SOLUTIONS FOR CHAPTER 1 Each end-of-chapter question in the Solutions Manual is tagged to correspond with AACSB, AICPA and CISA standards, allowing professors to more easily manage the task of reporting outcomes to these professional and accrediting bodies. Please see the corresponding spreadsheet file for the tagging information. Discussion Questions DQ 1-1 “I just want to be a good accountant, technology does not interest me.” Comment on this statement, considering today’s technology environment. ANS. Possible points that could be made: a. Distinguish between an accountant and a bookkeeper. An understanding of accounting software and related technology would enable one to advance beyond entry-level positions. b. Without knowledge of computer technology, an accountant can be a bookkeeper/accountant for a small firm that does not use computers at all. (With the ubiquitous nature of computers, this has become a weak argument, at best.) More realistically, with the low cost of accounting software, only very select organizations may not benefit from automation. Examples of those organizations would include businesses that sell a low volume of unique products. c. Because the ability to access data, present data for decision making, audit an accounting system, and so on are all affected by computer technology, the career path for an accountant will be severely limited by a lack of knowledge of computer technology. d. The public accounting profession is competitive and the effective use of technology helps maintain a competitive edge. For example, an auditor can usually complete an audit engagement in less time—and be surer of the findings—than he/she would be without using technology in the audit. This will permit the auditor to charge less for the work and to obtain more clients. And, if the auditor’s findings can be supported, he/she will be less likely to experience