Ethical Requirements for Auditors - 1212 Words

A. It is extremely important to ensure that the auditing profession meets its responsibilities to its clients. While working for a company to audit their financial information, they are also at the same time working for the public and regulators who rely on externals auditors to prove credibility to the financial information that companies release (Cooper, Coram, Richardson, Leung, 2009). To assist in quality assurance, the profession, and government have developed multilevel framework which is designed to regulate the audit profession. This framework includes: * Ethical standards: the New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants Act 1996 requires that NZICA have a code of ethics that governs the professional conduct of its†¦show more content†¦In terms of compliance with ethical requirements, Rule 1 under integrity in the code of ethics says that, a member must not engage in any business and/or activity that may impair his or hers integrity or that of the profession (NZ ICA, (a) 2006). As GML has been named in a anti-corruption inquiry, such activity may relay back onto the auditors for not prying deep enough into the company’s financial records, thus hurting the integrity of the auditor. In considering the integrity of the client, the same incident of the anti-corruption inquiry can be used to suggest that GML does indeed lack integrity, also, the reason for the managing director approaching our firm because he is unhappy with the present audit partner may have something to do with incident, and would be wise to seek information from the current auditing firm (NZICA, (a) 2006). On the matter of the managing director of GML approaching our firm to accept the appointment of auditor to the company, the managing director does not have the legal power to choose a new auditor if he is unhappy with their current one. The appointment of an auditor must be done at an annual meeting where the majority of the shareholders vote in a new auditor in compliance with section 196 of the Companies Act 1993Show MoreRelatedThe Ethical Framework Of Accounting897 Words   |  4 Pagesindustry standards, and compliance with laws and regulations. The ethics increase the responsibility and integrity of accounting professionals, and public trust. The ethical requirements influence the management behavior and decision-making. The financial scandal of Enron and Arthur Anderson demonstrates the failure of fundamental ethical framework, such as off-balance sheet transactions, misrepresentation of financial statements, inaccurate disclosure, manipulations with earnings, etc. The confron tedRead MoreEthical Codes Of Conduct Are Secondary Thoughts1531 Words   |  7 Pagesinstead of offering an ethics major, per se (Kanaiah Kumar, 2009). It seems that ethical codes of conduct are secondary thoughts after the critical elements of a chosen discipline, when in actuality; ethics are a common thread across the disciplines. When considering accounting and ethics, the implications of poor performance has the potential to affect many different classes of stakeholders. Contemplating auditors, solely, raises the ethics issue to a whole different level in that he or she isRead MoreCase Study Of The Securities And Exchange Commission1311 Words   |  6 PagesCase Study Examination and Ethical Questions The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) imposes regulations on individuals and companies to ensure compliance with federal laws. Among the laws imposed by the SEC is the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), which prohibits bribes to foreign officials for the purpose of gaining or retaining business (SEC, 2016). While Con-Way, Inc. did not directly violate this act, it failed to ensure its subsidiary complied. Furthermore, it failed to implementRead MoreCase Study of Arthur Andersen1399 Words   |  6 Pageshowever, Andersen failed to withstand the pressure from the competition of consulting service. Thus, it leaded to a negative influence on Andersens corporate culture, which enabled Andersen to be more interested in its own revenue growth through ethical and legal misconducts, such as accounting irregularities and fraud. More seriously, it developed a number of lawsuits from1997 to 2005, which impelled the SEC to keep a close watch on, from its client such as Baptist Foun dation of Arizona, SunbeamRead MoreEssay Business Ethics in Accounting1034 Words   |  5 PagesIn the past there [ ] have been several cases in the business environment related to the practices of accountants and auditors who have violated the trust and confidence of public. A number of researches have been conducted to find the potential factors resulting in unethical, biased or inappropriate decision making and judgments by the professionals. The aim of this paper is to review two academic articles and conclude on the reliability of the claims and assertions made by the authors. TheRead MoreEthics And The Auditing Culture : Rethinking The Foundation Of Accounting And Auditing974 Words   |  4 PagesAuditing. The key of the abstract is to demonstrate how traditional ethical settings led to unethical behavior and financial scandals of Enron, WorldCom, and Arthur Anderson (p. 271). The authors emphasize the role of the AICPA Code of Conduct and ethical perspectives for accountants and auditors. Introduction. The authors study profiles of firms that included the accounting fraud. The main objective of the research is to improve the ethical conduct for accountants through the demonstration of the gapRead MoreChief Audit Executive ( Cae )1528 Words   |  7 Pagesthe progress of the audit as well as reviewing work for quality, completeness and adherence to Department policies and procedures. Project Manager, 1st Level Supervisor Acts as a project manager, which includes supervising other civilian/sworn auditors, including assigning audits, monitoring and tracking the progress of the audits, checking and reviewing work for quality, completeness, and adherence to policy and guidelines, and personally conducting the more complex and sensitive audits. AuditRead MoreThe Importance Of Accounting As Well As Ethics1442 Words   |  6 Pagesof the questions that I asked them, however they all had two things that were common answers. First off they all have very favorable views of accountants. If a problem were to ever occur with regards to their financial statements because of their ethical standards they know it would be an honest mistake. They all have the upmost confidence in their accountants to have the professionalism and competence to be able to catch the mistakes that are made. Secondly and perhaps most important and relevantRead MoreAcc/546 Week 1 Assignment1094 Words   |  5 Pages1. Why is audit planning so important?   