scholarly journals The impact of conservatism and secrecy on the IFRS interpretation: the case of Tunisia and Egypt

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jihen Eljammi Ayadi ◽  
Salma Damak ◽  
Khaled Hussainey

Purpose The effect of culture, through the accounting values of conservatism and secrecy, on accounting judgments is an area of research extensively studied in developed countries. However, little research has focused on this issue in developing countries, specifically Arab countries. Thus, this study aims to fill this gap by investigating the impact of the combined effect of the culture/accounting dimensions on the interpretation of the probability expressions used in the international accounting standards/international financial reporting standards (IFRSs) in two North African/Arab countries: Tunisia and Egypt. Design/methodology/approach In the first place, this study determines Hofstede’s cultural index scores for Tunisia, ignored in his original model and updates those related to Egypt, which provides a more relevant understanding of the cultural effect. Then, the study relies on the Hofstede/Gray cultural accounting model to examine the extent to which the accounting values of conservatism and secrecy may affect the recognition of the increase and the decrease of income and the disclosure of this information in the financial statements by postgraduate accounting student in both countries. Findings The results provide evidence of the generalizability of Gray’s conservatism hypothesis in the North African/Arab countries (i.e. Tunisia and Egypt), at least in the context of income recognition. Moreover, the findings demonstrate that culture, through its influence on the accounting value of secrecy, affects the interpretation of probability expressions used in the IFRSs to establish disclosures. Research limitations/implications This study calls for more attention from the standard setters to provide further guidance related to the consistent and accurate numerical value that needs to be assigned to the probability expressions to reduce the ambiguity related to their interpretation. The international accounting standards board (IASB) should pay greater attention to the use of vague probability expressions in developing the IFRSs to promote the true comparability of financial reporting worldwide. Like with any research, this study implies certain limitations specifically related to the sample selection, a sample size, which may affect the generalizability of the results. Thus, future research may rely on a larger sample combining and cover other cultural areas. Practical implications The results of this study may give insights into the practical issues faced by the accounting practitioners and which are related to the interpretation and the application of the IFRS including probability expressions. This may trigger their attention toward this issue to reduce the occurrence of these expressions in the revised and newly released standards to guarantee homogeneous financial reporting practices across countries and enhance the IASB’s objective of international accounting harmonization. Originality/value This study might be the first one that investigates the issue of the IFRS interpretation in two North African and Arab countries: Tunisia and Egypt. It also provides an original investigation of the cultural effect on accounting judgments based on the actualized Hofstede’s cultural indexes, especially for Tunisia which is ignored in the original country classification.

Author(s):  
Fatema Ebrahim Alrawahi ◽  
Adel Mohammed Sarea

Purpose This study aims to investigate the association between seven firm-specific characteristics and the level of mandatory compliance with International Accounting Standards (IAS) 1 by firms listed on Bahrain Bourse. Design/methodology/approach A disclosure index is used to measure the extent of compliance with IAS 1. Each of the 36 sampled firms’ annual reports were examined against the index for the financial year ending December 31, 2013. Findings The results reveal an overall compliance of 83 per cent. Regression results report that only audit firm size, profitability and industry type have a positive and significant association with IAS 1 disclosure requirements. Practical implications This study should be particularly relevant to regulatory bodies in Bahrain for strategizing and encouraging compliance with IAS 1 by listed firms. Originality/value Additionally, the study contributes to financial reporting literature relating to the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, mainly Bahrain. Bahrain is a financial hub, and it is interesting to examine how it presents its financial statements to investors and the degree of its compliance with International Financial Reporting Standards since its adoption in 2007.


