The localised accounting environment in the implementation of fair value accounting in Indonesia

2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bernadia Linggar Yekti Nugraheni ◽  
Lorne Stewart Cummings ◽  
Alan Kilgore

Purpose This case study aims to investigate the role of actors in the implementation of fair value standards in an emerging country, Indonesia. Design/methodology/approach This study uses semi-structured interviews with important actors within the local accounting profession, standard setting and regulatory environment, to analyse fair value accounting implementation. This study also incorporates information from press releases and newspapers, to provide a more comprehensive picture of fair value implementation. Findings First, professionals undertake routine actions, cultivate interests and strategically navigate their environment during the process of fair value standard implementation. Second, the role of appraisers becomes more prominent during this process. Third, government involvement is significant in ensuring the successful implementation of global accounting standards. Research limitations/implications First, differing localised contexts, including communities and actors, may shape how an emerging country undertakes the diffusion and implementation of global standards, which in turn can also lead to institutional change. Second, government involvement is crucial in supporting the implementation of global accounting standards within emerging economies. Third, implementing market-based measurements within emerging economies characterised by a lack of an active and liquid market may present challenges. Practical implications Third, implementing market-based measurements within emerging economies characterised by a lack of an active and liquid market may present challenges. Originality/value This study applies the concept of Institutional Work within Institutional Theory to explain how fair value standards are implemented within a localised emerging economy characterised by unique actor roles and goal-directed action.

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathryn Bewley ◽  
Cameron Graham ◽  
Songlan Peng

PurposeThis article is a reply to “On theoretical engorgement and the myth of fair value accounting in China” Nobes (2019) from the authors of “Adaptability to fair value accounting in an emerging economy: A case study of China's IRFS convergence” (Peng and Bewley, 2010) and “The Winding Road to Fair Value Accounting in China: A Social Movement Analysis” (Bewley et al., 2018).Design/methodology/approachThis article engages directly with the arguments of the criticism.FindingsThis article argues that the author of the commentary misunderstands the purpose, content and findings of both papers. By providing only a narrowly focused technical analysis of the new Chinese accounting standards, the author fails to see that their qualitative research approach reveals important, complex social and political factors at play in China's attempts to adopt modern international accounting principles. The commentary expresses a view that accounting is a neutral technology that needs only to be clearly defined and enumerated to be correctly implemented, whereas this research takes a much broader and deeper perspective. The authors seek to understand how China was able to successfully adopt fair value accounting standards in 2006, whereas an earlier attempt to introduce fair value in 1998 had led to abuse of fair value measurements and the eventual repeal of fair value regulations in 2001.Practical implicationsThis article helps clarify the purpose of qualitative accounting research, the role of theory in such research and the usefulness of theory in describing and explaining empirical case facts related to changes in accounting standards, particularly in an international context.Originality/valueThis article contributes to a better appreciation of qualitative accounting research.


2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 170-197 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa-Uyen Nguyen

Purpose This study aims to explore the suitability and challenges of implementing fair value accounting (FVA) in Vietnam, an emerging/transitioning economy. While such implementation would enable convergence with International Financial Reporting Standards, standard setters and auditors have raised practical concerns about its adoption. Design/methodology/approach This qualitative study uses semi-structured interviews with regulators and auditors, together with an analysis of two fraud cases that illustrate the business environment in Vietnam. Public, private and capture theories guide the analysis. Findings The business and institutional environment in Vietnam creates several impediments to FVA being effectively implemented and transparently applied. Given the major challenges identified regarding the infrastructure necessary for this valuation system, the premature adoption of FVA may become a catalyst for corporate misconduct. Research limitations/implications The findings are derived from data aggregated from two fraud cases and interviews, and as such, the results may not be generalisable to other settings. However, these findings may inform future research, particularly after the Ministry of Finance provides further guidance on the use of FVA in Vietnam. Practical implications A timely and critical examination of the challenges of implementing FVA in a transitioning economy is provided, and the two fraud cases reveal the complexities of the business environment in Vietnam. Originality/value This research gives voice to the tensions that developing countries are confronting as they seek to balance external pressures with internal constraints. The introduction of an assemblage of three theoretical lenses enables insights into contemporary issues associated with applying FVA in such settings.