What is the most important step in audit planning?   Why is this step so important? Posted on wed 5/8/2013 Responded to one classmates on 5/08/2013 Auditing planning is important because it helps the auditor determine his/her approach to the audit. There are two considerations that affect the approach: 1). Sufficient appropriate evidence must be accumulated to meet the auditor’s professional responsibility and 2). The cost of accumulating the evidenceRead MoreIT Corporate Governance Essays1599 Words   |  7 Pagesinternal auditor (IA), the external auditor (EA), and the information technology (IT) auditor all play important roles in the process of corporate governance. By using established frameworks established by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX), the Integrated Framework from the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO), and the Control Objectives for Information and related Technology (COBIT), organizations can demonstrate their adherence to regulations and legal requirements. Under

Six Sigma and Project Management - 1693 Words

Six Sigma and Project Management Project Management in Business and Technology, Section 02 Introduction â€Å"Sigma† is a symbol for a unit of measure which measures how much a process deviates from perfection. With the increase in demand for quality products/services, several organizations look for ways to improve their performance to meet customer’s expectations. Six Sigma is considered to be an approach which blends the components of quality management and business process re-engineering. Six Sigma’s aim is to increase the efficiency and remove waste, thereby increasing the customer satisfaction. There are many myths about Six Sigma: a) It’s only concerned with reducing defects b) It is a process for production c) It can’t be applied to engineering activities d) It is just a training process e) It is a new concept History of Six Sigma Since 1920’s the term ‘sigma’ is used by mathematician’s measurement unit in product quality measurement. In mid-1980’s, engineers at Motorola Inc. coined the term Six Sigma which they used it informally as an in-house initiative to increase the quality for reducing the defects in the production process. Initially the engineers measured the defects in terms of thousands which gradually increased to ‘defects per million’. This prompted the use of ‘Six Sigma’ technology and idea of branding Six Sigma. A company is Six Sigma certified if it could limit its flaws up to 3.4 defects per million. In 1991, Motorola introduced his firstShow MoreRelatedProject Management : The Six Sigma Process1691 Words   |  7 PagesAt the start of every endeavor, a project manager outlines the scope of the project, determines the tasks that must be completed, and establishes the type of approach that will be used for quality and monitoring. Although there are many methodologies that are exercised in project management, the Six Sigma process offers a method of monitoring a project and ensuring quality, while offering a system for improvement and problem solving. Six Sigma presents a systematic approach to improve a project’sRead MoreSix Sigma and Project Management Literature Review Essay6476 Words   |  26 PagesINTEGRATION OF SIX SIGMA AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT LITERATURE RESEARCH 1. Introduction In todays global business environment, the importance of first-to-market, customer service, cost-competitiveness, and quality are key factors in determining an organizations success, or undesirable failure. Manufacturers, engineering and transactional firms share a drive to lower costs, reduce cycle time and offer a diverse product mix as they pursue higher profits and an increased market share in a growingRead MoreAnalysis Of Ibm s Six Sigma1170 Words   |  5 Pages â€Æ' INTRODUCTION Six Sigma is a business management strategy originally developed by Motorola, USA in 1981. As of 2010, it enjoys widespread application in many sectors of industry, although its application is not without controversy. Six Sigma seeks to improve the quality of process outputs by identifying and removing the causes of defects (errors) and minimising variability in manufacturing and business processes. It uses a set of quality management methods, including statistical methods, and createsRead MoreSample Resume : Quality Management1118 Words   |  5 PagesQuality Management in Healthcare – HSM691 Dr. M. Bush October 24, 2015 Organizations can better attain its objectives by using tools to improve the quality and capability of their business processes. Such improvement tools, however, must also be applied with evaluative methods that will ensure that it is capable and effective for improved quality as a whole. Organizations improve quality by regularly using performance management methods and tools and one of them is the Six Sigma whichRead MoreWhat Role Should Six Sigma Play in Corporate Strategy?1579 Words   |  7 PagesQ3. What role should six sigma play in corporate strategy? Six sigma is a methodology and describes the process of; Define – Measure – Analyse – Improve- Control This process means that Six sigma has to be kept in mind from the identification of needs and objectives all the way through to when the objectives are met and need to be sustained. When Six sigma is implemented within 3M, different objectives will be set with six sigma and the reduction of waste in mind. These objectives are usuallyRead MoreThe Success And Failure Of Implementing Six Sigma1449 Words   |  6 PagesThe driving factors for a success or failure of implementing