scholarly journals Adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) in Ghana and the Quality of Financial Statement Disclosures

Author(s):  
Ben Kwame Agyei-Mensah

According to the IASB's IFRS framework, qualitative characteristics are the attributes that make the information provided in financial statements useful to others. This study was conducted to investigate the quality of financial reports before and after adopting IFRSs in Ghana, and also the influence of firm-specific characteristics which include firm size, profitability, debt equity ratio, liquidity and audit firm size on the quality of financial information disclosed by firms listed on the Ghana Stock Exchange.The research was conducted through detailed analysis of the pre-official adoption period, (2006) and post adoption period, (2008) financial statements of the listed firms.  Descriptive analysis was performed to provide the background statistics of the variables examined.  This was followed by regression analysis which forms the main data analysis.  The results of the quality of financial information disclosure mean of 76.80% (pre adoption) and 87.09% (post adoption) for the two years indicate that the quality of financial reports has improved significantly after adopting IFRSs. The study thus confirms that the implementation of IFRSs generally reinforce accounting disclosure quality.  It also indicates listed firms' overwhelming compliance with the IASB's IFRS Framework.The results of the multiple regression analysis show that company size, represented by net assets and Auditor type were found to be associated at a statistically significant level with the quality of financial information disclosed.  With the improvement in the quality of the financial reports after adopting IFRS users are assured of useful information for financial decision-making.Keywords: Quality of financial reports' disclosure, Firm-specific characteristics, International Financial Reporting Standards, Mandatory disclosure, Ghana. JEL Classifications: M40, M41, M48

2012 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 993
Author(s):  
Stepvanny Margaretta ◽  
Gatot Soepriyanto

There are several factors that affect the company's delay in submitting the financial statements are often referred to as Audit Delay, among others IFRS (International Financial Reporting Standards), firm size, profitability, size public accounting firm, audit opinion, and complexity. One factor that is quite prominent is the application of IFRS that have not been uniform across all companies in Indonesia. It could also lead to Audit Delay. Firm size theoretically means companies bigger scale required to submit financial reports on time. As for profitability, KAP size, and complexity of the audit opinion is also decent enough to be considered as one of the influential factors on Audit Delay. The results of this study indicate that the application of IFRS, profitability, size KAP, audit opinion, and complexity does not have a significant impact on the delay for submission of financial statements. Finaly, a factor that leads to significant effect of time delay submission of financial statements is the size of the company.


2008 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 241-248 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karim Jamal ◽  
George J. Benston ◽  
Douglas R. Carmichael ◽  
Theodore E. Christensen ◽  
Robert H. Colson ◽  
...  

SYNOPSIS: The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) recently issued a call for comment on a proposal to accept financial statements prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) without reconciliation to U.S. GAAP. Accounting researchers have attempted to assess the quality of IFRS using different methods and criteria. While we are skeptical of drawing direct conclusions about the SEC’s proposal based on this research, there is adequate evidence that both IFRS and U.S. GAAP provide useful information to investors and other users of financial statements. Moreover, we see no conclusive research evidence that financial reports prepared using U.S. GAAP are better than reports prepared using IFRS. The prudent approach when faced with alternatives with no clear difference in quality is to promote competition among them, which supports adopting the SEC’s proposal to permit foreign private issuers a choice between IFRS and U.S. GAAP. Furthermore, to help improve U.S. and international GAAP through standards-setting competition, we recommend that the Commission extend the choice of IFRS to U.S. companies, and require all companies to indicate clearly whether they are filing under U.S. GAAP or IFRS. Finally, we recommend that the Commission and its staff investigate and seek feedback on the educational consequences of its proposed actions. This attention will help educators to better prepare future professionals to implement these proposed regulatory changes.