2016 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-71 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elisa Menicucci ◽  
Guido Paolucci

Purpose The aim of this paper is to review the main results of accounting research literature examining the role of fair value accounting (FVA) within financial crisis. This research analyzes theoretical and empirical studies on the controversial topic about FVA and its alleged pro-cyclicality in the context of the financial crisis to offer solid reflections for improving the fair value research agenda. Design/methodology/approach This paper consists of a descriptive literature review. Theoretical and empirical research studies were investigated and then systematized in a framework to guide a literature-based analysis and critique of the relevant literature published about this topic. Findings The review reveals that there has been only a limited amount of research into the role of FVA within the financial crisis. This topic has not been researched extensively, and there is no empirical evidence that FVA caused the financial crunch and the subsequent financial crisis. Research limitations/implications The restricted amount of literature that directly deals with FVA in the context of the financial crisis is the main limitation of this paper. The specificity of the theme narrows the coverage. However, the adopted research methodology enabled the main contributions concerning this issue to be collected, to realize a concise and comprehensive portrait of the debate surrounding FVA and the financial crisis. Practical implications This paper can be of use to both researchers and practitioners interested in investigating strengths and weaknesses of the fair value concept for accounting purposes. The paper sets out the main findings of the academic literature and identifies future avenues of theoretical and practical research which may support standard setters to draw up improved accounting regulation. Originality/value Few existing studies consist of a literature review that examines theoretical and empirical researches on the influence of FVA on the financial system. This review offers a comprehensive overview on research literature concerning the responsibility of FVA in causing the financial crisis. The main contribution of this paper relates to further understanding the role and effects of accounting matters concerning fair value in a broad sense within the context of the financial crisis.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anuradha Pandya ◽  
Wayne van Zijl ◽  
Warren Maroun

PurposeThe objective of this research is to explore the challenges being encountered when applying and implementing fair value accounting requirements, focusing specifically on the determination of fair value per International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) 13: Fair value measurement (IFRS 13) in the South African capital market.Design/methodology/approachData are collected from 20 detailed interviews, primarily with preparers and interpretively analysed to identify how individuals internalise the requirements of IFRS 13 and the challenges associated with its application. The researchers focus specifically on South Africa because of its status as a developing economy and, at the same time, its extensive experience in applying IFRS.FindingsSouth African preparers appear reluctant to change from a conventional cost-based measurement approach to one grounded in fair value. Primary concerns include the perceived usefulness of fair value accounting and its conceptual appropriateness, given its perceived de-emphasis of the traditional stewardship role of financial reporting. Related challenges to the application of IFRS 13 include concerns about the cost of determining fair value; the inherent subjectivity of fair value measures and the practical difficulty of calculating fair values when markets are not efficient or where business environments are complex and dynamic where Level 1 inputs are not widely available for all assets and liabilities. These challenges encourage preparers to choose accounting policies, which minimise the use of fair value or apply the provisions of IFRS 13 legalistically.Research limitations/implicationsData are collected from a group of respondents from a single developing economy. Additional research on the application of IFRS 13 in other developing markets will be required to conclude on the relevance of economic, cultural and social factors for the understanding and implementation of new accounting standards by practitioners.Practical implicationsStandard setters and regulators cannot assume that new accounting standards will be interpreted and applied as intended. Even when compliance with IFRS is mandatory, preparers have considerable discretion when it comes to operationalising accounting prescriptions. Unless the challenges raised by preparers are addressed, misapplication of IFRS is likely to continue.Originality/valueThe research makes an important empirical and practical contribution by providing primary evidence on the operationalisation of IFRS 13 in a novel setting. It complements earlier research which has focused primarily on the conceptual/theoretical dimension and on American and European perspectives.


