Il se pose présentement un problème de compréhension du concept de malhonnêteté en matière de fraude. Pour fms de rappel, la fraude peut être commise par mensonge, par supercherie ou par tout autre moyen dolosif. Cette dernière notion, selon l'état actuel de la jurisprudence sera évaluée selon un critère objectif. C'est donc en fonction de la personne raisonnable que l'on se référera afin de déterminer du caractère malhonnête de la conduite. Or, la notion de malhonnêteté n'étant pas défmie, il en résulte incertitude et confusion surtout en matière de crimes économiques. Considérant que les administrateurs sont assujettis en droit des sociétés à une obligation de loyauté et d'honnêteté, il s'agira de s'inspirer des principes développés en cette matière afm de dégager certaines constantes qui nous permettront de déterminer ce qui constitue une conduite malhonnête. La première partie se veut un exposé sommaire des grands principes régissant le droit corporatif. Y sont décrites certaines conduites considérées comme malhonnêtes en droit des sociétés. De cette analyse, il ressort que la malhonnêteté est davantage définie en relation au projet commun des investisseurs qu'en fonction d'un droit de propriété. La notion se divise ainsi autour de deux grands axes, à savoir, les conflits horizontaux et les conflits verticaux. La deuxième partie se concentre sur le droit criminel. Y sont repris, en matière de fraude les conduites considérées comme faisant partie de la catégorie des «autres moyens dolosifs» et décrites par la juge Mclachlin. Au besoin, une référence aux principes du droit corporatif est faite. D'autres infractions, telles les commissions secrètes, les délits d'initiés et le vol sont examinées. La malhonnêteté en droit criminelle est davantage définie en relation avec le droit de propriété. Toutefois, le manque de loyauté se voulant également dénoncé, la notion d'intérêt de la compagnie, comme en matière de droit corporatif présente toute sa pertinence. / There presently is a problem regarding the comprehension of the concept of dishonesty relating to fraud. Fraud can be the result of deceit, falsehood or other fraudulent means. This last notion is determined objectively, by reference to what a reasonable person would consider to be a dishonest act. Considering that the notion of dishonesty has no definition, a confusion exists especially when it cornes to economic crimes. Due to the fact that directors are compelled to respect an obligation of good faith and loyalty, we will refer to the general principles that exist in corporate law in order to define what can be qualified as dishonest behaviour. The first part is a summary of the general principals relating to corporate law. In fuis part we describe sorne behaviours which are considered as dishonest. From this analysis, we have come to the conclusion that dishonesty is understood as being an obstacle to the common project ofthe investors, and not in relation to property. The second part relates to criminal law. Some of the behaviours that were described as being part of other fraudulent means by justice McLachlin are analyzed. A reference to the general principles of corporate law is made when needed. Other offences like secret commissions and insider trading are also part of the analysis. Dishonesty pertaining to criminal law is described in relation to property. However, a lack of loyalty being also denounced, the notion of the best interest of the company, as in corporate law, remains relevant. / "Mémoire présenté à la Faculté des études supérieures en vue de l'obtention du grade de maîtrise en droit option droit des affaires". Ce mémoire a été classé parmi les 15% des mémoires de la discipline.

Using organizational theory, this research study examines whether a firm's business strategy influences the ethical culture and climate within the organization, and thus explains why a firm's business strategy may ultimately contribute toward an increased risk of financial misreporting. This study develops from recent research which finds that companies following an innovative, risk-oriented Prospector business strategy are significantly more likely to experience financial reporting irregularities, despite increased audit effort levels. To examine the research question, both survey and archival methods are employed. Using a large-scale research survey, I find two subset groups of Prospector firms where a smaller (larger) group is significantly associated with a less (more) ethical culture and climate, which offer insights into why companies following a Prospector business strategy continue to experience irregularities despite auditors' efforts. Results suggest auditors may not be able to distinguish between the two sets of Prospectors and thus may direct higher audit efforts too generally at Prospector firms rather than at the smaller set of firms with less ethical cultures and climates?i.e., firms more prone to rationalizing less ethical behavior. I also find that firms pursing a second type of strategy, a transitory Reactor strategy, are consistently associated with a negative ethical culture and climate. For a subset of public companies which can be linked to archival data, I find evidence to suggest that companies with less (more) ethical climates are associated with an increased (reduced) risk of financial misreporting while controlling for incentive and opportunity factors. I continue to find evidence that companies following a Prospector business strategy are associated with greater risks of misreporting, confirming prior research. Altogether, my findings suggest several antecedents for firms experiencing greater risk of financial statement misreporting and provide evidence regarding the third leg of the auditing fraud triangle (rationalization).

