IFRS GLOBAL DIFFUSION: HISTORY, RHETORIC, IMPACT AND FUTURE’S PERSPECTIVE

IFRS GLOBAL DIFFUSION: HISTORY,
RHETORIC, IMPACT AND FUTURE’S
PERSPECTIVE

By: ERSA TRI WAHYUNI, PhD
Universitas Padjadjaran Bandung

KONFERENSI ILMIAH AKUNTANSI 3, UNTAR, 10 MARET 2016

1

AGENDA










The Evo lutio n o f G lo b a l Ac c o unting Sta nd a rd
The Rise o f IFRS : The Tim e line
The Rhe to ric o f IFRS
The G o ve rna nc e Mo d e l o f IASB
The Rhe to ric : The C yc le o f IFRS Q ua lity Ma king
Ho w C o untrie s Ad o p t IFRS
The C o nse q ue nc e s o f IFRS Diffusio n
Do e s IFRS Diffusio n e nc o ura g e Ha rm o niza tio n o f ta x
rule s?
• C o nc lusio ns
2

BACKGROUND
• IFRS ha s b e e n d iffuse d to b e c o m e a n inte rna tio na l sta nd a rd o ve r the
p a st 15 ye a rs, the re a re b urg e o ning num b e r o f e m p iric a l stud ie s a b o ut
the inte nd e d a nd uninte nd e d c o nse q ue nc e s o f this g lo b a l re g ula to ry
c ha ng e (se e Brüg g e m a nn e t a l., 2013 ; Ta rc a , 2012 fo r a n o ve rvie w)
• So m e re se a rc h p ro vid e s e vid e nc e tha t IFRS p ro d uc e s b e tte r q ua lity
a c c o unting info rm a tio n c o m p a re d to lo c a l G AAP (Ba rth e t a l., 2008;
Ho rto n e t a l., 2013; Da ske e t a l., 2008; Le e e t a l., 2008)

• If c o m p a nie s c o nve rt fro m US G AAP to IFRS, a c c o unting q ua lity
d im e nsio ns ha ve b e e n fo und to re m a in unc ha ng e d (Ba rto v e t a l., 2005;
Le uz, 2003) o r e ve n d e te rio ra te (Va n d e r Me ule n e t a l., 2007; Ba rth e t
a l., 2012)
• IFRS a s a hig h q ua lity sta nd a rd is a n im p o rta nt rhe to ric fo r IFRS g lo b a l rise
(Be sid e the lo we r o f c o st o f c a p ita l)
• US G AAP use d to b e the m a in re fe re nc e fo r m o st c o untrie s in d e ve lo p ing
the ir a c c o unting sta nd a rd s b e fo re a d o p ting IFRS
• Ho w IFRS wa s a d o p te d a nd institutio na lise d in to the c o untrie s with the
p a st c lo se re la tio nship to US G AAP?

3

IFRS DIFFUSION AND ADOPTION:
WHAT DO WE KNOW SO FAR?
• IFRS d iffusio n w a s hig hly influe nc e d b y
• Asia n Fina nc ia l C risis 1997 G 7  FSF  ne w fina nc ia l infra struc ture
• EU a d o p tio n in 2005  Austra lia , Philip p ine s, Ho ng Ko ng , So uth Afric a
• US SEC d e c isio n in 2007 a llo wing IFRS fo r fo re ig n p riva te issue rs


• C o e rc ive iso m o rp hism is a c o m m o n e xp la na tio n fo r the c a se
o f IFRS a d o p tio n e sp e c ia lly in d e ve lo p ing c o untrie s.
• Pre ssure fro m inte rna tio na l d o no r o rg a nisa tio ns suc h a s the
Wo rld Ba nk, the Asia n De ve lo p m e nt Ba nk, the IMF a nd the EU
ha d b e e n a m a jo r c a use fo r d e ve lo p ing c o untrie s to a d o p t
IFRS, suc h a s in the c a se o f Ba ng la d e sh, Pa kista n, Eg yp t,
Ka za khsta n, Ro m a nia a nd Zim b a b w e (Alb u e t a l., 2011;
C ha m isa , 2000; Ha ssa n, 2008; Husse y a nd O ng , 2006; Juna id
a nd G ha ni, 2005; Mir a nd Ra ha m a n, 2005; Tyrra ll e t a l., 2007)