Six Sigma is largely dependent on the inputs set forth at the conception and duration of the integration. This whitepaper will compare and contrast these critical inputs for a successful deployment. In order to accomplish this five various companies: GE Electric, W.R. Grace, Royal Chemicals, Diversified Paper and Lemforder. Some of these organizations had very successful results while others failed to reach their full potential. WhatRead MoreManagement Philosophy : Six Sigma1020 Words   |  5 PagesSix Sigm a is one of those words that most individuals don’t use in their everyday vocabulary. What is Six Sigma you may ask? Maybe it is some kind of product, a slogan or maybe it s a company. If you thought it was any of these things, you re wrong. Six Sigma is actually a management philosophy. It was developed by engineer Bill Smith (while working at Motorola in 1985). Six Sigma sets extremely high objectives, collects data, and analyzes results which reduces defects in products and servicesRead MoreLean Six Sigma And The Effects On Operations And Technology Strategy1484 Words   |  6 Pages Process Analysis on Lean Six Sigma and The Effects on Operations and Technology Strategy Lauren M. Nanney East Tennessee State University Abstract Do not indent/ need to add headings/subheadings, etc Process Analysis on Lean Six Sigma and The Effects on Operations and Technology Strategy Over the course of the past three decades, American industrial organizations have sought a wide variety of management programs in hopes to improve their competitivenessRead MoreLean Teams And Six Sigma1546 Words   |  7 PagesAs a management system, six sigma permeates all aspects of an organization. Many of those who have had the opportunity to participate in six sigma projects have experienced the transformation of six sigma principles and concepts into the fabric of the management system of the companies in which they are employed by witnessing improvements that will have continuous, long term influences within the company. This is accomplished by creating alignment within the company leadership. Six sigma offers aRead MoreCorporate Driven Six Sigma Saves Ford $ 300 Million1744 Words   |  7 Pages Operations Management Consumer-driven Six Sigma saves Ford $300 million A look into the benefits of Six Sigma Amanda McGathey – 3281312 Nicholas Cantwell - 3319635 Dr. Abdur Rahim ADM4615 December 02, 2014 Ford Motor Company prides them in mass producing top of the line vehicles. Ford made â€Å"Quality Is Job 1† a household slogan in the 1980s, and they introduced revolutionary new products and used Total Quality Management to drive down costs in order to capture market share

Organizational Behavior Final free essay sample

Power and Influence Read this case: â€Å"Nabs Rogue Trader† (page 312). 1A. Power The sources of contingency of power model applies to the situation described in case study 10. 2 in McShane Von Glinow (2010) book through legitimate and coercive sources of power and visibility and discretion contingencies of power. Whether power is used in an ethical (good) or unethical (bad) way power is still power. Power is defined by McShane Von Glinow as â€Å"capacity of a person, team, or organization to influence others† (2010, pg. 290). This ability to influence people is shown by Luke Duffy in the case study through mainly coercive power but also legitimate power. Duffy’s power was derived from legitimate power because of the position he held within National Australia Bank’s (NAB’s) foreign currency option desk. Duffy’s boss, Gary Dillon, enforced this legitimate power by keeping him this position. Legitimate power that Duffy receives is due to his agreement within the organization and originates from his formal job description and informal rules of conduct. In the case study, Dennis Gentilin who is Duffy’s subordinate, states that Duffy is one of the â€Å"untouchables† and is used to getting his way. Legitimate power does have limitations and Duffy gets around this issue by also using coercive power to control or influence the staff to do what he wants and stay loyal. Duffy’s other source of power that he used to stay in his position was coercive power. By using his ability to apply punishment Duffy utilizes his coercive power. He does this several ways, one by inducing fear that he will use the punishment of transferring off his team and the other by mocking (bullying) them into submission. A good example from the case study is when it is explained how Duffy uses this mocking against a coworker in the London by making fun of him, which in turn kept the employee compliant. The employee did not want to be made fun of so the easiest way to make Duffy stop making fun of him (a form of punishment) was to let Duffy do what he was doing and stop interfering with his actions. Duffy also had contingencies of power that he used in his favor such as visibility and substitutability, though mainly his ability to use discretion was his main contingency of power within NAB’s. Duffy’s ability to make decisions without being questioned gave him this important contingency of power. Duffy was doing things against policy because he had been given too much discretion in his decision making responsibilities which resulted in numerous illegal actions on his part. The executives that gave him this amount of discretion to abuse ended up losing their jobs because of Duffy’s illegal actions. 