1. What is a conflict of interest and when and under what conditions are they unethical? Do the dual roles of auditor and consultant, as played by Arthur Andersen and other major accounting firms constitute an unethical conflict of interest?
2. While many firms are into data mining, not all of them are equally successful in utilizing the findings to further their business; in fact too much data can be overwhelming and disruptive. Discuss the major factors that firms should bear in mind in order to derive maximum benefit from data mining initiatives.