Assignment Problem: Ethical Issues-Compensation Plan
The executive officers of Rouse Corporation have a performance-based compensation plan. The performance a criterion of this plan is linked to growth in earnings per share. When annual EPS growth is 12%, the Rouse executives earn 100% of the shares; if growth is 16%, they earn 125%. If EPS growth is lower than 8%, the executives receive no additional compensation. In 2014, Joan Devers, the controller of Rouse, reviews year-end estimates of bad debt expense and warranty expense. She calculates the EPS growth at 15%. Kurt Adkins, a member of the executive group, remarks over lunch one day that the estimate of bad debt expense might be decreased, increasing EPS growth to 16.1%. Devers is not sure she should do this because she believes that the current estimate of bad debts is sound. On the other hand, she recognizes that a great deal of subjectivity is involved in the computation.
Required - Answer the following questions.
Q1. What, if any, is the ethical dilemma for Devers?
Q2. Should Devers's knowledge of the compensation plan be a factor that influences her estimate?
Q3. How should Devers respond to Adkins's request?
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