1B. Influence Tactics Duffy does use his influence tactics effectively though in a negative capacity. One tactic that Duffy uses effectively is assertiveness. Duffy had a team that was under him and his social network consisted of this group, though not all of them enjoyed his company or agreed with what he was doing they still stayed in line, for the most part, with him due to his influence tactic of assertiveness. He was able to keep his social network by limiting contact of other social networks by being the main bridge between others and essentially creating a structural hole in the social network of the organization. According to McShane and Von Glinow (2010) a structural hole is the gap that is formed between two different groups or clusters in a social network. Duffy’s influence tactic was assertiveness, which he used very effectively throughout the organization, in a negative way. He applied vocal authority and through legitimate and coercive powers to influence others inside and outside his team to conform to his ways or turn a blind eye to his activities. In the case study, Gentilin, attempted to have Vanessa McCallum look into Duffy’s transactions but did not want to because she was afraid of his threats and assertiveness tactics of having her being removed from the team. Everyone knew of his threats of being removed from his team if they did not comply. This example of how Duffy uses his influence tactics is a great example of the â€Å"dark side† of organizational politics. His tactics were selfish and self-serving. At the end of the day Duffy’s tactics were allowing him to continue on with illegal and unethical behaviors, ultimately costing the organization over 350 million dollars over the course of one year and putting him and several others in jail. 2. Leadership Read this case: â€Å"Profitel Inc† (page 370). The behavioral perspective sets the stage for understanding transformational leadership. It also sets the stage for understanding the contingency Path-Goal Theory of leadership. A. Leadership Perspective The best perspective of leadership style that explains the scenario in McShane and Von Glinow (2010) is Fiedler’s contingency model. According to the contingency perspective of leadership the most appropriate style of leadership will always depend on the situation at hand and no one leadership style will work in every situation. Leaders must have a high level of emotional intelligence to be able to foresee the situation and change his or her style of leadership to best work for the situation (McShane Von Glinow, 2010). This scenario is an example of a leader being unable to adapt to the situation and forced his leadership style unto an organization resulting in failure. In this scenario the telephone company, Profitel, was looking for a new CEO to help battle emerging threats in a couple new markets. Profitel decided to hire from the outside based on the threats since this was new competition in hopes that the new CEO would bring experience with him to handle the issues. The board of directors at Profitel was excited by the prospects of Lars Peeters and the experience he had. Peeters had extensive global experience coming from a European company. His leadership style is stated as being â€Å"a high-octane energy level, self-confidence, decisiveness, and a congenial yet strong persuasive interpersonal style. † (McShane Von Glinow, 2010, p. 370). He came to the board with a strategy to boost profits, which is where the first hint comes into play. One of the board members noted that this was the same strategy he used in his previous two jobs as CEO, showing that he lacks the ability to change his leadership style to the situation. Fiedler’s contingency model is based off the effectiveness of whether or not the leadership style is appropriately matched to the situation and this case Peeters’ is not. According to Fiedlers’ model leaders cannot change their style and they will always fall back onto their natural style of leadership. Though they might be able to alter their style temporarily but it will not last (McShane Von Glinow, 2010). What Profitel should have done was find a leader more appropriate for their organizational structure. 2B. Leadership Problems If organizations, such as Profitel, wish to avoid leadership problems identified in this case study they should put the appropriate leader in that best fits the situation and the organizational structure. Though not all agree with Fiedler’s contingency model and has been criticized his point about a leadership style changing does hold weight. A company or organization should not expect a leader to come in and change his or her leadership style but instead should look for certain leaders that fit the situation. If an organization has an opening for a position such as what Profitel had in that they needed a leader that was free thinking and used to change then they should find a leader that has a leadership style appropriate for that. Flexibility is something that should be seen as a value in a scenario like this and Lars Peeters seemed like a leader that did things his way and forced it to be his way. Finding the right fit will go a long way when picking the right leader for an organization. 3. Organizational Structure Read this case: â€Å"Nokias Evolving Organizational Structure† (page 399). Current Changes to Structure Nokia Corporation has had to make many drastic changes in terms of division of labor within their organizational structure in order to stay successful and competitive in their market(s). Nokia’s organizational structure has changed dramatically over the decades it has been in business but most recently starting in the early 1990’s where its product-based organizational structure was mainly designed around its different businesses to today where Nokia has sold off most of their divisions and focusing on just a few product divisions. All in all Nokia has remained a product-based organizational structure. In the early 1990’s Nokia’s divisions were consumer electronics, cable for construction and power transmission, industrial rubber, and their (at the time) newly acquired telecommunication business (McShane Von Glinow, 2010). Today their organizational structure is smaller and their main emphasis is on two divisions: Smart Devices and Mobile Phones. The third division is their â€Å"Markets division that instead of products deals with global sales and supply chain operations. Nokia’s changes were made due to the evolution of their products. They had to change their organizational structure in terms of division of labor to keep their divisions successful. Cell phones were changing and the market was changing so they had to keep up. As the product changed from just a regular cell phone to a cell phone with internet capabilities they changed their division of labor to focus on those markets to fight off the declining of sales. Nokia is a large company that deals with products and must focus on keeping those products sales high. If they are obsolete they must change products and evolve. The divisions of labor that Nokia had in the beginning were broad and varied to a high degree compared to the narrow market it now deals with. The other divisions were sold off or closed. 