Entropy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (5) ◽  
pp. 557
Author(s):  
Ionel Jianu ◽  
Iulia Jianu

This study investigates the conformity to Benford’s Law of the information disclosed in financial statements. Using the first digit test of Benford’s Law, the study analyses the reliability of financial information provided by listed companies on an emerging capital market before and after the implementation of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). The results of the study confirm the increase of reliability on the information disclosed in the financial statements after IFRS implementation. The study contributes to the existing literature by bringing new insights into the types of financial information that do not comply with Benford’s Law such as the amounts determined by estimates or by applying professional judgment.


2017 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 268-290 ◽  
Author(s):  
Albertus Louw ◽  
Warren Maroun

Purpose Independent monitoring and review bodies have become a defining feature of the professional accounting and auditing space. Exactly how these institutions function to improve the quality of the corporate reporting or audit function is, however, poorly understood. Consequently, the purpose of this study is to provide empirical evidence on how the activities of an independent review process functions on individual preparers, auditors and those charged with an organisation’s governance. Design/methodology/approach The study is an interpretive one. Data are collected using semi-structured interviews and analysed by the researchers. Findings The review function performed by an independent body results in companies being more aware of the need for compliance with the applicable financial reporting standards. Independent reviews also act as a process of examination which functions at the level of the individual accountant, auditor or director. These subjects of regulation report an added sense of accountability to their respective employer and profession and a heightened awareness of the need for high-quality corporate reporting. Research limitations/implications Independent monitoring and review bodies are not just symbolic displays which reassure uninformed users that the quality of financial statements are sound. Examination of financial statements and identification of non-compliance with the applicable financial reporting standards drive actual changes in reporting practices. Originality/value This study complements the predominantly positivist financial reporting research which does not deal with precisely how the work of regulatory bodies operates on the subjects of regulation. The research makes an important practical contribution by providing empirical evidence in support of laws and regulations which promote independent review of the accounting profession.


2016 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 131-156 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kingsley Opoku Appiah ◽  
Dadson Awunyo-Vitor ◽  
Kwame Mireku ◽  
Christian Ahiagbah

Purpose This study aims to examine the association between five firm-specific characteristics and the level of compliance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) by companies listed on Ghana Stock Exchange. The five firm-specific characteristics are firm size, profitability, leverage, auditor type and firm age. Design/methodology/approach The study uses dataset from 31 listed Ghanaian firms from 2008 to 2012. Random effect is used to examine the influence of the predictive variables on the level of IFRS corporate compliance. Findings The result reveals a positive significant relationship between the level of compliance and firm size, auditor type, cross-listing and sector (information and communications technology (ICT) and agro-forestry). On the contrary, the level of compliance exhibits a negative significant association with leverage and firm age. It is observed that the level of compliance is not related to profitability. The results are robust to different model specifications. Practical implications This study identifies firm-specific characteristics that influence IFRS compliance by listed firms in Ghana. This would aid accounting policy makers to institute strategies to encourage compliance with IFRS by the listed firms. Originality/value The study contributes to financial reporting literature relating to developing economies and Ghana, in particular.


2013 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 1041
Author(s):  
Pieter Van der Zwan ◽  
Nico Van der Merwe

South African companies must prepare financial statements in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) or other reporting standards modelled on IFRS. Literature suggests that the complexity of IFRS, which stems from detailed rules-based principles in these standards, may harm the ability of users of financial statements to understand financial information in a meaningful way. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate whether selected users and preparers of financial statements in South Africa interpret selected IFRS-compliant information prepared in accordance with rules-based principles in the manner intended by the standard-setters. The results of the study, which are based on data gathered by administering a questionnaire that contained selected IFRS-compliant note disclosures to accounting practitioners, accountancy students, and non-accountants in business, suggest that the participants of the study did not understand such IFRS-compliant information as intended by the standard-setters. Additional disclosure, the adoption of a simplified accounting framework for Small and Medium-sized Entities (SMEs) and the use of an output-based continuing professional education (CPE) system are identified as areas that warrant further research to overcome the threats posed by rules-based principles in IFRS.