4

THE EVOLUTION OF ACCOUNTING
STANDARD : GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES

Disha rm o nio us
na tio na l a c c o unting
sta nd a rd s
• Be fo re 1970s


O ne se t o f g lo b a l
a c c o unting
sta nd a rd s
• Sta rting a ro und
1970s - no w

A fe w se ts o f g lo b a l
a c c o unting
sta nd a rd s ?
• Po st 2012

• Be fo re 1970s a c c o unting sta nd a rd is a p ro d uc t o f na tio na l
sta nd a rd se tte r
• Sta rting in 1970s, the id e a o f o ne se t o f g lo b a l a c c o unting
sta nd a rd sta rte d to e m e rg e
• The id e a o f o ne se t o f g lo b a l a c c o unting sta nd a rd is d iffuse d
stro ng ly
• But with US a nd Ja p a n a re p ro m o ting m o re c o m p e titio n o f
sta nd a rd s, m a yb e the wo rld c ulture o f a c c o unting will c ha ng e
a g a in.


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Time Line of IFRS Diffusion World Wide

1973, IASC established

2007 US SEC allowed
IFRS for foreign issuers

1987, IOSCO-IASC First
project

1993 IOSCO-IASC
Revision project

1997-1998 Asian Crisis

2005, IFRS adoption by
EU, and some countries*


2002 EU decided to
adopt IFRS by 2005.
Convergence project
starts between IASB and
FASB

2000, IOSCO
endorsement

2012,
2008 Global Financial
crisis

Some countries adopt
IFRS for the first time**
IASB-FASB convergence
ended.

* e.g Australia, Philippines, Hongkong, South Africa

** e.g Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Rusia, Mexico

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The Objective
7

The IFRS Foundation and the IASB are dedicated to
developing and sustaining a single set of globally
accepted accounting standards:
Aimed at providing high-quality, transparent and comparable

information for investors and other users of financial information
Providing the world’s integrated capital markets with a common

language for financial reporting
Promoting capital market stability through the transparency and

integrity of financial reporting
Taking appropriate steps with regulators and standard-setters to help


promote consistent application of standards
Source: Tweedie, 20 11
3

Why Global Standards are Needed
8

 Accounting standards evolved nationally because

companies borrowed and investors invested only in
their home country
 Globalisation is inconsistent with multiple, national or
regional accounting languages that hinder
comparability



Corporations must consolidate global network of operations
Investors seeking diversification and return increasingly invest

outside domestic markets
Source: Tweedie, 20 11

4

Why Global Standards: Benefits to Capital
Markets
9

Transparent financial markets and free
trade require a high-quality, single, global
accounting language
Credibility of local market to foreign investors
Greater cross-border investment
Efficient capital allocation
Comparability across political boundaries
Facilitates global education and training

Source: Tweedie, 20 11
5


Why Global Standards: Benefits to
Companies
10

In the long run, global standard benefit companies
– especially multi-nationals
Lower cost of capital
Integrated IT systems
Easier consolidation
One set of books
Assist in raising capital overseas
Understand financial statements of overseas

suppliers, customers, subsidiaries
Source: Tweedie, 20 11
6

Source: Tweedie, 2011


Corporate Governance – Three Tier Model
US Model
Securities and
Exchange
Commission (SEC)

FAF Trustees

Financial Accounting
Standards Board

Global Model
Public accountability
to securities
regulators

Monitoring Board

Overseen by Trustees

IFRS Foundation
Trustees (5/22 US)

Independent
standard-setter

International
Accounting Standards
Board

Independent and publically accountable
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The Cycle of IFRS Quality Im age Making
12
IFRS as a high quality
global accounting
standard
Prom oted by
International Bodies

As m ore countries adopt,
the IFRS quality im age is
enhanced and IFRS
becom e m ore
international

Early Adopters Countries and
J urisdictions adopt not for
quality reason :
e.g. Europe, Philippines

Late Adopter Countries see
the widespread adoption of
IFRS as an evidence of IFRS
high quality
e.g. Canada, Brazil, Indonesia

Actors engaged in the process
The Role of Actors

Rule makers :
Create the standard
Rule enforcer :
Enforce,
endorse
recommend the standard

Example of Actors in Example of Actors in the
the International Arena National Arena
IASB, IFRS
Interpretation
Committee
IOSCO, IMF, World
or Bank

National Standard-setter for
example FASB (US), AcSB
(Canada).
Capital Market Regulator,
Central Bank for example the US
SEC or the Japanese-FSA.