3B. Problems with the new Structure Nokia is in a market that is going to be forever changing. As technology advances so will the products that Nokia sells. The current organizational structure is good for the current products but will be forced to change yet again as the products evolve and the current products start to decline. Nokia’s second division is focused on the traditional cell phone market that in the next five to ten years could be a smart phone. At that point both divisions would be dealing with the same product or that division will go away, leaving Nokia with yet another organizational change / shift. With these changes Nokia will be losing valuable experience or forced to re-train these individuals in the new markets on the new products. Nokia currently has a divisional structure, which has forced them to continually change their organizational structure to fit their current product lines. If Nokia would go through a radical change into a functional structure they would go through less organizational changes over the coming years. A functional structure will focus their organization around the employees and their specific knowledge instead of their current organizational structure which is focused around their products. I would recommend a change to having a CEO at the top of their organization chart with maybe a research and development (RD) division, a sales division, and a product division. This would allow for more flexibility as different products come and go through the organization. The technology could move from the RD division right to the product division with the sales division being similar to what they have now with their â€Å"Markets† division. By staying with a divisional structure with their current products they will always being changing and refocusing their efforts, never really establishing a strong organizational structure where formalization is allowed to standardized the informal communications, behaviors, etc. 4. Organizational Change Read scenarios 2 and 3 in the team exercise: â€Å"Strategic Change Incidents† (page 456). A. Lewin and Change Management Practices After reading scenario 2 and analyzing the different factors that might be in play in this scenario I would suggest that the organization do a couple different things to help unfreeze, change, and refreeze the organization in order to help them become more environmentally friendly. Resistance to change can come from many different angles and it is key as a leader to identify what these forms of resistance to change might occur before unfreezing an organization and attempting to make a change. Resistance to change is common and according to McShane Von Glinow (2010) it is a natural human response. In general some reasons why employees might be resistant to change are when an employee’s personal cost-benefits analysis is negative, to save face or embarrassment of being wrong, the fear of the unknown, a break in common routine, incongruent team dynamics, or incongruent organizational systems (McShane Von Glinow, 2010). In this particular scenario I would attempt to foresee some of the forms of resistance to change that might come about such as direct costs to the employees. They might see the extra effort that might be involved in this change as more work on their part and no extra benefit. Another might be the fear of the unknown where some jobs might become obsolete due to saving no paper or just in general what is going to be expected of them. Finally another resistance to change that might come about could be a break in their normal routine and a waste of their time and effort. By knowing these possible forms of resistance to change I can plan accordingly and prepare for them. Since the board of directors and the CEO both want the organization to be more environmentally friendly and I am the one in charge of making it happen I would first unfreeze the organization by starting an educational program that is geared towards helping the employees learn about the importance of environmental objectives, such as the 3 R’s â€Å"reduce, reuse, recycle†. After a period of time, allowing the educational program to work I would then start to introduce the change. I would hope that this educational program would help inspire change from within and create urgency for change that starts with the employees. By properly communicating what the organizational goals are in regards to their environmental objectives it will allow the employees to create their own programs and eliminate their fears of the unknown, they would break their own routines out of want, and they would understand that their cost-benefit analysis would not be affected in a negative way. Since this change was brought on by the employees the freezing would be as simple as putting the suggestions and â€Å"new† behaviors into company policies. By creating policies from initiatives that the employees started their will be less resistance to the official company policies that are being implemented, which would essentially be freezing the change. 4B. Action Research In this scenario, Team Exercise 15. 