The documentary letters of credit transaction is the most common method of payment for goods in international trade. Its use has been considered so important that it is referred to as the �lifeblood� of international commerce. The purpose of this thesis is, through analysing the present regime of documentary credit established under the The Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits, 1993 Revision (�UCP�), to identify the rights and duties of all parties in such transactions and the reasons for the frequent occurrence of fraudulent activities associated with the documents required under the credits. It identifies that the present system fails to either encourage or implement substantial realisation of �reasonable care� or �good faith� on the part of the banks, or realisation of the requirement of �good faith� from beneficiaries. As a result, the independence principle has been left without substance, with resulting huge opportunities for fraudsters to cheat on the documents and obtain payment without the need to actually perform their duties to banks and buyers. Such issues have become more acute against the background of an underlying shift in the allocation of risk between the respective parties to letters of credit. There has been a depreciation in the value of the primary document of title and security held by the issue, the bill of lading, with the advent of container shipping. As the letter of credit system is wholly dependent on the integrity of the documents, it is being undermined by these developments. This has represented a shift in the traditional scheme of risk allocation from the seller to the bank. In practice, banks have taken countermeasures by insisting that applicants provide other types of collateral, and by subjecting applicants to rigorous credit checks. Thus, applicants ultimately have had to bear the brunt of costs associated with this reallocation of risk. It will be demonstrated that the UCP does not incorporate adequate or clear enough duties to be exercised on the part of issuers toward applicants, and severely restricts the applicant�s right to sue if the issuer has wrongfully honoured. Ultimately, a balance must be struck between the desirability of protecting the applicant from the beneficiary�s fraud against the benefits gained by maintaining the letter of credit as a commercial instrument and business device. Obviously, there is public interest in protecting both of these commercial values. This thesis advocates that a mechanism in addition to the fraud exception must be introduced to safeguard the system against the ramifications of these changes � increased fraud. The thesis is structured into five chapters. Chapter 1 sets out to demonstrate the circumstances under which the respective risks are borne by each participant in the letter of credit transaction, and how developments in trade practice have caused the burden of certain of these risks among the parties to a letter of credit transaction to shift. Chapter 2, after briefly visiting the historical origins of the letter of credit and the birth of the UCP, explores the implications of the dominance of banking interests over the drafting and interpretation of the UCP, how the UCP has in practice excluded the intrusion of other sources of law and the general reluctance of courts to intervene by applying non-letter of credit principles, the implication of the UCP�s assumption of the law in practice, the resulting marginalisation of local laws, and the inequality in bargaining power between banks and applicants that precludes a choice of law other than the UCP. Chapter 3 explores the independence principle and question of documentary compliance, why the system is ridden with non-compliant documents and the lack of incentive and meaningful duty for the banks to check for �red flags� that may indicate fraud on the documents or in the transaction. It will be emphasised that documentary validity, rather than mere documentary compliance, should be the focus under the letter of credit. Chapter 4 examines the fraud exception to the independence principle, the typical high thresholds of proof that applicants had to overcome to estopp payment, and explores recent trends towards the gradual lowering of such thresholds. Finally, Chapter 5 considers practical measures and proposals for reform that would help to redress the imbalance in the allocation of risk identified in the thesis.

Zugl.: Tübingen, Univ., Diss., 2007

Thesis (MMS.)--University of Waikato, 2006. / Title from PDF cover (viewed February 26, 2008) Includes bibliographical references (p. 133-144)

Zugl.: Diss. / Literaturverz. S. [XI], [463] - 492.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2008. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S. in Operations Research)--Naval Postgraduate School, June 2002. / Thesis advisor(s): Samuel E. Buttrey, Lyn R. Whitaker. Includes bibliographical references (p. 103-105). Also available online.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Rutgers University, 2008. / "Graduate Program in Communication, Information and Library Studies." Includes bibliographical references (p. 303-318).

Thesis (M.S.)--Brigham Young University. Dept. of Computer Science, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 77-83).