Adopting jurisdictions:
Preparers: Public-listed
EU, Countries,
companies, financial institutions,
and others.
Rule enablers*:
IASB
Professional associations,
Support
knowledgeaccounting/consultant firms,
building of IFRS.
universities/ academics
Rule takers :
Apply the standard

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How do Countries Adopt IFRS?
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Harmonization
Period

Decision
Period

Transition
Period

During the transition period, countries may alter
or reverse their decision, thus the two arrows.
This is evident in Indonesia, Canada, J apan and
the US

Implementation
Period

Different form s of Institutional Work
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Institutional work : “the
purposive action of individuals
and organisations aimed at
creating, maintaining and
disrupting institutions ”. (Lawrence
and Suddaby 20 0 6)

Institutional work
represents a new idea
connecting, bridging and
extending the work of
institutional
entrepreneurship,
institutional change and
innovation and
deinstitutionalisations
(Lawrence et al., 20 0 9)

Disruptive Work
• Underm ining the ‘localism ’ logic
of the old accounting standard
• Disrupting the full adoption of
IFRS
• Prohibiting the continued use of
US GAAP

Maintaining Work

Creating Work

• Resisting IFRS and
m aintaining US GAAP
• Maintaining the IFRS
adoption decision:
Reinvented the new actors
• Maintaining full IFRS
adoption

• IFRS as a high quality
accounting standard:
Im age-m aking processes
• Reconfiguration of belief
system s
• The creation of
com petition logic

Why IFRS was Chosen over the Alternative?
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Respondents agreed that IFRS and US GAAP are good quality
accounting standards.
IFRS was chosen than the alternatives, for:
1. International recognition (Becom e m em ber of IFRS global
society) and endorsem ent from international bodies
(IOSCO, IFAC, G20 , World Bank)
2. Efficiency reason. Developing their own unique standard
is expensive
3. More inclusive due process to include a wider audience
while US GAAP only cater US stakeholder’s interest
4. Retain/ im prove their influence in the IFRS m aking arena

Consequences of IFRS Diffusion
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 Changing Role of National Standard Setters
 IFRS diffusion also push the FASB/ IASB m odel to diffuse.
FASB/ IASB logic : quasi-judicial, technical-expert,
independent.
 E.g : J apan, Brazil, Korea,
 Recent charter between IASB and IFASS about the “A m odel
for National Standard Setter”
 New Player in the International field : Regional

Group of Standard Setters.


GLASS, AOSSG, IFASS

IFRS Diffusion and Harm onisation of Tax Rules
18

 No evidence of global m ovem ent to harm onise the

tax rules
 It is difficult to lobby the tax harm onisation at the
international level due to the absence of an
international association of tax authority
 Many countries do not have significant change in
their tax rules after IFRS adoption (Mulyadi, Soepriyanto, Anwar,
20 12)

 Som e countries provided som e rules during the

transition year that the IFRS adoption should not
increase the tax paym ent.

Conclusions
• The decision making of IFRS adoption is a complex political
process and sometime take several years to make.
• The mechanism of the adoption, the dynamics of IFRS
adoption creates several patterns of IFRS adoption process
which are unique one another
• The quality of IFRS is not very important reason to adopt IFRS
• IFRS diffusion bring institutional consequences to the national
and international regulatory field

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Online sources:





www.iasplus.com : website by Deloitte
www.ifrs.org : IASB website
IFRS.wiley.com : for technical articles
http://www.accountancyage.com/ for accounting and
business news in UK
• http://www.accountingtoday.com/ for accounting and
business news in US

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Thank You

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Website: etw-accountant.com

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