2 scenario 3, I would assume I am in the Chief Operations Officer (COO) and working alongside the CEO to help keep the airlines from defaulting on their payroll obligations and turn around the organizations operational efficiency. The action research approach is an four step approach to changing the process of an organization that is a combination of action orientation and research orientation (McShane Von Glinow, 2010). As COO I would apply action research, minus step-one since I am already in the organization and forming the client-consultant relationship does not apply to this situation. Going straight into step-two of the action research approach, which is diagnosing the need for change, I would immediately attempt to find the root of the problem. I would sit down with as many different staff and talk to them about what is causing the problems. I would also hope to have enough time to implement a well thought out survey to narrow down exactly what the problem(s) are. Since this is an airlines company and the reputation goes a long way I would start with fixing why the employees are embarrassed to wear the company logo, if the employees are embarrassed, the surely the majority of the customers do not want to fly with us. The employees will know the underling cause so once I have them on board step-one will be complete. In this scenario as the COO I would move into step three viciously and fast with what McShane and Von Glinow (2010) calls a quantum change. Step-three of the action research approach is to introduce intervention, which is applying the methods to fix the problem. So as COO I would implement change starting with rewards or incentives to all the staff working on the flight, for every flight that takes off on time. Obviously there are situations that are out of the hands of the staff such as weather and mechanical issues but over for the majority of the flights the staff would be working towards getting that plane off on time. This I believe would help with the embarrassment of working for the airlines and over time the staff will become proud to be employees. It will not be an overnight process but instead something that will take considerable effort and communication between the employees and executives. The final step, step-four, of the action research approach is to evaluate and stabilize the change. In this step I would have to watch and see if the incentive is working. Is the incentive too little, too much, or over time are they forgetting about it all together. I would need to adjust the incentive but also ensure that healthy approaches are being taken. It would be counterproductive to have staff rushing the people on the plane just to get the incentive, or pilots leaving early or without passengers just for the incentive. So as the COO I would have to carefully watch what is happening and adjust as necessary.

Importance of Mathematics free essay sample

The main reason for studying mathematics to an advanced level is that it is interesting and enjoyable. People like its challenge, its clarity, and the fact that you know when you are right. The solution of a problem has an excitement and a satisfaction. You will find all these aspects in a university degree course. You should also be aware of the wide importance of Mathematics, and the way in which it is advancing at a spectacular rate. Mathematics is about pattern and structure; it is about logical analysis, deduction, calculation within these patterns and structures. When patterns are found, often in widely different areas of science and technology, the mathematics of these patterns can be used to explain and control natural happenings and situations. Mathematics has a pervasive influence on our everyday lives, and contributes to the wealth of the country. The importance of mathematics The everyday use of arithmetic and the display of information by means of graphs, are an everyday commonplace. These are the elementary aspects of mathematics. Advanced mathematics is widely used, but often in an unseen and unadvertised way. The mathematics of error-correcting codes is applied to CD players and to computers. †¢The stunning pictures of far away planets sent by Voyager II could not have had their crispness and quality without such mathematics. †¢Voyagers journey to the planets could not have been calculated without the mathematics of differential equations. †¢Whenever it is said that advances are made with supercomputers, there has to be a mathematical theory which instructs the computer what is to be done, so allowing it to apply its capacity for speed and accuracy. The development of computers was initiated in this country by mathematicians and logicians, who continue to make important contributions to the theory of computer science. †¢The next generation of software requires the latest methods from what is called category theory, a theory of mathematical structures which has given new perspectives on the foundations of mathematics and on logic. †¢The physical sciences (chemistry, physics, oceanography, astronomy) require mathematics for the development of their theories. †¢In ecology, mathematics is used when studying the laws of population change. Statistics provides the theory and methodology for the analysis of wide varieties of data. †¢Statistics is also essential in medicine, for analysing data on the causes of illness and on the utility of new drugs. . †¢Travel by aeroplane would not be possible without the mathematics of airflow and of control systems. †¢Body scanners are the expression of subtle mathematic s, discovered in the 19th century, which makes it possible to construct an image of the inside of an object from information on a number of single X-ray views of it. Thus mathematics is often involved in matters of life and death. These applications have often developed from the study of general ideas for their own sake: numbers, symmetry, area and volume, rate of change, shape, dimension, randomness and many others. Mathematics makes an especial contribution to the study of these ideas, namely the methods of †¢precise definitions; †¢careful and rigorous argument; representation of ideas by many methods, including symbols and formulae, pictures and graphics; †¢means of calculation; and the obtaining of precise solutions to clearly stated problems, or clear statements of the limits of knowledge. These features allow mathematics to provide a solid foundation to many aspects of daily life, and to give a comprehension of the complexities inherent in apparently quite simple situations. For these reasons, mathematics and calculation have been associated from earliest times. In modern times, the need to perform rapid mathematical calculat ions in war time, particularly in ballistics, and in decoding, was a strong stimulus to the development of the electronic computer. The existence of high speed computers has now helped mathematicians to calculate and to make situations visual as never before. Also this calculation has developed from numerical