IFRS Adoption in Developing Countries: What Is the Impact?

Abstract

This study explores the impact of mandatory adoption of the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) in developing countries on business leaders’ perceptions of the overall accounting and financial environment. The study employs survey data from the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report to gauge business leaders’ perceptions of the accounting and financial environment. Eight countries across Latin America, Africa, and Asia comprise case studies, all of whom recently adopted mandatory IFRS use for publicly listed companies. Each survey variable is tracked over time, comparing pre and post IFRS adoption, vis-à-vis the same variable in a control country that did not adopt IFRS. IFRS adoption shows mostly positive impacts on the accounting environment in four cases. The impact of adoption in the other three countries is mostly insignificant. These results should encourage policymakers in developing countries to improve auditing and enforcement practices to increase the likelihood of positive results from IFRS adoption.