Author(s):  
Md Khokan Bepari ◽  
Abu Taher Mollik

Purpose This study aims to examine the impact of the recent regime change in accounting for goodwill, from the systematic periodic amortisation to the impairment testing, on the frequency and the extent of goodwill write-offs in the context of Australia. It also examines the impact of the change from the amortisation approach to the impairment approach on the value relevance of older goodwill. Design/methodology/approach The authors approach the first research question by comparing the actual amount of goodwill impairment charge by the sample firms with the minimum “as if” amortisation charge that would have been required under the amortisation regime. The authors approach the second question using a modified Ohlson model (1995), similar to Bugeja and Gallery (2006). The sample consists of 911 firm-year observations with the number of observations in the particular year being 238, 242, 220 and 211 in 2009, 2008, 2007 and 2006, respectively. Findings The findings suggest that the adoption of the impairment approach has decreased the frequency and the amount of goodwill write-off. The goodwill impairment amount is substantially less than the “as if” amortisation amount that would have been required under the amortisation regime. The results also suggest that older goodwill is now value-relevant, whereas goodwill purchased during the current year is not value-relevant. One reason for this may be that AASB 3: Business Combination allows for the provisional allocation of the purchase price to goodwill to be allocated to other identifiable intangible assets latter on. Hence, during the year of business combination, investors do not form a firm view of the amount of goodwill arising out of the business combination. Research limitations/implications This study uses data for the first four years since the inception of the impairment approach. Practical implications The findings of this study have important implications for the fair value accounting debate. The discretions allowed the managers under the impairment approach to improve the information content of goodwill. The relatively low levels of goodwill impairment even during the 2008-2009 global financial crisis contradict to the apprehensions found in the literature that managers will use the goodwill write-off as a tool for downward earnings management. The findings also imply that if managers are allowed with adequate flexibility through accounting standards rather than stipulating some systematic and mechanistic rules, the information value of the accounting measurement may improve. Social implications The findings feed into the debate of “rule-based” versus “principle-based” accounting standards and favours the “principle-based” accounting standards. The findings also contribute to the accounting measurement literature by concluding that if allowed with discretionary choices, managers may not always opt for the conservative accounting measurements (such as, recording goodwill write-offs). Originality/value Adopting an alternative approach, this study shows that the fair value accounting for goodwill has resulted in an optimistic approach to goodwill write-offs. It has also improved the information content of reported goodwill. This is the first known study addressing the research questions in consideration after the adoption of the goodwill impairment approach.


2016 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-35 ◽  
Author(s):  
Asheer Ram ◽  
Warren Maroun ◽  
Robert Garnett

Purpose Given its innovative characteristics and increasing popularity, the Bitcoin, and other virtual currencies, are expected to become mainstream, leading to the need for a generally accepted accounting treatment. Currently, however, there are no accounting standards which offer guidance on the recognition and measurement of these virtual currencies. To this end, the purpose of this paper is to determine a conceptual approach for accounting for the Bitcoin, grounded in the theories of neoliberalism and stewardship. Design/methodology/approach The research adopts an interpretive mixed-method approach. The relevant literature is analysed to identify key characteristics of the Bitcoin. These, as well as the elements of accounting policies inspired by neoliberalism and stewardship, form row and column headings in a correspondence matrix completed by 40 financial reporting experts. The correlations between rows and columns (developed using principal component analysis) are used to identify possible recognition and measurement requirements for the Bitcoin. Semi-structured interviews are used to complement the correspondence analysis. Findings The correspondence analysis and interviews reveal an emphasis on cost and fair value proposed by models grounded in stewardship and neoliberalism, respectively. The primary factor at work is the need to account for the underlying economics of the unit of account, something which is informed heavily by an organisation’s business model. Cost and fair value may be conceptual opposites, but in the eyes of respondents, these need to be used to achieve the single goal of communicating the economic rationale for holding the Bitcoin. Research limitations/implications The study is based on a purposefully selected sample of experts and lacks the exploratory potential of purely qualitative research. Nevertheless, it makes novel use of a correspondence analysis to provide an initial frame of reference for developing an accounting policy for unusual transactions and balances. Originality/value The paper is the first to provide a normative perspective on the accounting for this poorly understood “currency”. It also adds to the limited body of interpretive accounting research which dispenses with traditional finance paradigms and positivist models to provide practical recommendations. Finally, the paper offers an innovative approach, using a correspondence analysis and detailed interviews, for developing an accounting policy for transactions not specifically within the scope of existing accounting standards.


