Dependable information is essential to the very existence ofour society. The investor making a decision to buy or sell
securities, the banker deciding whether to approve a loan,
the government in obtaining revenue based on income tax
returns—all are relying upon information provided by others. In many of these situa-
tions, the goals of the providers of information may run somewhat counter to those of
the users of the information. Implicit in this line of reasoning is recognition of the
social need for independent public accountants—individuals of professional compe-
tence and integrity who can tell us whether the information that we use constitutes a
fair picture of what is really going on.
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