2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 241-273 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yasean A. Tahat ◽  
Theresa Dunne ◽  
Suzanne Fifield ◽  
David M. Power

Purpose The main aim of this paper is to investigate Financial Instruments (FIs) disclosures provided by Jordanian listed companies under International Financial Reporting Standard No. 7 (IFRS 7) as compared to those supplied under International Accounting Standards (IAS) 30/32. Design/methodology/approach A sample of 82 Jordanian listed companies is used in this monograph. A disclosure index checklist was constructed to measure FI information provided by the sample companies. Findings The study finds that a larger number of Jordanian listed companies provided a greater level of FI-related information after IFRS 7 was implemented. Specifically, the sample firms provided 47 per cent of the disclosure index items after implementing IFRS 7 as compared to 30 per cent under IAS 30/32. In addition, the industrial analysis of FI disclosure revealed that the highest level of disclosure was provided by firms in the banking sector over the two periods; these companies disclosed 44 per cent of FI-related items pre-IFRS 7 and 69 per cent of items post-IFRS 7. Moreover, the industrial analysis of FI disclosure pre-and post-implementation of IFRS 7 revealed specific aspects of usefulness. In particular, some components of FI disclosure (Balance Sheet and Fair Value) showed no significant differences within and across sectors post the implementation of IFRS 7, suggesting that the new standard may have enhanced the comparability of such information. Research limitations/implications The results provide timely findings to Jordanian authorities who may be trying to evaluate the current reforms adopted; stringent enforcement mechanisms are needed to ensure full compliance with accounting standards. However, the present investigation was conducted on a single nation (Jordan); the circumstances in Jordan gave rise to the importance of the current study. A cross-country comparative analysis is needed in order to examine the application of IFRS 7 in a developing country context. Practical implications The results of the current study have a number of implications for policymakers. First, they provide a great deal of insight for the International Accounting Standards Board about the relevance of its standards to countries outside the Western context. In addition, the findings provide valuable insights for policymakers in Jordan who are concerned about the implications of mandatory disclosures. Originality/value The analysis of FI disclosure in developing countries in general, and in Jordan in particular has been overlooked by the extant literature and therefore this study is the first of its kind to examine this research issue for a sample of Jordanian firms.


2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 157-163
Author(s):  
Robert Pius Pardede ◽  
Tri Ernawati

The International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) is committed to improve their standards’ quality, which is the global accounting standards that reflect information in financial statements as transparent and comparable for public purposes. The International Accounting Standards (IAS) and the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) provide guidelines in creating and interpreting companies’ financial statements (Iatridis & Dalla, 2011). The purpose of this research was to assess the impact of the application of PSAK 5 (revised 2009). PSAK 5 (revised 2009) requires segment disclosure based on the internal reporting reviewed by the operation decision maker. PSAK 5 (revised 2000) requires companies to disclose segments information based on the format of the primary and secondary segments as identified per products / services that generate the same level of risk and return. The six analytical frameworks developed for this research, namely: (1) analysis of the presentation of segment information based on PSAK 5 (revised 2000) versus PSAK 5 (revised 2009), (2) analysis of the determination and identification of operational decision-making, (3) the analysis of the definition and identification operating segments between industry sectors, (4) analysis of segment aggregation, (5) analysis of determination of the reportable segments, and (6) analysis of reported segment disclosures. In conclusion, generally, the disclosure of segment information based on PSAK 5 (revised 2009) by using the management approach yields a more complete segment report, by conveying more relevant segmental information from the standpoint of management's internal performance than the previous standard, which was PSAK 5 (revised 2000). This research found significant changes related to an increase in the disclosure of segment disclosure in business segments, segment aggregation, and basic information on company's segmental performance measurement in Indonesia.


2019 ◽  
Vol 52 (1) ◽  
pp. 128-137 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andjelković Milivoj Danijela ◽  
Danijela Zubac