calculation, to symbolic calculation, and currently to calculation with the mathematical structures themselves. This last is very recent, and is likely to lead to a major transformation. These capacities change, not the nature of mathematics, but the power of the mathematican, which increases perhaps a millionfold the possibility to comprehend, to argue, to explore. There is also a reverse interaction. The notion of computing would not have made sense without Mathematics, and it was the analysis of the methods of Mathematics by mathematicians, philosophers, logicians and engineers which led to the concept of a programmable computer . Indeed, two mathematicians, von Neumann in the USA and Turing in the UK, are known as the fathers of the modern computers. Analysis of computing, and attempts to make it as reliable as possible, needs deep Mathematics, and this need is likely to grow. A computer, unless it is programmed, is just a box made of metal, glass, silicon, etc. Programming expresses algorithms in a form suitable for the computer. Mathematics is needed as a language for specification, for determining what is to be done, how and when, and for the verification that the programs and algorithms work correctly. Mathematics is essential for the correct use of computers in most of their applications and the mathematical needs of computing have sparked off many new and exciting questions. Thus computers, while they have, fortunately, done away with the need for humans to carry out routine calculations, have also required from mathematicians a deeper analysis of the process and logic of computation, and its representation in a machine. The imagination of mathematicians is also stirred by its rigorous nature, which forces them to follow through the logic of their ideas. There are many examples of mathematicians producing apparently strange and inapplicable theories, noting simply that this is the way the mathematics seems to go, only to find these vindicated perhaps decades later by surprising applications. A recent example is the theory of knots, which was developed as a part of pure mathematics since 1870. A wonderful advance in 1985 showed how the theory could be applied in physics in relation to quantum theory, and in biology in relation to the way DNA unknots itself before dividing. Similarly, modern notions of chaos and fractals were pioneered by mathematicians in the early years of this century. Now fractals are a practical tool for compressing data on computer discs. The study of mathematics can satisfy a wide range of interests and abilities. It develops the imagination. It trains in clear and logical thought. It is a challenge, with varieties of difficult ideas and unsolved problems, because it deals with the questions arising from complicated structures. Yet it also has a continuing drive to simplification, to finding the right concepts and methods to make difficult things easy, to explaining why a situation must be as it is. In so doing, it develops a range of language and insights, which may then be applied to make a crucial contribution to our understanding and appreciation of the world, and our ability to find and make our way in it. Mathematics as a career Those who qualify in mathematics are in the fortunate position of having a wide range of career choices. The abilities †¢to use logical thought, †¢to formulate a problem in a way which allows for computation and decision, †¢to make deductions from assumption, †¢to use advanced concepts, are all enhanced by a mathematics degree course. It is for this reason that mathematician are increasingly in demand. With a mathematics degree, you should be able to turn your hand to finance, statistics, engineering, computers, teaching or accountancy with a success not possible to other graduates. This flexibility is even more important nowadays, with the considerable uncertainty as to which areas will be the best for employment in future years. [The most recent surveys show graduates in mathematicians and computer science at the top of the earning lists six years after graduation. ] Computer science has a considerable mathematical component, which is becoming more important as the designers of software are required to prove that the software meets its specification. This kind of rigour is one of the basic techniques of mathematics, and can be learned only through a mathematics course. What to look for in a University Degree course The first decision you need to make when choosing a degree course concerns the subject matter. Do you want to make mathematics alone, or do you want to mix it with another subject in a joint honours degree or in some modular structure? There are arguments both ways. The advantage of a single honours course, particularly when your main interest is mathematics, is that it offers the opportunity to study a wide range of topics and methods within your subject. The advantage of a mix is the wider range of skills which you may attain. This, coupled with a broader education, may widen the types of job opportunities available. For example, employers are looking for communication skills, and are often happier if students have done some assessed essay or report writing during their degree. Learning these skills can also be an aspect of a single honours course which involves history of mathematics, problem solving, and other forms of project work. Teaching and assessment One of the things you should look for is the range of tutorial provision and of personal contact. Mathematics is a subject where you learn to do things, and you need feedback on whether your own approaches are the correct ones, in relation to both detail and overall plan. The use of continuous assessment is often an advantage, since in real life you are tested on the quality of the work you can produce, as well as the ability to do that work quickly and under pressure. It is becoming more important for you to show to a prospective employer that you can produce well thought-out work to a high standard, and that you can communicate what you know, both in writing and orally. Mathematics is a wonderful and exciting subject, but how it works, and why it is so successful, are not matters