2015 ◽  
Vol 31 (5) ◽  
pp. 1889
Author(s):  
Seung Uk Choi ◽  
Woo Jae Lee

Korean listed firms have been required to disclose their financial statements based on the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) since 2011. Using pre- and post-IFRS reporting periods, we investigate the relation between IFRS non-audit consulting services provided by incumbent auditor and the cost of debt of its client for firms in the Korean Stock Market. We find evidence that IFRS non-audit consulting services are related to the decrease in cost of debt only during the post-IFRS period. In particular, receiving non-audit consulting services is positively associated with a clients bond credit rating and negatively associated with interest rate. The result generally holds when we use alternative proxies of IFRS non-audit consulting services. Finally, our results are robust to potential endogeneity issues in selecting non-audit services.


2017 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 243-250
Author(s):  
Jee Hoon Yuk ◽  
Wook Bin Leem

This study investigates whether earnings quality of Korean listed firms was substantially improved after the IFRS adoption in long-term aspect and which firms listed in KOSPI or KOSDAQ market had been more enjoyed the benefit. Prior studies related to this subject don’t provide consistent results and have a limitation of insufficiency of research periods. Therefore, this study analyzes the positive effect of the IFRS adoption in Korea using long-term based approach and comparative analysis on each Korean stock market. Furthermore, this study considered Korean specific institutional environment in which main financial statements prepared and disclosed by listed firms were changed from individual financial statements to consolidated financial statements after the IFRS adoption. Results of the study found that earnings quality of Korean listed firms had been significantly improved during 5 years after the IFRS adoption. In addition, earnings quality on consolidated financial statements of KOSDAQ listed firms has improved more than that of KOSPI listed firms. The results provide meaningful implications to evaluate the effects of IFRS adoption on earnings quality and to assess accomplishment of fundamental purpose of the IFRS adoption in Korea.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 965-984
Author(s):  
Unity Maqeda Putsai ◽  
Msizi Mkhize

The main objective of this study is to investigate the effects of company attributes on compliance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). The study used a sample of 46 listed companies on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) covering the period from 1993 to 2017. With an average compliance level of 88.21304, it is concluded that South Africa’s listed firms have significantly complied with IFRS 1. Using panel data to analyze the effects of company attributes, size and leverage have a significant positive effect on IFRS 1 compliance. On the other hand, the coefficients of Earnings Per Share (EPS) and Return on Total Assets (ROTA) are negative and significant. This similarly implies that ROTA and EPS are important factors driving the compliance level of the companies in South Africa with the IFRS 1 disclosure. EPS and ROTA also exhibit an inverse relationship with the compliance level. Carrying out a longitudinal study helps to produce more recent evidence on the quality of IFRS financial reports in South Africa. The outcome of the study is beneficial to international literature as it provides enough evidence on the benefits of adopting IFRS adoption.


2021 ◽  
Vol 39 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zahraa Nasser Ali ◽  
Hakeem Hammood Flayyih

The need for international financial reporting standards (IFRS) emerged due to the increasing degree of interdependence between global capital markets and the need for investors to obtain reliable and honest financial information in expressing economic events, in order to find a common financial language, and this is what IFRS provide. Nevertheless, the research aimed to measure the impact of the adoption of IFRS on the quality of earnings in the Iraqi banks listed in the Iraqi Stock Exchange for a sample of 30 banks. The Beneish model was used to measure the quality of earnings, while Mann-Whitney was used to measure and prove the hypothesis of the research. However, the research reached a set of conclusions, including that although the IFRS should contribute to improving the quality of financial reporting, the adoption of these standards in commercial banks listed in the Iraq Stock Exchange did not contribute to achieving quality in earnings even after adopting those standards. Furthermore, a Beneish model is an important tool for auditors, financial analysts, investors, and creditors who have the ability to understand the financial statements or those who have a reasonable understanding of the nature of those financial statements in measuring the quality of earnings, because it is a simple and easy to implement tool.


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