2012 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 335-351 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. P. Kothari ◽  
Rebecca Lester

SYNOPSIS The advent of the Great Recession in 2008 was the culmination of a perfect storm of lax regulation, a growing housing bubble, rising popularity of derivatives instruments, and questionable banking practices. In addition to these causes, management incentives as well as certain U.S. accounting standards contributed to the financial crisis. We outline the significant effects of these incentive structures and the role of fair value accounting standards during the crisis, and discuss implications and relevance of these rules to practitioners, standard-setters, and academics.


2014 ◽  
Vol 29 (6) ◽  
pp. 548-574 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hung-Yuan (Richard) Lu ◽  
Vivek Mande

Purpose – This study aims to examine whether banks are compliant with the Financial Accounting Standards Board’s standard Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2010-06 requiring disaggregated fair value hierarchy information. It also identifies institutional and firm-specific factors that are associated with compliance or non-compliance. Design/methodology/approach – Using quarterly reports of banks for the first quarters of 2009 (pre- ASU 2010-06) and 2010 (post- ASU 2010-06), we hand-collect information on disclosures about fair values from the footnotes. Using a logistic regression with compliance/non-compliance as the dependent variable, we examine factors associated with compliance/non-compliance. Findings – Results show that 23 per cent of banks do not comply with ASU 2010-06 and that the non-compliant banks tend to be small, lack effective internal controls and are more likely to be audited by non-specialist auditors. Research limitations/implications – This study only considers one type of non-compliance with ASU 2010-06, i.e. whether or not firms provide disaggregated fair value hierarchy information. There may be other forms of non-compliance that the authors do not examine because of the difficulties involved in objectively defining non-compliance. Practical implications – The findings suggest firms may need to increase training for internal personnel and hire high-quality auditors for ensuring compliance with fair value accounting rules. The authors also suggest that smaller firms may find compliance to be onerous and recommend additional research to examine whether smaller firms should be exempted from some or all of the fair value rules. Originality/value – This study provides some of the first evidence on the level of compliance with mandated fair value disclosures.


2021 ◽  
pp. 0148558X2110178
Author(s):  
Sung Gon Chung ◽  
Cheol Lee ◽  
Gerald J. Lobo ◽  
Kevin Ow Yong

This study examines the economic implications of fair value liability gains and losses arising from the adoption of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 159 (hereafter, FAS 159). We find a positive correspondence between a firm’s FAS 159 fair value liability gains and losses and current period stock returns, consistent with the notion that these gains and losses are priced by equity investors. However, further analysis indicates that fair value gains and losses from liabilities have a statistically significant negative association with future returns, suggesting that investors misprice this earnings component and subsequently correct the mispricing. We also find that the negative association for fair value gains is stronger for firms with lower levels of institutional ownership.


2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 290-303
Author(s):  
Marta Mori ◽  
Ronan McDermott ◽  
Saut Sagala ◽  
Yasmina Wulandari

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore how culture, including traditions and social structures, can influence resilience and how culturally sensitive relief operations can put affected people and their context at the core of any interventions. Design/methodology/approach A case study of the Mt Sinabung volcano area in Indonesia was undertaken. As part of the case study, an analysis of interventions was conducted, which was complemented by semi-structured interviews with Karo cultural experts and humanitarian organisations. Findings Culture influences the manner in which the Karo people react to volcano eruptions with varying implications for recovery. In addition, relief organisations which understand people’s actions through a cultural lens have better managed to tailor programs with long-term impact, thereby avoiding aid dependency. Practical implications Practical examples of disaster management activities that adequately account for the beneficiaries’ way of living prior to the eruptions are provided. Aid actors are provided with guidance concerning how to better tailor their activities in line with a cultural lens. Originality/value The study provides empirical grounding for claims concerning the role of culture in planning interventions in Indonesia and other similar contexts.


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