1. What are some examples of major ethical breaches in the recent past that have led to increased scrutiny in the field of financial reporting and analysis? Why are they important to a firm's stakeholders and the public at large?
2. What is the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, and what are some of the elements of this Act that were designed to protect the integrity of the financial statements prepared and disseminated by publicly traded companies?
3. What is the SEC, and what is its role in protecting the integrity of financial statements prepared and disseminated by publically traded companies?
Be sure to document your statements with credible sources, in-text citations, and references using proper APA format.