which are easy to understand, even by its practitioners. Perhaps full explanations would require deeper analyses of language, psychology and thought than are at present available. Nonetheless, it is desirable in a degree course for there to be some discussion and analysis of the processes used in mathematics (symbols, abstraction, generalisation, formalisation, proof, problem solving, etc. , to help you grasp the underlying ideas, set the subject in context, and to relate the learning of technique to an understanding of how these techniques fit into a general scheme. You must see how the apparently abstract nature of mathematics is one of the reason for its power, since it enables the exploitation of analogies between apparently diverse situations. A Bangor graduate now employed in industry wrote that a mathematics graduate who can see which of a range of techniques are app licable to a problem in hand is worth his weight in gold. The new M Math degree This year sees many more universities offering a 4 year degree called M. Math, or something of a similar character, following its introduction in 1994. What is this degree? Why has it been introduced? Is it for you? The main reason for its introduction is the continuing progress in Mathematics which is hinted at in the section The importance of mathematics in the previous article Why choose Mathematics. The extraordinary advances that have occured in the subject over the last ten years or so have led a recent book to be called Mathematics, the New Golden Age (Keith Devlin, Penguin). OUTPUT from the system has changed. What about the INPUT, thats you? In schools, Mathematics has changed. G. C. S. E. has introduced young mathematicians to a much more interactive view of their subject. Investigations, when they work well, allow one to see Mathematics being created by oneself. The subject is not proclaimed from on high by some omnipotent being. It is a human activity, it is challenging, often hard work, often fun and very rewarding intellectually. There are, however, still only 24 hours in each day, and 7 days in each week. Something has gone. The average ability of young mathematicians to manipulate algebra has slipped. This has meant that sixth formers have been finding the hill to climb from G. C. S. E. to A-level has become even steeper. It has also meant that Universities have had to slow down the presentation of algebra in degree courses. Algebraic manipulation is important. It feeds into calculus and analysis, into areas of applied Mathematics, probability and statistics, so all material has had to be slowed down to some extent. On the positive side, the experience of investigations at G. C. S. E. as meant that students are often less passive and want to interact with the material at a more personal level than was previously possible. There is yet another influence changing the way Universities present their Mathematics. The future employers of mathematicians demand the same expertise as before in the subject, but they also expect that their future employees will be able to write reports, to communicate, and present the conclusions of their investigations, to formulate questions and interpret the solutions, qualities that were not always there in the past. For this, like all graduates, mathematicians need transferable skills. They need to be able to explain, to talk to experts in other disciplines, to question, and to investigate. All this has put a big strain on the 3 year degree courses. We need to slow down the presentation of material, to increase the depth and breadth of the material with the new advances in Mathematics and its applications, to include the training in transferable mathematical skills. What should be done? The answer put forward by a working group from the main mathematical learned societies was a 4 year degree option. Students would have the choice. If they wanted to become professional mathematicians then they would probably take the 4 year degree. If they did not want to use their mathematical knowledge in their future careers, their choice might be a standard 3 year B. Sc. This would still give them an extremely valuable broadly based, highly numerate degree but the additional technical depth of the MMath type degree would not be demanded. The BSc student would get a training in logical thought, planning, formulation etc. but would not meet the more specialist parts of Mathematics in such quantity or depth. The aspiring professional mathematician would need that extra year in the MMath course in order to come to grips with that extra depth and breadth. The MMath is thus somewhat different in conception from the old MSc, and is only an initial degree. It does ressemble other Masters programmes in other European countries in its basic conception. So, after all that, an MMath is a 4 year first degree for those hoping to become professional mathematicians. Is it for you? I cannot answer that, but probably neither can you at the moment. The decision has not got to be made immediately. You can swop from the standard BSc course to the MMath in nearly all cases provided your grades are good enough, or you can swop the other way. A final decision has to be made before entering the third year, for various administrative reasons relating to grants. If you find Maths at University fun and challenging and after 2 years you think that being, say, a research mathematician, statistician or operational researcher appeals to you, try the 4 year degree. Remember though that the two degrees have a different aim: neither is better than the other. If you opt for the BSc and afterwards find a taste for deeper Mathematics, it seems likely that the conventional MSc route will still be available, even probably thriving, so your decision is not a condemnation to a life without maths!! The new degree schemes are a reaction to the changing face of Mathematics, in which new insights are gained, new concepts emerge from the darkness, new questions are formulated. As you consider if a degree in Maths is for you, remember that while Mathematics is one of the oldest subjects, it is constantly being rejuvenated and it is very much alive as it heads into the 21st century.