Ethical dilemmas in business, accounting and taxation

The thesis deals with financial accounting and taxation; i.e. areas with increased risk of unethical behaviour. It presents and critically evaluates the measures introduced by the European Union, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the authors of Taxparency project - the nongovernmental organisation Transparency International Česká republika and Lexperanto association. The introductory chapters of the thesis offer a brief excursion into the realms of philosophy, law and psychology. Their purpose is to provide a comprehensive summary of the most important findings from these disciplines for better understanding of the meaning and fundamentals of ethics. Subsequently, three key areas of financial accounting and taxation are discussed - non-transparent ownership structures, virtual offices and transfer prices - with the objective to determine the motives of entrepreneurs to use these practices. LuxLeaks case is mentioned as a practical example of unethical behaviour of entrepreneurs, tax advisers as well as of civil servants. The conclusion outlines the Taxparency project. The aim of the thesis is not only to introduce but also critically evaluate the project. Based on the results of a questionnaire survey, the possibilities of the project implementation in the conditions of the Czech Republic are analysed. The official websites of individual institutions and organisations became the main information source for the thesis.