The general process of the world market globalization and the great influence of international financial organizations,   especially the IMF and the World Bank, caused the need for standardization and harmonization of financial statements of the participants involved in international economics and trade. In this process, in the Republic of Serbia, the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) and the IASB.S project for IAS/IFRS implementation have a crucial role. By adopting the International Financial Reporting Standards - IFRSs (including International Accounting Standards - IASs), financial statements prepared in Serbia may be comparable with financial statements in other countries. Starting from this, the main goal of the research is to indicate whether the financial statements in Serbia based on the IASB project can be comparable with financial statements in other countries, and on this basis can they satisfy the needs of external users of information (investors, creditors and others). In doing so, it points to the experience in the Republic of Serbia, the accounting practice and experiences of other countries, above all members of the European Union. The results of the research show that, in addition to the IAS/IFRS, the US generally accepted accounting principles (GAAPs) and the Directive 34 of the European Union represent the key segments of professional regulation contributing to greater accounting harmonization, and on this basis, the higher quality of financial reporting. Most countries that have national accounting regulations align the accounting rules in the most important issues with those regulations.


2014 ◽  
Vol 25 (65) ◽  
pp. 124-144 ◽  
Author(s):  
Odilanei Morais dos Santos ◽  
Ariovaldo dos Santos

Este trabalho tem como objetivo identificar os fatores determinantes à submissão de cartas comentários, como estratégia de lobbying no contexto da regulação contábil, à audiência pública do Discussion Paper Extractive Activities do International Accounting Standards Board IASB).Os resultados mostram o tamanho como fator determinante, em todas as modelagens utilizadas, indicando que grandes empresas petrolíferas possuem maior probabilidade para realizar lobbying. Essa propensão é verificada para posicionamentos essencialmente desfavoráveis às propostas apresentadas pelo IASB, o que implica em considerar que a revisão/substituição do International Financial Reporting Standard -IFRS6 será um processo complexo e sujeito a pressões por parte das empresas petrolíferas para manter o status quo.


2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 167
Author(s):  
Ha Thi Thuy Van ◽  
Vu Thi Kim Anh ◽  
Nguyen Dang Huy

Currently, the Ministry of Finance is implementing Decision 480/QD-TTG dated 03/18/2013 of The Prime Minister on approving the Strategy Accounting - Audit 2020, Vision 2030 and implementing the Resolution 35/NQ-CP of the Government dated 16.05.2016 related to the support and development of enterprises by 2020. Accordingly, the development and improvement the legal framework of Financial Reporting standards in Vietnam is one of the key tasks and urgent needs to be developed to meet the requirements of the economy in the period of integration. The system of International Accounting Standards, including the International Accounting Standards (IAS) and the standards of international financial reporting (IFRS) was issued, adjusted, updated and replaced by The International Accounting Standards Board. International Accounting Standards is an important condition to ensure that companies and organizations around the world can apply uniform accounting principles in the work of preparing and presenting financial statements. Currently, many countries around the world such as USA, Japan and European countries, Asia Pacific are approaching IFRS convergence trend. In the trend of globalization of accounting, Vietnam will not be outside the process of integration with the system of International Financial Reporting Standards. This article will review the process of formation and development of IFRS, the IFRS trends and the advantages and disadvantages of applying IFRS in Vietnam. 


2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noriyuki Tsunogaya ◽  
Andreas Hellmann ◽  
Simone Domenico Scagnelli

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to provide a rigorous and holistic analysis of the main features of the Japanese accounting environment. It also raises issues related to the adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) in Japan. Design/methodology/approach – For the purpose of investigating the Japanese accounting system, this study applies the accounting ecology framework developed by Gernon and Wallace (1995) and provides a content analysis of relevant meetings of the Business Accounting Council of Japan. Findings – The findings of this study provide evidence that it would be problematic to require the adoption of IFRS for all listed companies in Japan. The main reason for this is that the Japanese policymakers and standard-setting bodies follow two objectives: enhancing the international comparability of financial reporting and maintaining institutional complementarity between financial reporting and other infrastructures such as accounting-related laws. Research limitations/implications – This study is relevant for accounting researchers and professionals with an interest in Japanese accounting practices. It is also useful for the International Accounting Standards Board and representatives of countries planning to adopt IFRS in the future. Originality/value – The findings of this study show that contextual issues such as social, organizational and professional environments cannot be ignored in the adoption of IFRS in Japan.


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