of accounts receivable and not being able to maintain the desired minimum ratio for the purpose of the loan agreement, if the accounts receivable figure was updated. Russell replied: 'Yes, I can appreciate your concerns. However, we don't know how much will be recovered from the liquidated companies, so let's leave things the way they are. The bank wants only the 30 June figures and, as it is, the ratio will be okay as far as the bank is concerned.' Russell thought about the problem a little further and then explained: 'We won't have to write off the additional bad debts until next year when they occur and are known with certainty, and by then things will have picked up. I am sure the directors of the company will agree with me, and be happy to leave the accounts as they are, so there is no need for you to worry anymore.' Required: (a) Identify the stakeholders involved in this situation. (b) What are the main ethical issues involved for Jenny? Explain.
Expert Solution
steps

Step by step

Solved in 3 steps

Blurred answer
Similar questions
Recommended textbooks for you
FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING
FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING
Accounting
ISBN:
9781259964947
Author:
Libby
Publisher:
MCG
Accounting
Accounting
Accounting
ISBN:
9781337272094
Author:
WARREN, Carl S., Reeve, James M., Duchac, Jonathan E.
Publisher:
Cengage Learning,
Accounting Information Systems
Accounting Information Systems
Accounting
ISBN:
9781337619202
Author:
Hall, James A.
Publisher:
Cengage Learning,
Horngren's Cost Accounting: A Managerial Emphasis…
Horngren's Cost Accounting: A Managerial Emphasis…
Accounting
ISBN:
9780134475585
Author:
Srikant M. Datar, Madhav V. Rajan
Publisher:
PEARSON
Intermediate Accounting
Intermediate Accounting
Accounting
ISBN:
9781259722660
Author:
J. David Spiceland, Mark W. Nelson, Wayne M Thomas
Publisher:
McGraw-Hill Education
Financial and Managerial Accounting
Financial and Managerial Accounting
Accounting
ISBN:
9781259726705
Author:
John J Wild, Ken W. Shaw, Barbara Chiappetta Fundamental Accounting Principles
Publisher:
McGraw-Hill Education